Very Large Avalanche near Lk McDonald

Location Name: 
Forecaster Observation - Glacier National Park
Observation date: 
Monday, March 28, 2022 - 15:00
Is this an Avalanche Observation: 
Yes
Observation made by: Forecaster

Tabs

Quick Observation

We took a quick afternoon drive down Lake McDonald to look closer at the reported slide from Sunday. With a closer look it appears that it likely started as a hard persistent slab avalanche. It gouged down to the ground approximately 500 to 1000 feet below the crown. The debris looked like it almost reached the road near Lake McDonald. 

Snowpack, Avalanche, Weather Images: 
Travel Details
Region: 
Glacier National Park - McDonald Lake Area
Activity: 
Other
Avalanche Details
Avalanche Details: 
Date and Time of Avalanche: 
Sunday, March 27, 2022 - 16:15
Number of avalanches: 
1
Avalanche Type: 
Hard Slab
Failure Plane/Weak Layer: 
New/old snow interface
Hide Trigger
Trigger: 
natural
Hide Terrain
Start Zone Slope Angle: 
40
Aspect: 
South
Starting Elevation: 
above-treeline
Hide Size
Destructive Size: 
D4 - Could destroy a rail car, large truck, buildings, or swaths of forest
Relative Size: 
R4 Large
Crown Height: 
5 ft
Avalanche Length (Vertical Run): 
3800ft.
Avalanche Width (Average width): 
1000ft.
Avalanche Location: