After a busy summer in Glacier National Park this year, Parks Canada expects to see an increase in the winter backcountry use in 2020-21.
In a recent press release, Parks Canada recommends visitors to “plan ahead” and get a digital Annual Winter Permit.
Visitor services at Rogers Pass Discovery Centre will be limited due to COVID-19 and Daily Winter Permits may not be available. The Discovery Centre’s exhibits and washrooms are currently closed until further notice. A new 24-hour washroom will open this winter.
Front country camping will no longer be allowed at the Discovery Centre and at the other carparks in Rogers Pass. Parking during the day at the Discovery Centre will be allowed between 4:00 am and 9 p.m.
Camping in backcountry huts or in Winter Unrestricted Areas will require an Overnight Parking Permit and a Backcountry Camping Permit.
This winter, there will be more staff present at trailheads and parking lots to ensure visitors are complying with the Winter Permit System, Park Canada says.
In Rogers Pass, the military fire explosives on mountain slopes to control avalanche activity around the railway and Trans-Canada Highway. The Winter Permit System was created in 1995 to separate skiers from the artillery fire and the resulting avalanches.
Parks Canada reminds visitors that the Winter Permit System is 100% reliant on user compliance. Being allowed to recreate in Rogers pass is not a privilege to be taken for granted. If people do not follow the rules, the system and backcountry terrain may be closed, Parks Canada warns.
Get your Annual Winter Permit online now: https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/bc/glacier/visit/hiver-winter/ski