It's a long way to Tippersperry

Location Name: 
Central Glacier Park
Observation date: 
Wednesday, February 12, 2020 - 23:00
Is this an Avalanche Observation: 
Yes
Observation made by: Public

Tabs

Quick Observation

Traveled along Glacier Parks' first constructed trail to commemorate the 117th year of the Gunsight Pass Trail, and America's second oldest hut system. Thank you, Dr. Lyman B. Sperry.

  • Attempted to reach the Sperry Chalet Tuesday and Wednesday. No such luck.

  • Tuesday's winds and warming formed a 6" surface-soft slab (4F+) above 5000'. 

  • Overnight snowfall left 6" of snow on this slab at my high point of 6100'. The 18" of near-surface snow was not bonding well to the underlying 2/5 crust.

  • Numerous D1 - 1.5 dry sluffs slid on Tuesday and Wednesday in very steep/extreme terrain.

  • A thin soft slab avalanche, 90' wide, released Tuesday at the top of a small cliff band.

  • A D2 slide deposited 8' of debris on the trail in January.

Snowpack, Avalanche, Weather Images: 
Travel Details
Region: 
Glacier National Park - McDonald Lake Area
Snowpack Details
Snowpack and Weather Details: 
Hide Terrain
Elevation of observation: 
3500-5000 ft
5000-6500 ft
Aspect(s) of observation: 
SE
S
SW
Persistent Weak Layers: 
Not observed
New Snow in the past 24 hours: 
6.00in.
Wind Speed: 
Light (Twigs in motion)
Wind Direction: 
Southwest
Air temperature: 
Below Freezing
Snow line: 
3000'
Sky Cover: 
Overcast (OVC)
Highest Precipitation Rate: 
Light Snowfall (S1)
Avalanche Details
Avalanche Details: 
Date and Time of Avalanche: 
Tuesday, February 11, 2020 - 12:15
Number of avalanches: 
10
Avalanche Type: 
Loose Dry/ Sluff
Hide Trigger
Trigger: 
natural
Hide Terrain
Start Zone Slope Angle: 
40
Aspect: 
South
Starting Elevation: 
near-treeline
Hide Size
Destructive Size: 
D1.5
Relative Size: 
R2 Small
Avalanche Length (Vertical Run): 
150ft.
Avalanche Width (Average width): 
30ft.
Avalanche Location: 
Date and Time of Avalanche: 
Wednesday, February 12, 2020 - 00:45
Number of avalanches: 
10
Avalanche Type: 
Loose Dry/ Sluff
Hide Trigger
Trigger: 
natural
Hide Terrain
Start Zone Slope Angle: 
40
Aspect: 
South
Starting Elevation: 
near-treeline
Hide Size
Destructive Size: 
D1.5
Relative Size: 
R2 Small
Avalanche Length (Vertical Run): 
200ft.
Avalanche Width (Average width): 
30ft.
Avalanche Location: 
Date and Time of Avalanche: 
Tuesday, February 11, 2020 - 00:45
Number of avalanches: 
1
Avalanche Type: 
Soft Slab
Failure Plane/Weak Layer: 
Within storm snow
Hide Trigger
Trigger: 
natural
Hide Terrain
Start Zone Slope Angle: 
40
Aspect: 
South
Starting Elevation: 
near-treeline
Hide Size
Destructive Size: 
D1.5
Relative Size: 
R2 Small
Avalanche Length (Vertical Run): 
75ft.
Avalanche Width (Average width): 
90ft.
Avalanche Location: 
Number of avalanches: 
1
Avalanche Type: 
Soft Slab
Hide Trigger
Trigger: 
natural
Hide Terrain
Start Zone Slope Angle: 
40
Aspect: 
South
Starting Elevation: 
near-treeline
Hide Size
Destructive Size: 
D2 Could bury, injure, or kill a person.
Avalanche Length (Vertical Run): 
800ft.
Avalanche Location: