Roadcuts in Glacier National Park

Roadcuts in Glacier National Park

Roadcuts along Going to the Sun Highway in Glacier National Park, Montana

July 14, 2007.

We are staying North American RV-Park in Coram, Montana a few miles west of the west gate to Glacier National Park: $37 FHU with wifi and UNLEVEL sites. It is one of the best RV-Parks in the area but a cheaper one ($25) is located one block west of the light in Hungry Horse. Hungry Horse is only a few miles west of Coram and the North American RV-Park. Next time we will stay there where there is SHADE and free wifi.

Road Cut on Going to the Sun Highway in Glacier National Park

One of the more exciting aspects of this drive is the dramatic road cuts that were required to cut a path over Logan Pass. Large vehicles are not allowed on this road for good reason. As you can see there is NO room to spare on this side and on the downhill side of the road --- well it drops off into oblivion.

Dramatic road cuts in sedimentary rock formations on Going to the Sun Highway

Road cuts like this accompany about 10-miles of this awesome drive.

Snowmelt waterfall on Going to the Sun Highway Glacier National Park

This waterfall flows under the highway.

Any number of waterfalls cascade down the mountains all along Going to the Sun Highway Glacier National Park.

Sedimentary layers of rock can easily be seen in this formation.

I discuss the geology of Glacier National Park here.

Waterfall flowing under Going to the Sun Highway

Another waterfall flowing under the Going to the Sun Highway. The water in these falls is coming from glacial melt.

Glacial carved mountains from Going to the Sun Highway Glacier National Park

You can see the roadcut climbing the side of this mountain.

Now is is probably time to discuss the geology we are seeing. First all the rock I have seen so far is sedimentary rock that appears to be limestone and shales much like what we saw in Banff National park up in Canada. Also like the main mountains in Canada these sedimentary rock layers are laying flat. Even from here you can see layers of sedimentary rock.

From this vantage point you can also see the road cut as the Going to the Sun Highway makes its way to Logan Pass.

Logan Pass across the continental divide is that low spot near the center

We are getting ever closer to Logan Pass. It is much easier to see the roadcut maintaining a 6% grade as it heads for the Logan Pass.

Again I remind you that these peaks were once the sea bed of a shallow sea and that a collision of the earths plates has caused this plate to ride up over the plate to the east.

6% grade forever on Going to the Sun Highway

We have been climbing a 6% grade for more than 10-miles and we probably have that many more to go.

We are still driving through road cuts cut in sedimentary rock formations.

This is NOT a comforting sign on Going to the Sun Highway Glacier National Park

This is comforting to know. I guess it is just to let you know you are very close to those vertical road cuts.

Blind corner on Going to the Sun Highway in Glacier National Park

You just have to love blind corners like this one. Thankfully, there are NO large vehicles on this road.

Awesome road cut exposing layers upon layers of sedimentary rock on the Going to the Sun Highway in Glacier National Park, Montana

If you have never driven over Going to the Sun Highway in Glacier National Park this picture will give you a good idea how about 10-miles on the west side of the pass will look.

Road cut through sedimentary rock on the Going to the Sun Highway Glacier NP

Weeping Wall Going to the Sun Highway in Glacier National Park, Montana

This is part of the "Weeping Wall" named for the water weeping out of the limestone along this wall.

Weeping Wall Going to the Sun Highway in Glacier National Park, Montana

This is more of that weeping wall where water was oozing out along several hundred yards of this road cut.

Going to the Sun Highway road cut through sedimentary rock in Glacier NP

This should be close enough for anyone.

Going to the Sun Highway Glacier National Park

By the time we have been to the top of Logan Pass and returned neither one of us can remember where this tunnel was but it was near the bottom of the 33-mile drive from the West Gate of Glacier National Park to Logan Pass located on the Continental Divide.

I hope you enjoyed this ride with us on Going to the Sun Highway in Glacier National Park.

Click here for more Montana Travel Adventures

Until next time remember how good life is.

More Montana Adventures

Some Exciting Drives** More 2007 Travel Adventures

Mike & Joyce Hendrix

Mike & Joyce Hendrix who we are

We hope you liked this page. If you do you might be interested in some of our other Travel Adventures:

Mike & Joyce Hendrix's home page

Travel Adventures by Year ** Travel Adventures by State ** Plants ** Marine-Boats ** Geology ** Exciting Drives ** Cute Signs ** RV Subjects ** Miscellaneous Subjects

We would love to hear from you......just put "info" in the place of "FAKE" in this address: FAKE@travellogs.us

Until next time remember how good life is.