Glacier National Park is an American national park located in northwestern Montana, on the Canada–United States border, adjacent to Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada—the two parks are known as the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. The park encompasses more than 1 million acres (4,000 km2) and includes parts of two mountain ranges, more than 130 named lakes, more than 1,000 different species of plants, and hundreds of species of animals. This vast pristine ecosystem is the centerpiece of what has been referred to as the "Crown of the Continent Ecosystem," a region of protected land encompassing 16,000 sq mi (41,000 km2).
The Mount Baker–Snoqualmie National Forest in Washington is a National Forest extending more than 140 miles (230 km) along the western slopes of the Cascade Range from the Canada–US border to the northern boundary of Mount Rainier National Park. Administered by the United States Forest Service, the forest is headquartered in Everett. There are local ranger district offices in North Bend and Skykomish.
Gifford Pinchot National Forest is a National Forest located in southern Washington, managed by the United States Forest Service. With an area of 1.32 million acres (5300 km2), it extends 116 km (72 mi) along the western slopes of Cascade Range from Mount Rainier National Park to the Columbia River. The forest straddles the crest of the South Cascades of Washington State, spread out over broad, old growth forests, high mountain meadows, several glaciers, and numerous volcanic peaks. The forest's highest point is at 12,276 ft (3,742 m) at the top of Mount Adams, the second tallest volcano in the state after Rainier. Often found abbreviated GPNF on maps and in texts, it includes the 110,000-acre (450 km2) Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, established by Congress in 1982.
The Copper River or Ahtna River, Ahtna Athabascan ‘Atna’tuu, "river of the Ahtnas", Tlingit Eeḵhéeni, "river of copper", is a 290-mile (470 km) river in south-central Alaska in the United States. It drains a large region of the Wrangell Mountains and Chugach Mountains into the Gulf of Alaska. It is known for its extensive delta ecosystem, as well as for its prolific runs of wild salmon, which are among the most highly prized stocks in the world. The river is the tenth largest in the United States, as ranked by average discharge volume at its mouth.
Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve is an American national park and preserve managed by the National Park Service in south central Alaska. The park and preserve were established in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. The protected areas are included in an International Biosphere Reserve and are part of the Kluane/Wrangell–St. Elias/Glacier Bay/Tatshenshini-Alsek UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park and preserve form the largest area managed by the National Park Service with a total of 13,175,799.07 acres, an expanse larger than nine U.S. states and around the same size as Bosnia and Herzegovina or Croatia. 8,323,147.59 acres are designated as the national park, and the remaining 4,852,652.14 acres are designated as the preserve. The area designated as the national park alone is larger than the 47 smallest American national parks combined and is more than twice the size of all but two other national parks. Its area makes up over 15% of all national park designated land in the United States.
Grinnell Glacier is in the heart of Glacier National Park in the U.S. state of Montana. The glacier is named for George Bird Grinnell, an early American conservationist and explorer, who was also a strong advocate of ensuring the creation of Glacier National Park. The glacier is in the Lewis Range and rests on the north flank of Mount Gould at an altitude averaging 7,000 feet (2,100 m), in the Many Glacier region of the park.
Blackfoot Glacier is the second largest of the remaining 25 glaciers in Glacier National Park, Montana. Blackfoot Glacier is just to the north of Blackfoot Mountain and near Jackson Glacier. The glacier was most recently measured in 2015 at 370 acres (1.5 km2), yet when first documented in 1850, the glacier also included the now separate Jackson Glacier and together, they covered 1,875 acres (7.59 km2). In 1850, there were an estimated 150 glaciers in the park. Glaciologists have stated that by the year 2030, all the glaciers in the park may disappear. However, under a modest increase in overall carbon dioxide levels, some glaciers will remain until the late 23rd century.
Sperry Glacier is a glacier on the north slopes of Gunsight Mountain west of the Continental Divide in Glacier National Park in the U.S. state of Montana. Although many geologic features of Glacier National Park were formed during the much longer period of glaciation ending over 10,000 years ago, Sperry Glacier — like all the glaciers in the park today — is a product of the recent Little Ice Age, the period of cooler average temperatures starting in about the 13th century and concluding in the mid-19th century.
Swiftcurrent Glacier is in Glacier National Park in the U.S. state of Montana.The glacier is on the east side of the Continental Divide arête known as the Garden Wall. Swiftcurrent Glacier is one of several glaciers that are being monitored to determine stream flow alterations that occur due to glacial retreat. Compared to other glaciers in Glacier National Park, Swiftcurrent Glacier has experienced relatively slow retreat. As of 2005, the glacier had an area of 55 acres (0.22 km2), a 14 percent reduction since 1966.
Chaney Glacier is in Glacier National Park in the U.S. state of Montana. The glacier is situated in a cirque to the southeast of Mount Kipp on the eastern side of the Continental Divide. Chaney Glacier is one of several glaciers that have been selected for monitoring by the U.S. Geological Survey's Glacier Monitoring Research program, which is researching changes to the mass balance of glaciers in and surrounding Glacier National Park. The glacier is being monitored using remote sensing equipment and repeat photography, where images of the glacier are taken from identical locations periodically.
Boulder Glacier is located in the U.S. state of Montana in Glacier National Park (U.S.). The glacier is situated to the north of Boulder Peak and west of the Continental Divide. Between 1966 and 2005, Boulder Glacier lost more than 75 percent of its surface area. As of 2005 the glacier was measured to cover only 13 acres (0.053 km2), and no longer met the 25 acres (0.10 km2) threshold often cited as the minimal area to qualify as an active glacier.
Mount Rainier, also known as Tahoma, is a large active stratovolcano in the Cascade Range of the Pacific Northwest in the United States. The mountain is located in Mount Rainier National Park about 59 miles (95 km) south-southeast of Seattle. With a summit elevation of 14,411 ft (4,392 m), it is the highest mountain in the U.S. state of Washington, the most topographically prominent mountain in the contiguous United States, and the tallest in the Cascade Volcanic Arc.
Blackfoot Mountain is located in the Lewis Range, Glacier National Park in the U.S. state of Montana. To the north of Blackfoot Mountain lies Blackfoot Glacier, one of the largest glaciers in the park. The stagnant Pumpelly Glacier is located to the immediate east and northeast of the mountain.
The Sweet Grass Hills are a small group of low mountains rising more than 3,000 feet (910 m) above the surrounding plains southwest of Whitlash, Montana, in Liberty and Toole County, Montana. The tallest point in the hills is West Butte at 6,983 feet (2,128 m). Quite prominent in the local area, they are clearly visible from US Highway 2 to the south, I-15, and can sometimes be seen as far North as the Crowsnest Highway (Highway 3) near Medicine Hat in Alberta as well as from the West, near Glacier National Park and Browning, Montana. Visibility may vary depending on local air temperatures or heat domes that may increase or decrease the apparent height of the features. Other named peaks in the small group are Gold Butte (6,512 ft [1,985 m]), East Butte, and Mount Lebanon (5,807 ft [1,770 m]). The Sweet Grass Hills are an example of the island ranges that dot the central third portion of the state of Montana. These island ranges, completely surrounded by the 'sea' of plains and not geographically part of the Rocky Mountains to the west, are "biological hotspots", containing more species than the prairie below.
Logan Glacier is in Glacier National Park in the U.S. state of Montana. The glacier is situated in a cirque to the northeast of Mount Logan. Just east of the Continental Divide, Logan Glacier is northwest of Red Eagle Glacier. Estimated in 2005 to cover an area of 75 acres (0.30 km2), Logan Glacier covered almost 125 acres (0.51 km2) in 1966, a reduction in area of 40 percent in about 40 years. Comparing images of the glacier taken in 1914 with those from 2009, indicates that the glacier has experienced extensive retreat.
Harrison Glacier is a glacier located in the US state of Montana in Glacier National Park. Situated on a southeast‐facing ridge immediately south of Mount Jackson, it is the largest remaining glacier in Glacier National Park, estimated in 2005 to have an area of 466 acres (1.89 km2). Though many experts have stated that all the glaciers in Glacier National Park may disappear by the year 2030, Harrison Glacier lost only 9 percent of its surface area in the 40-year period between 1966 and 2005 and will likely still exist well beyond 2030. Compared to many of the vanishing glaciers in Glacier National Park, Harrison Glacier's accumulation zone is at a much higher altitude, which has allowed it to maintain some equilibrium in its glacier mass balance. Comparisons of images of the glacier taken in 1913 with images from 2009 indicate that the glacier has experienced thinning and retreat.
Lupfer Glacier is in Glacier National Park in the U.S. state of Montana. The glacier is situated immediately to the east of Mount Phillips at an elevation between 6,500 ft (2,000 m) and 6,000 ft (1,800 m) above sea level. Lupfer Glacier covers an area of approximately 16 acres (0.065 km2) and does not meet the threshold of 25 acres (0.10 km2) often cited as being the minimum size to qualify as an active glacier. Between 1966 and 2005 Lupfer Glacier lost over 50 percent of its surface area.
Pumpelly Glacier is in Glacier National Park in the U.S. state of Montana. The glacier is situated immediately northeast of Blackfoot Mountain at an elevation between 8,500 and 8,000 ft above sea level. Pumpelly Glacier is just west of the Continental Divide and adjacent to Pumpkin Glacier, the two glaciers separated by crevasses. The glacier was named after Raphael Pumpelly who had first sighted the glacier in 1883. Pumpelly and Pumpkin Glaciers cover 310 acres (1.3 km2) as of 2005, a 15 percent reduction in area since 1966.
Pumpkin Glacier is a glacier in Glacier National Park in the U.S. state of Montana. It is northeast of Blackfoot Mountain and adjacent to Pumpelly Glacier, the two glaciers separated by crevasses. Pumpkin Glacier covers approximately 35 acres (0.14 km2) at elevations between 8,500 feet (2,600 m) and 8,000 feet (2,400 m) above sea level. Pumpkin Glacier is immediately west of the Continental Divide. Pumpkin and Pumpelly Glaciers covered 310 acres (1.3 km2) as of 2005, a 15 percent reduction in area since 1966.
Thunderbird Glacier is in Glacier National Park in the U.S. state of Montana. The glacier is situated on the east side Continental Divide below Thunderbird Mountain at an average elevation of 8,000 feet (2,400 m) above sea level. As of 2005, Thunderbird Glacier consisted of numerous ice patches covering a total of 58 acres (0.23 km2), which is over 33 percent smaller than it was in 1966.
