Glacier National Park Winter Permit System

Parks Canada has implemented changes in the Rogers Pass Winter Permit System for the 2019/2020 season.

Douglas Sproul‎, Rogers Pass guidebook writer, commented, “Many thanks to Parks Canada Mt Revelstoke-Glacier for putting down the hammer to get this ready for the upcoming season! They’ve been working their butts off on this, trust me—I’ve seen a fair bit of it taking place. This is a MAJOR improvement that will make the system easier to understand.”

New Winter Restricted Areas (WRA) – Consolidated down to four WRA’s from the previous sixteen:
SHAUGHNESSY WINTER RESTRICTED AREA: INCLUDES SHAUGHNESSY WRA AND BEAVER PARKING.
EAST ROGERS WINTER RESTRICTED AREA: INCLUDES EAST ROGERS WRA AND ALL RESTRICTED PARKING AREAS WITHIN THE NEW WRA.
WEST ROGERS WINTER RESTRICTED AREA: INCLUDES WEST ROGERS WRA AND ALL RESTRICTED PARKING AREAS WITHIN THE NEW WRA INCLUDING BOSTOCK PARKING.
FORTITUDE WINTER RESTRICTED AREA: INCLUDES FORTITUDE WRA.

Other Recent Changes
THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF FIDELITY WINTER PROHIBITED AREA HAS BEEN MOVED A BIT TO THE SOUTH, TO THE CREEK.
WEST ROGERS WRA BOUNDARY HAS BEEN EXTENDED SLIGHTLY TO THE WEST OF NICCY’S NOTCH. THIS MEANS NICCY’S NOTCH IS NOW CLEARLY INCLUDED IN WEST ROGERS WRA.
EAST ROGERS WRA SOUTHWEST BOUNDARY HAS BEEN EXTENDED SLIGHTLY TO THE SOUTHWEST OF GRIZZLY COULOIR. THIS MEANS GRIZZLY COULOIR IS NOW CLEARLY INCLUDED IN EAST ROGERS WRA.
EAST ROGERS WRA NORTHEAST BOUNDARY AT BEAVER PARKING HAS BEEN MOVED TO THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE SUMMER ACCESS ROAD TO ACCOMMODATE BEAVER VALLEY EGRESS.

Rogers Pass in Glacier National Park is a popular backcountry ski touring destination with an average of 10 meters of snowfall a year. In Rogers Pass, explosive artillery fire is regularly used on mountain slopes to protect highway and railway traffic from natural avalanches. Parks Canada’s Winter Permit System separates skiers from artillery fire and the resulting avalanches. All of the mountain slopes that face the Trans-Canada Highway and railway corridor are part of the Winter Permit System.

If your planning to ski or board at Rogers Pass, the Winter Permit keeps out out of the line of fire. If you are skiing or boarding in Glacier National Park often, an Annual Winter Permit is your best option.

Avalanche control work is conducted to keep the transportation corridor open, not to make slopes safe for skiers or boarders. Anyone travelling into the backcountry must have avalanche training and appropriate safety equipment.

What is the Winter Permit System?
The Winter Permit System divides Glacier National Park into three areas: Winter Unrestricted Areas, Winter Restricted Areas, and Winter Prohibited Areas.

This year there have been changes to Winter Permit System areas, some Winter Restricted Areas have been combined.

Before heading out for the day, you need:
– A Winter Permit for every member of your group.
– A National Park pass.
– Knowledge of travel in avalanche terrain and self-rescue techniques.
– Avalanche transceivers, shovels, and probes for every member of the group.
– To check today’s Avalanche Bulletin to determine the current conditions.
– A carefully planned route.

How do I get a Winter Permit?

Daily Winter Permit
Winter permits are available from the Rogers Pass Discovery Centre. The Rogers Pass Discovery Centre is open from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm during the winter.

Annual Winter Permit
A Daily Winter Permit is only valid until midnight of the day issued and is not renewable. If you are skiing or boarding in Glacier National Park often, you can apply for an Annual Winter Permit. An Annual Winter Permit allows you to access open Winter Permit System areas without visiting the Rogers Pass Discovery Centre each morning.

To get an Annual Winter Permit, you will need to:

– Take the online 45 minute Winter Permit Quiz and score 100% correct. Take it now.
– Visit the Rogers Pass Discovery Centre to pick up your Annual Winter Permit.
– Agree to and sign a Waiver of Liability and Indemnity Agreement.
– Accept the terms and conditions.