Glacier National Park U.S. Department of the Interior Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park

Newsletter #3 Spring 2015 GOING-TO-THE-SUN ROAD CORRIDOR Management Plan Newsletter Preliminary Alternatives

A Message from the Superintendent

Dear Friends, We have not yet selected a preferred alternative, I am pleased to present the third newsletter for nor completed the environmental analysis. That the Going-to-the-Sun Road (GTSR) Corridor will be in the Draft Plan EIS. We anticipate it Management Plan project. Newsletter three will be available for review and comment in fall, presents five preliminary alternatives for your 2015. Public meetings will be held in the fall early review. They outline various responses that after the Draft Plan and EIS are released. park management could take to address issues As we move forward in this process, please continue that include congestion, parking shortages, and to be involved and share your thoughts and ideas resource impacts along the GTSR, and prepare for about management of the GTSR corridor. Thank changes in visitation, National Park Service (NPS) you for your participation and interest to date. Your transportation, climate change, and funding. All comments received during scoping were extremely the alternatives continue to allow private vehicles valuable and instrumental in helping the planning team to drive the GTSR, and no changes are proposed develop this range of preliminary alternatives. I look to the operation of the Red Buses or Sun Tours. forward to hearing more of your thoughts and ideas.

The process to develop these alternatives included Sincerely, identifying goals, collecting data, review of public Jeff Mow comments, and identifying thresholds that would Superintendent trigger mitigation actions by park management. I invite you to review and comment on these INSIDE- preliminary alternatives. Your comments Why This Plan is Needed 21 will be used to inform further development, Vision and Goals 4 modification and analysis of these preliminary Development of Preliminary Alternatives 5 alternatives for the Draft Plan and Environmental Draft Preliminary Alternatives 1-5 6 Impact Statement (EIS). In this newsletter you Actions Common to All Alternatives 8 will find a number of ways to contact us. Update on Visitor & Transportation Research 8 What Happens Next? 11

Going-to-the-Sun Road Corridor Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement Newsletter Glacier National Park Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park GOING-TO-THE-SUN ROAD CORRIDOR Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement Newsletter

WHY does the Going-to-the-Sun Road corridor need a management Plan?

Logan Pass East & West of Lunch Creek • Park visitation is increasing and trends • Transit hub and transfer point • Visitors park elsewhere and walk along the road • Social trails (undesignated) indicate it is likely to continue to • Limited parking up to Logan Pass, which creates safety concerns increase. • Pedestrian conflicts • No restrooms nearby • Increased use of trails and overlooks, including increased • Resource damage from human waste along • Visitation increases have already and off-trail, backcountry hiking popular trails and in the backcountry will likely continue to add stress to • New trails being created by increased, dispersed use Siyeh Bend existing facility infrastructure (parking • Concerns about increased human encounters with wildlife • Limited parking • Human waste issues and restrooms) and increase traffic • Congestion congestion on the road.

The Loop Granite Park • The number of hikers has significantly increased on some of the popular trails • Increased use of trails and facilities The Loop Highline • Limited parking and safety concerns accessing trails Flattop Mountain in the Going-to-the-Sun Road (GTSR) Saint Mary Visitor Center • Tight shuttle circulation Saint Mary corridor by as much as 250% since 1988. Logan Pass • Many hikers park here all day, reducing the number Big Bend Visitor Center Entrance Station This increase has resulted in crowding of spaces available for short-term parking

and multiple types of resource impacts. Piegan Pass Rose Creek Otokomi Lake • Popular areas, such as the Avalanche Siyeh Pass Beaver Pond Trail McDonald Creek Divide Creek Siyeh Goat Lake Creek area on the west side of the park, • Increasing human presence Logan Pass Rising Sun Bend Sunrift East Entrance Station Red Eagle and the Logan Pass area, continue to be may disturb Harlequin ducks Hidden Lake Gorge • Long wait times for visitors Avalanche Avalanche Lake congested, resulting in safety issues and entering park during peak Gunsight St Mary Lake Sun Point resource impacts. Pass times St Mary

West Lakes Florence Falls Mary Baker Falls • The shuttle system, launched in 2007, Triple Divide Avalanche Lake Twin Lakes was intended to reduce congestion • Congestion BLACKFEET INDIAN Feather Woman Gunsight Pass along the GTSR, at parking areas, and • Limited parking Lake Jackson Glacier RESERVATION

at pullouts. However, the road is still • Pedestrian conflicts Lake McDonald Lodge Mount Brown Snyder Lake Howe Lake congested and the parking lots and • Transit transfer point Gunsight Pass

