Winter Permit System review, Glacier National Park
Thank you for your participation. A "what we heard" document will be posted soon.
Winter backcountry use in Glacier National Park has seen a significant increase in popularity in recent years. Maintaining the effectiveness of the Winter Permit System and achieving 100% user compliance is essential to continue to allow access. As part of the ongoing evolution and improvement of the system and to ensure its longevity, Parks Canada is conducting a full review of the program.
To address some identified challenges with the Winter Permit System, several actions have been proposed. Your input will help inform final decisions on changes to implement as early as next year (winter 2024-2025).
There are two ways you can participate:
- Comment form– Tell us what you think about the proposals.
- Idea Board – Share other ideas for ensuring WPS compliance.
Background
Rogers Pass in Glacier National Park is an important part of Canada’s national transportation corridor, taking both the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Trans-Canada Highway through the Columbia Mountains. Since 1961, Parks Canada and the Canadian Armed Forces, under Operation PALACI, have partnered to operate the world’s largest mobile artillery avalanche control program in this area. The program is integral to keeping the Trans-Canada Highway and Canadian Pacific rail corridors open and safe from avalanche hazards during the winter months.
Due to the use of live artillery for avalanche control, all highway-facing slopes in Rogers Pass have been closed in winter to visitors since 1961. In 1995, the Winter Permit System (WPS) was piloted, a program developed through collaboration between Parks Canada and local stakeholders. The WPS is designed to allow access to backcountry areas in Rogers Pass without compromising the avalanche control program for the transportation corridor. The WPS has evolved over the years to improve access, awareness and compliance. Areas are open for winter recreation when and where artillery gunfire is not planned or anticipated.
The Winter Permit System
If you are new to the Winter Permit System in Glacier National Park and Rogers Pass National Historic Site, start here to learn more about it.
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CLOSED: The comment period has now concluded. Thank you for your feedback. If you would like to provide additional comments, please email mrg-opinion@pc.gc.ca.
What else could Parks Canada do to ensure and improve Winter Permit System awareness and compliance?
Your ideas will help inform decisions regarding next steps to improve awareness and compliance with the Winter Permit System. This engagement process is to improve the system and ensure its longevity. The avalanche control program and highway operations for the safety of the national transportation corridor are always the top priority. This engagement process is to inform decisions on the Winter Permit System only.
Suggest a new idea or upvote one you like!
View All Ideas5 months ago
Develop ways to deal with non compliance
Most systems are designed to be robust and not fail when there are a small number of infractions. For instance, we all drive cars even though some people break the laws surrounding driving cars. Any system that only works when everybody follows 100% is destined for challenges.
3 months ago
More Signage and Fencing
Put up some basic fencing/markers along key boundaries like in McDonald/NRC to show where the closed area starts.
4 months ago
By relieving pressure on the existing restricted and unrestricted areas
Build a suitable bridge or maintain a removable platform/bridge to more easily access the Flat Creek and Fortitude areas. Change the MacDWSh and Abbot prohibited area to restricted areas. Adjust/modify the boundaries of the Fidelity Prohibited area. Add staff to inform users/check permits at key parking lot in the morning rush hour. At backcountry parking areas, install large explicit signage. Add staff and improve the amenities at the visitor centre.
5 months ago
Use simple parking closure device
There's different ways to close a parking lot Gates (automated or not, but they could easily be automated to prevent people entering when a parking is closed, but still allow people to leave) Red / green lights to indicate closure Electronic panels or signs at the entrance of a parking log Some parking lots could be reshaped to have a clearly marked or separated parking zone that is easy to physically close, but still have some sort of pull out (e.g. NRC, Bostock )
5 months ago
Elimination of of the Macdonald shoulder WPA.
I am unsure why this Winter prohibited area is in place. I assume the area would not be listed as " open " if there was potential for an avalanche to hit the road or any of the infrastructure located within or up the WPA. If this WPA was eliminated it would reduce the amount of violations significantly.
