Angel Glacier

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Angel Glacier
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Angel Glacier on slope of Mount Edith Cavell
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Angel Glacier
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Angel Glacier
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Angel Glacier
TypeMountain glacier
Location Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada
Coordinates 52°40′36″N118°03′44″W / 52.67667°N 118.06222°W / 52.67667; -118.06222 [1]
Area1 square kilometre (0.39 sq mi)
Length1.3 kilometres (0.81 mi)
StatusRetreating
Angel Glacier

The Angel Glacier is a hanging glacier which flows down the north face of Mount Edith Cavell in Jasper National Park, Canada. [2] [3] It is named as such because it has the appearance of an angel with out-swept wings. [4]

It was significantly larger when it was named in the 19th-century and is melting rapidly. The Angel Glacier used to be continuous with the Cavell Glacier below it. It is expected to continue to recede up the north face of Edith Cavell and most likely disappear. Another hanging glacier on this face, the Ghost Glacier, partially collapsed in August 2012. Falling ice caused a glacial lake to overflow, washing out a parking lot and trails. [5] [6]

All three glaciers are visible from the Cavell Meadows trail. [3]

Angel Glacier Angel glacier.jpg
Angel Glacier

See also

References

  1. "Angel Glacier". Geographical Names Data Base . Natural Resources Canada . Retrieved 2014-12-31.
  2. Government of Canada, Natural Resources Canada. "Place names - Angel Glacier". geonames.nrcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
  3. 1 2 Parks Canada Agency, Government of Canada (2023-06-26). "Mount Edith Cavell - Mount Edith Cavell area". parks.canada.ca. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
  4. "Alberta Geographical Names Web Map". geospatial.alberta.ca. Angel Glacier. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
  5. Wedgwood, Rupert (September 29, 2014). "Gone Like a Ghost: The Ghost Glacier failure and subsequent outburst flood, Mt. Edith Cavell, Jasper National Park" (PDF). International Snow Science Workshop 2014 Proceedings: 1086–1093.
  6. Horwood, Jo (July 7, 2022). "Could a fatal glacial collapse happen in Alberta? It almost has". CBC News . Retrieved May 21, 2025.