Lincoln Lake Sperry • Terminus for large vehicles Fish Lake Chalet Medicine Owl pullouts are at capacity during peak St. Mary Falls Lake Sunrift Gorge visitation season. • Limited parking • Limited parking • Congestion Apgar Visitor Center McDonald Lake • Visitors park along the road and Transit Center • Pedestrian conflicts • Pedestrian/vehicle conflicts • Increased use of existing trails such as • Transit delays Snyder Ridge • Transition to visitor center St. Mary & Virginia falls • Limited parking • Increased number of social Apgar (undesignated) trails Apgar Visitor Center Apgar Lookout Entrance Station Glacier National Park National Park Service Snyder Ridge General Transportation & Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park U.S. Department of the Interior West Entrance Station West Old Flathead River RS Visitor Use Issues (during peak use) • Long wait times for visitors Transit Staging/Transfer Paved Road Glacier • General traffic and parking congestion entering park during peak times • Increased conflicts and safety concerns for cyclists Transit Stop Unpaved Road and pedestrians Visitor Center Day-Use Zone (GMP) • Poor wayfinding and orientation for visitors Entrance Station • General safety concerns GMP Management Area Poor Conditions Worse Rivers / Creeks Glacier National Park Conditions Trail During peak times & peak season (end of June to end of August), certain areas in the corridor become Going-to-the-Sun Road

REVISED APRIL 2015 N 0 1 2 3mi

GOING-TO-THE-SUN ROAD CORRIDOR MANAGEMENT PLAN HOT SPOTS 2 http://parkplanning.nps.gov/glac 3 Glacier National Park Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park GOING-TO-THE-SUN ROAD CORRIDOR Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement Newsletter

WHAT are the vision and goals of the plan? Development of Preliminary Alternatives

The Going-to-the-Sun Road corridor will be managed to provide all visitors with an opportunity The National Park Service is parking, to increasing the shuttle to experience the scenic majesty and historic character of the park through a wide range of visitor required to examine a full range system, to removing the shuttle of reasonable alternatives when system and implementing a activities, services, and facilities. The cultural significance and traditional use of the Going-to-the-Sun preparing an environmental impact reservation and/or timed entry Road will be emphasized. The project’s vision and four goals outline the intent of the plan. statement. The preliminary system during peak season. alternatives propose different ways Alternative 5 describes a flexible to meet the purpose and need and management approach to allow goals for the plan, while minimizing Goals the park to be able to respond to Vision impacts to park resources. Some future changes in transportation, Goal 1: Manage transportation and trails in the meet these goals better than An integrated, sustainable, and flexible visitation, economics, funding and others. Some of system of transportation and visitor use corridor using adaptable, responsible climate climate (referred to as these preliminary friendly strategies. Reasonable change drivers). Scenario management strategies for the Going-to-the- alternatives may planning (a process Sun Road corridor will focus on protecting and Goal 2: Provide for visitor enjoyment while eventually be alternatives must also used by industry) was determined to not be be economically and minimizing impacts to resources, provide for managing for appropriate levels and types of modified and used to reasonable alternatives, visitor enjoyment, and leverage partnerships visitor use. technically feasible explore three possible and therefore may not that help the park and surrounding region and show evidence of futures, anticipate Goal 3: Protect natural resources conditions, be fully developed trends, consider anticipate and respond to climate change and and analyzed. These common sense. processes and values. risk, and brainstorm other emerging challenges and opportunities. will be described ideas for proactive responses to Goal 4: Protect cultural and historic resources. as considered but dismissed. future conditions on the GTSR economics, climate change, and Reasonable alternatives must corridor. Alternative 5 describes NPS funding availability. Triggers also be economically and this adaptive approach. Change were identified to assist the park technically feasible and show drivers that are beyond the in identifying which future we evidence of common sense. park's control were identified are headed towards. Different These preliminary alternatives and include transportation management tools were identified, were developed by park staff and technology, visitation levels, based on the possible future. the project planning team, including professional transportation planners from the National Park Service's Denver Service Center and the Intermountain Regional Office. They were also informed by work completed by contractors for socioeconomic resources, alternative transportation, and the University of Montana’s social science research. Alternative 1 is the No Action alternative. Alternatives 2, 3 and 4 were developed using a traditional approach of forecasting or predicting a certain future. They describe different ways the park would respond to increasing visitation and longer visitor seasons due to climate change. These range from building more

4 http://parkplanning.nps.gov/glac 5 Glacier National Park Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park GOING-TO-THE-SUN ROAD CORRIDOR Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement Newsletter

PRELIMINARY ALTERNATIVE 1 – No action PRELIMINARY ALTERNATIVE 4 – Discontinue shuttles and manage the number of vehicles in the GTSR corridor This alternative is required by the National Environmental Policy Act. It describes the conditions that would exist in the Going-to-the-Sun Road corridor if a plan was not This alternative removes the shuttle system and responds to the increase in visitation by prepared. It provides a baseline for evaluating the changes and environmental impacts managing the numbers of vehicles driving on the GTSR at any one time. Vehicle entry is that would or would not occur under the action alternatives. Response to increased controlled by timed entry or a reservation system to assure that once visitors gain entry, visitation, changes in transportation, or other events is reactionary and on a project by a positive park experience and parking are available without delays. Outcomes would project basis, rather than part of an integrated and long-term strategy. include: a quality visitor experience by reducing congestion and eliminating need for additional development or other management actions in the GTSR corridor. • Utilize a timed entry or reservation system during peak season. • Grow partnerships with local businesses. • Redesign west and east side entrances. PRELIMINARY ALTERNATIVE 2 – Build additional parking and • Remove shuttle system. infrastructure and maintain shuttle to accommodate increased • Offer more bike opportunities on the GTSR. visitation This alternative would build additional infrastructure throughout the corridor. Outcomes would add parking and recreational capacity throughout the corridor. Shuttle operations PRELIMINARY ALTERNATIVE 5 – Adaptive response to alternative would begin earlier in the spring. Expand opportunities to visit during the shoulder season. futures • Grow partnerships with gateway communities. This alternative offers a flexible decision-framework for how to respond to future events, trends, risks and threats that are uncertain or unknown. Changes in visitation, • Expand parking throughout the corridor, including at Avalanche. transportation technology, length of seasons, economics, population, land use, and park • Expand the shuttle system in areas that can't accommodate increased parking. Increase funding and support could each (or all) have an effect on visitor experience, resource the shuttle hours of daily operation and increase months in use to include shoulder integrity and park operations. Rather than assuming one fixed, or static future (as season. shown in Preliminary Alternatives 2, 3 and 4), this alternative allows park managers to • Protect and limit natural resource damage from increased use on trails. Widen, harden adaptively respond to changing conditions. and/or install handrails on trails, add new trails, add restroom facilities to popular Triggers would be established and monitored to identify emerging changes and backcountry locations including Hidden Lake Overlook, Preston Park and Haystack determine when a response or action is triggered or when events indicate a shift toward Butte. one of these possible “futures.” Preliminary triggers could include visitation levels, number of vehicles traveling through GTSR entrance stations, vehicle miles traveled on the GTSR, change in daily peak Possible Futures – visitation times, shifts in the peak visitation season, trail use levels, wildlife behavior, and resource conditions. Outcomes would include: maximum flexibility and continuous • Congestion and visitor use monitoring of park conditions. dramatically increase and length of PRELIMINARY ALTERNATIVE 3 – Increase shuttles and manage the • Respond to increasing visitation and congestion using least restrictive actions first. visitor season increases, number of vehicles in the GTSR corridor • Grow partnerships with gateway communities. Disperse visitors to other regional • Slower increases in visitation and recreational opportunities. congestion, visitor season changes This alternative uses the shuttle system to accommodate the increase in visitation, but less dramatically. • Expand the shuttle system with additional shuttles and additional shuttle stops. also manages the numbers of vehicles coming into the park at any one time. Vehicle Increase the shuttle hours of daily operation. *Add other shuttle loops within the • Visitor use levels decrease and visitor entry is controlled by timed entries or a reservation system to assure a range of visitor corridor such as Fish Creek to Apgar. season changes or remains the same. experiences and parking and/or shuttle access is achieved without delays. Outcomes • *Prohibit overnight parking, implement parking time limits and/or require parking would include: reduced congestion and minimized need for additional infrastructure. permits. • Utilize a timed entry system or reservation system during peak season. • *Increase biking opportunities such as bike only days on the GTSR and develop • Redesign west and east side entrances. additional bike trails. • Grow partnerships with gateway communities. • Protect and limit natural resource damage from increased use on trails. *Widen, harden and/or install handrails on trails, *add new trails, *add infrastructure into • Expand the shuttle system. Increase the hours of daily operation and length of season. the backcountry including restroom facilities at locations such as the Hidden Point • Prohibit overnight parking, and implement parking time limits at some locations. Overlook and Haystack Butte. • Require day hike permits on some trails during peak season. • *Require day hiking permits for some popular trails. • Increase biking opportunities, such as bike only days on the GTSR, and develop bike • *Convert west side ball field to parking. trails. • *Prohibit over-length vehicle travel past Apgar Village and Rising Sun. • Protect and limit natural resource damage from increased use on trails. Widen, harden • *Convert one loop at Avalanche Campground to parking. and/or install handrails on trails, add new trails. Add restroom facilities to popular backcountry locations including Hidden Lake Overlook, Preston Park and Haystack *Denotes actions that would only occur during Butte. peak season once triggers are reached.

6 http://parkplanning.nps.gov/glac 7 Glacier National Park Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park GOING-TO-THE-SUN ROAD CORRIDOR Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement Newsletter

ACTIONS COMMON to all Action Alternatives Avalanche Parking Lot • Retain the historic setting, strategies to support easier travel Parking Lot Use During Peak Hours - 2014 character and fabric of the GTSR and access to information about national historic landmark. road congestion, full parking Complete a Cultural Landscape lots, and other conditions Treatment Plan for the GTSR. throughout the corridor. 11:00 a.m. 12:00 noon 1:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. • Protect natural processes and • Offer a congestion app for smart the park’s natural ecosystem, phones. including natural soundscapes • Enhance hiker biker and night skies. opportunities in the spring and • Embrace new transportation and fall before the road is fully open communication technology as and after it is closed for the appropriate such as ride-sharing season. services, connected vehicles, • Monitor and manage noise levels electric vehicles, etc. in the corridor. • Support a Travel Information • Promote visiting the park during Center to inform visitors and Sample of days and times from mid-July to mid-August 2014, University of Montana non-peak season. implement travel demand

UPDATE on Visitor and Transportation Research Logan Pass Parking Lot find a parking space. The survey The park has been collaborating level of use on the road and trails The survey of drivers found that indicates that there are two different Proportions of Vehicles that Entered the Lot During Peak Hours with the University of Montana in the corridor was also monitored. although drivers rated many types of driving experiences on to extensively study visitor use of The parking lots at Logan experience items as the GTSR: transportation and public and private transportation Pass and Avalanche The park will acceptable or neutral, recreational. Visitors driving from within the park, visitor experience continued to be monitored seeing too many cars receive its 100 one place to the next to start a 11:00 a.m. 12:00 noon 1:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. as it relates to hiking, wildlife, to determine the average on the roadway, the hike or for some other planned vegetation, and other park time it took visitors to millionth visitor inability to park, and activity (photography, etc.) are attributes, and to model a variety find a parking place and sometime this noise detracted from their participating in a transportation of visitor flow patterns. Research how long the lots were experience. Parking may spring. experience. Visitors driving the has been ongoing since 2005. full. Glacier experienced be the greatest detractor road in a less planned and direct record visitation during 2014; by to the driving experience, negatively Most recently, during the summer way, or simply for pleasure, are the end of December, over 2.3 affecting nearly 40% of the drivers of 2014, the University of Montana likely doing so for a recreational million visitors were counted. The surveyed. Observations determined conducted a visitor survey of experience. Although most visitors park will receive its 100 millionth that only half of the vehicles visiting drivers, shuttle riders and day drift back and forth between a visitor sometime this spring. the pass from 12-3pm were able to hikers in the GTSR corridor. The transportation and recreation experience, this simplification may help explain different behaviors and visitor preferences. Information Sample of days and times from July and August 2013 and 2014, University of Montana about the shuttle system seems to be reaching drivers, but does not seem to be convincing them to ride the shuttle in a substantial way.

8 http://parkplanning.nps.gov/glac 9 Glacier National Park Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park GOING-TO-THE-SUN ROAD CORRIDOR Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement Newsletter

The survey of shuttle riders showed that they are highly motivated and WHAT happens next? knowledgeable. They rate highly the service, conditions, and experience of riding the shuttle. According to Over the next several months, the park will further Alternative 2 survey responses, very few riders develop these preliminary alternatives for analysis Alternative 1 Ficid qui atis essimagnam inimus, to incto blabora were unhappy with crowding on This alternative is required by the in the draft plan and EIS. We anticipate releasing National Environmental Policytemporia Act. It pa con coreptatus the buses but would prefer to see describes the conditions thatulliquo wouldAlternative eturepero odit, 4 tem exist in the Going-to-the-Sunquia Road nem verum elique the draft plan EIS in fall 2015 for public review and This alternative removes the corridor if a plan was not prepared.velitaspel It ipsus mos net reduced time spent waiting to provides a baseline for evaluatingshuttle the system and responds changes and environmentaluta impactsto quat the increase doluptatet in visitation quibus comment. Public meetings will be held at that time. that wouldcusby endebit,or managing would consectatem the numbers of board a shuttle. Shuttle riders tend not occur undervehicles the driving on the GTSR action nosalternatives.at molut any one quuntiatia time. Vehicle quam, entry to be trip planners, and the shuttle Responsesum tois quatat controlledincreased est by officid timed entry After comments are reviewed, responses developed visitation,quaesse orchanges a reservation quibus ex system esti to

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aborem litia conecto Y gain entry, a positive O or other events is U A riding experience may be less R E Going-to-the-Sun Road turns 100! park experience and Expected completion of GTSR H rehabilitation. reactionarytaquam and voluptatem on re E R A) National Park Service turns 100 years old! and changes are made, a final plan and EIS will be E B) Record of decision for GTSR plan/EIS. parking are available Final Plan and EIS prepared. A) Public review of draft alternatives. a project by project B) Public review of Draft Plan and EIS.

A) Going-to-the-Sun Road Corridor Management begins. Plan & voluptas plaute dolupta Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) without delays. Outcomes B) Public scoping open through September 6. A) Extensive and coordinated rehabilitation of the road began. recreational and more functional basis, rather than part of an integrated B) Shuttle system started to help manage congestion. Environmental Impact Statement for GTSR Rehabilitation completed, calling for shuttle system.

Park General Management Plan completed, calling for a visitor use and long-term strategy. would include: a quality management plan after GTSR rehabilitation is complete. Going-to-the-Sun Road (GTSR) opened. (Dedicated in 1933) National Park Service created. prepared in 2016. We are anticipating completing the visitor experience by Glacier National Park established. when compared to the driving reducing congestion and eliminating need for additional development planning process and issuing a Record of Decision in or other management actions in the GTSR experience of the GTSR. The corridor. transfers at Avalanche early 2017. • Utilize a timed entry or reservation system (where large queues Public comments on the preliminary alternatives sometimes form) may can be submitted at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/ be affecting the actual or perceived waiting time of glac. The park would like to receive comments by people at that location. June 5, 2015. Visitors who ride the shuttle to Logan Pass seem to have received more information and $ are more convinced to ride the shuttle than visitors at Avalanche. Only half of all shuttle riders are leaving their cars at one of the transit centers. Point-to-point hikers account for approximately 30% of all shuttle rides in the corridor and riders typically leave their cars at Logan Pass and The Loop. The GTSR corridor offers a diversity of experiences for hikers FOR MORE PLAN INFORMATION: to have outstanding recreational http://parkplanning.nps.gov/glac opportunities. A major component of providing these experiences PARK CONTACT: into the future is to provide hikers Mary Riddle with enough information to allow Chief of Planning and Environmental Compliance them to self-select an experience Glacier National Park that meets their expectations. conditions were noted as the most causing conflict within different Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park While some visitor displacement is impacted yet still acceptable for areas. Parking shortages occurring PO Box 128 occurring within the corridor, the the majority of visitors. Many of at Logan Pass and the Loop are in West Glacier, MT 59936 survey indicates little support for the hikers in the GTSR corridor part due to the number of one-way 406-888-7898 management actions that would are using the shuttle. However, hikers that leave their vehicles there restrict access to corridor trails. the frequency of shuttle use for a for extended periods of time. FIND GLACIER ON... Solitude and soundscape quality one-way hike in some locations is

10 http://parkplanning.nps.gov/glac 11 National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Glacier National Park Attn: GTSR Corridor Plan PO Box 128 West Glacier, Montana 59936

GOING-TO-THE-SUN ROAD CORRIDOR Management Plan