Hikers Experience Avalanche in Glacier National Park

One day we all decided to go hike up to Avalanche Lake in Glacier National Park. The Avalanche Lake trail is steep uphill, and has very vertical downhill. We tried to be fast and pass people, while our parents were normal and slow.

At the lake we skipped stones, ate a snack, and enjoyed the scenery. Our dad said that we should go to the snowfield, where we had been on a previous hike up to Avalanche Lake. The only person who didn’t want to go was our mom, but since it was three against one we decided to go.

 

Avalanche Lake

 

The Avalanche Begins to Roar

 

We put our packs back on and started toward the snowfield. Before we really even started, we heard a crack and a sound that roared like thunder. The rumbling continued to build and began to sound like the popping of a long roll of firecrackers. We turned toward the sound and saw snow falling down the mountain. It looked like a waterfall. We waited until it stopped, and then continued toward the snowfield.

 

Avalanche looks like a waterfall.

 

More avalanches were spotted. “E” thinks one sounded like a helicopter. We didn’t go all the way to the snowfield, only to a rocky beach. A big avalanche chute was on the mountain across the lake from us, and we hoped it would slide. We waited awhile, and then started back down the trail. After we had gone a bit, we heard a loud roaring. “E” was afraid that an avalanche was coming down at us. “M” thought it was thunder. It made “E’s” heart pound.

 

These were the first avalanches we had seen in our life, and we saw them at Avalanche Lake in Glacier National Park.

©5/06