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Exploring Visitor Experiences on Going-To-The-Sun Road in Glacier National Park University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers Graduate School 2002 Exploring Visitor Experiences on Going-To-The-Sun Road in Glacier National Park Robert N. Giordano Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd Part of the Forest Sciences Commons, and the Natural Resources and Conservation Commons Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Giordano, Robert N., "Exploring Visitor Experiences on Going-To-The-Sun Road in Glacier National Park" (2002). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 4523. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/4523 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Maureen and Mike MANSFIELD LIBRARY The University ofMONTANA Permission is granted by the author to reproduce this material in its entirety, provided that this material is used for scholarly purposes and is properly cited in published works and reports. ** Please check "Yes” or "No” and provide signature Yes, I grant permission No, I do not grant permission Author's Signature _ D ate j t l c n l o x _____________ Any copying for commercial purposes or financial gain may be undertaken only with the author's explicit consent. Exploring Visitor Experiences on Going-To-The-Sun Road in Glacier National Park by Robert N. Giordano B.A., North Carolina State University, 1993 M.S. , University of Montana, 2002 Presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Forestry The University of Montana August 2002 1 ABSTRACT Giordano, Robert N., M.S., Resource Conservation, January 2002 Exploring Visitor Experiences on Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park Committee Chair: Norma P. Nickerson Going-to-the-Sun Road (GTSR) is one of the premier road facilities in the world. As the only cross-mountain route through Glacier National Park, the road brings nearly two million visitors a year into the heart of Montana wilderness. How to meet this demand for travel while protecting the nature of the visitor experience and the pristine setting for which the experience exists is a challenge of on-going complexity. This research was designed to assist park managers in determining future changes to GTSR by describing and analyzing the experiences on the road today. Through 40 on- site interviews at Logan Pass (the pinnacle of GTSR) with drivers, passengers in a car, cyclists, and shuttle riders, it is hoped that a greater understanding of the ‘mobility dynamics,’ both within modes and between modes, can be gained. To this end, three research questions were addressed: 1) What are the experiences of travelers on Going-to- the-Sun Road? 2) How does travel mode affect the experience? 3) How might travelers’ experiences be improved on Going-to-the-Sun Road? The results of this study imply that there is a broad range of experiences being felt on GTSR and that mode choice does makes a difference. The results also suggest that eight distinct, yet highly interrelated emergent managerial issues are influencing the GTSR experience. A final interpretation puts forth a set of mitigating measures and framework scenarios for improving the traveling experience on GTSR in Glacier National Park. 2 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This study would not have been possible without the guidance of several people. I would like to extend my thanks to Norma Nickerson, committee chair, who has provided me with extensive professional insight to bring this thesis to fruition. The members of my committee, Richard Barrett and Dave Jackson, have contributed to this research with timely suggestions, support and review. I wish to thank Glacier National Park for assistance in data collection. I also would like to thank the more than forty people I interviewed at Logan Pass on Going-to-the-Sun Road for taking the time to give their reflections on the ‘traveling experience.’ Finally, this research would not have been possible without the support of numerous family and friends. 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER ONE: CONTEXT OF STUDY................................................. 6 PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY .................................................................................................. 7 RESEARCH QUESTIONS .................................................................................................... 8 NATURE OF THIS STUDY ................................................................................................... 9 THESIS ORGANIZATION .................................................................................................... 9 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW .......................................... 10 HISTORY OF TRANSPORTATION IN GLACIER NATIONAL PARK ....................................... 10 TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS IN FOUR SELECT NATIONAL PARKS .................................. 14 Denali National Park ............................................................................................... 14 Zion National Park .................................................................................................. 15 Acadia National Park............................................................................................... 16 Yosemite National Park ........................................................................................... 17 UNDERSTANDING EXPERIENCE ...................................................................................... 18 GLACIER NATIONAL PARK RESEARCH ........................................................................... 23 CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY ................................................ 26 RESEARCH APPROACH ................................................................................................... 26 SELECTION OF STUDY SITE ............................................................................................ 27 STUDY SITE DESCRIPTION .............................................................................................. 28 INTERVIEW GUIDE ......................................................................................................... 28 SAMPLING FRAME .......................................................................................................... 29 TIMING OF THE INTERVIEWS .......................................................................................... 30 WEATHER DURING INTERVIEWS .................................................................................... 30 NATURE OF INTERVIEW .................................................................................................. 30 FULFILLING THE QUOTA ................................................................................................ 32 EFFECT OF TAPE RECORDER .......................................................................................... 32 ANALYSIS PROCESS ....................................................................................................... 32 DATA ORGANIZATION AND THEME DEVELOPMENT ....................................................... 33 RESPONSE RATE............................................................................................................. 35 CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS/ DISCUSSION ....................................... 36 RESULTS/DISCUSSION OF ASPECTS OF EXPERIENCE ....................................................... 36 Aspect #1: Reasons for Coming to GNP ................................................................. 37 Aspect #2: Nature of Experience ............................................................................. 40 Aspect #3: Effect of Traffic Conditions on Experience.......................................... 48 Aspect #4: Effect of Behaviors of Others on Experience ....................................... 52 Aspect #5: Favorite Segments of the Road ............................................................. 57 Aspect #6: Way Expectations Were Met or not Met ............................................... 59 Aspect #7: Importance of Mode Choice .................................................................. 63 Aspect #8: Lasting Impressions ............................................................................... 67 SUMMARY OF EXPERIENCES AND EFFECTS OF MODE CHOICE ....................................... 71 4 RESULTS/DISCUSSION OF EMERGENT MANAGERIAL ISSUES .......................................... 73 EMI #1: Bicycle Time Restrictions ......................................................................... 76 EMI #2: Bicycle/Car Interactions ........................................................................... 78 EMI #3: Congestion ................................................................................................. 81 EMI #4: Information ............................................................................................... 83 EMI #5: Road Width ................................................................................................ 87 EMI #6: Shuttle Service ........................................................................................... 90 EMI #7: Parking ...................................................................................................... 92 EMI #8: Road Surface Features
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