Ptarmigan Tunnel

Open only in summer, this portal takes one through the cliffs above Ptarmigan Lake. It was built in 1930 through blasting and drilling. The iron doors were added in 1975, and they remain open approximately from mid-July until October 1. The tunnel is 250' long, and views are excellent from either end. It is unthinkable that such a structure would be built in the backcountry of a national park today, and this is a relic, love it or hate it, of a different time and mindset. Glacier National Park, MT-- August 2009