(The Missoulian posted the following article on its website on February 25.)
MISSOULA, Mont. — Glacier National Park on Friday granted BNSF Railroad an emergency permit for blasting within the park to reduce avalanche danger.
Railroad officials made the request Friday morning after more than a foot of new snow accumulated overnight above 4,000 feet. Rain and warming temperatures are forecast over the weekend, setting up ripe conditions for an avalanche.
Blasting could occur as early as 1 p.m. Saturday along the Middle Fork railroad right of way along the southern boundary of Glacier.
As a precaution, short-term closures of U.S. 2 are expected between Essex and Snowslip. Off-road park area closures will be in effect at 8 a.m. Saturday for Snowslip and Running Rabbit mountains.
BNSF’s temporary special-use permit for this weekend’s blasting is valid for three days, through Sunday evening.
A draft environmental impact statement on a permanent avalanche hazard reduction program is expected to be released this spring.
In January 2004 an empty 119-car freight train was stopped on the west side of Marias Pass by an avalanche that had buried the tracks. While it was stopped, the train was hit by another avalanche that derailed 15 cars. A third avalanche nearly hit cleanup crews, and a fourth slide hit a truck traveling on U.S. 2.
The slides disrupted both Amtrak and freight train travel for 29 hours.