Glacier National Park Ski Tour
Northern Rockies, MT
Elevation Profile
Current Conditions
Bottom Line
No snow on the ground — SNOTEL stations at 6,000 ft and below are all reading 0" depth with 0–0.1" SWE. There is nothing to ski tour on right now. This trip doesn't go.
45°/36°F · Mostly Cloudy
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0" depth
Elevated flows · 5 gauges
No active fires within 50 miles
9h 23m daylight · Sunrise 7:38 AM · Sunset 5:02 PM
Full Briefing
The snowpack data makes this a non-starter. Annie Springs at 6,021 ft, Long Lake at 840 ft, and McNeil Canyon at 1,348 ft are all reading zero snow depth. November 11 is very early season in Glacier, and no accumulation has built up yet at any monitored elevation. Without a base, there's no touring to be done — not even a marginal early-season suffer-fest with rocks and grass.
Avalanche forecast data is unavailable for this location, which isn't unusual for Glacier National Park — it doesn't fall within a standard forecast zone. But that's a secondary concern right now. With zero snowpack, avalanche hazard is moot.
The weather window is actually decent for the dates — temps in the low-to-mid 40s during the day, light SW winds 5–13 mph, mostly cloudy with near-zero precip probability through Friday. If snow did exist, this would be a reasonable weather window. The WSW winds at 13–20 mph today are the strongest in the forecast, tapering off by Friday to 5 mph SSW. No storm loading is incoming. But again, no snow.
Note that the stream gauge data included in this briefing is from Central California gauges and is not relevant to Glacier National Park — that data should be disregarded. Daylight is short at 9h 23m with sunset at 5:02 PM, which would be a planning factor if conditions were viable. Keep watching the SNOTEL at Annie Springs — when it starts reading meaningful accumulation (think 12"+ and building), that's your signal to start planning a trip up here.
Waypoints
Lake McDonald Lodge
Start from the Lake McDonald Lodge area. Road is closed to vehicles in winter.
4,888 ft
The Loop
The Loop hairpin turn on Going-to-the-Sun Road. Good rest stop.
5,397 ft
Logan Pass
Logan Pass visitor center area. Alpine terrain opens up in all directions.
6,647 ft
Route Details
Distance
12.0 mi
Elevation Gain
3,501 ft
Elevation Loss
3,501 ft
Max Elevation
6,647 ft
Estimated Days
1
Trailhead
Lake McDonald Lodge
Best Season
Best January through April. Road corridor provides approach but adds distance.
About This Route
Glacier National Park transforms into a backcountry skiing paradise in winter, with Going-to-the-Sun Road providing a groomed approach corridor to spectacular alpine terrain. The route follows the road to Logan Pass before branching into the surrounding peaks. The area around Logan Pass offers rolling alpine terrain with options for all skill levels. Moderate tours explore the Oberlin Meadows area, while advanced skiers can access steeper terrain on the flanks of Mt. Oberlin and Clements Mountain. The snowpack is generally deep and the terrain is dramatic. Winter access requires skiing or snowshoeing the closed highway, which adds significant distance but rewards with utter solitude. Check with the Flathead Avalanche Center for current conditions. The park requires no additional permits for day touring.
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