Body of missing Arizona man recovered from Lake McDonald
Snow and ice begin to melt on the surface of Lake McDonald at Glacier National Park on Sunday, March 10. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
The body of a missing Arizona man was recovered Tuesday from the depths of Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park.
According to a media release, park dispatch received a missing person notification at 9 a.m. on Tuesday from a concerned family member for a 48-year-old Arizona man believed to be in the park. Park rangers launched a search and located a vehicle at Lake McDonald Lodge matching the description provided by the man’s family.
Park ground crews searched the nearby area, and the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office dive team responded to conduct an underwater search. The dive team deployed a remote operated vehicle and found and recovered the man in Lake McDonald on Tuesday afternoon.
The victim’s name has not been released pending family notifications.
The exact circumstances leading to the victim’s death are unknown. The park said no foul play is suspected and the death remains under investigation.
According to the park media release, Lake McDonald is still frozen in some places, though open water exists throughout the lake, including flowing out of Sprague Creek and in other areas near Lake McDonald Lodge. Unstable ice is also prevalent, the park warned.
According to the park, the Flathead County Sheriff’s dive team trains regularly on Lake McDonald.
Park officials remind visitors that water is a leading cause of death in Glacier National Park. The park urges people to stay off frozen water and away from slippery rocks near rushing water. The park has hundreds of icy streams and lakes that can pose extreme hazards.