Ruth Glacier

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Ruth Glacier
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Ruth Glacier
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Ruth Glacier
TypeValley glacier
Location Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska, U.S.
Coordinates 62°45′55″N150°37′42″W / 62.76528°N 150.62833°W / 62.76528; -150.62833
Length40 miles (64 km)
Thickness3,800 feet (1,200 m) (1983)
Terminusmoraine
Statusunknown
Ruth Glacier

Ruth Glacier is a glacier in Denali National Park and Preserve in the U.S. state of Alaska. [1] Its upper reaches are approximately 3 vertical miles below the summit of Denali. The glacier's "Great Gorge" is one mile wide, and drops almost 2,000 feet over 10 miles, with crevasses along the surface. Above the surface on both sides are 4,900-foot granite cliffs. From the top of the cliffs to the bottom of the glacier is a height exceeding that of the Grand Canyon. Ruth Glacier moves at a rate of three feet per day and was measured to be 4,000 feet thick in 1983. [2]

Contents

Surrounding the Ruth Gorge are many mountains of the Alaska Range, including the Mooses Tooth, Mount Dickey, Mount Bradley, Mount Wake, Mount Johnson, and London Tower with highly technical ice and rock climbs on their faces.

According to the National Park Service (NPS), several air taxi operators are authorized to land aircraft on Ruth Glacier in Denali National Park. [3]

History

In 1903, the glacier was explored by physician and ethnographer Frederick Cook, who named it after his youngest daughter. [4] [5]

See also

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Johnson (Alaska)</span> Mountain in the American state of Alaska

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Mount Bradley is a 9,100+ ft mountain summit located in the Alaska Range, in Denali National Park and Preserve, in Alaska, United States. It is situated on the west side of the Ruth Gorge, 13.33 mi (21 km) southeast of Denali and 4.68 mi (8 km) southwest of The Moose's Tooth. Its nearest higher peak is Mount Dickey, 1.41 miles (2.27 km) to the north, Mount Wake lies 1.51 miles (2.43 km) to the south, and London Tower rises 2.55 miles (4.10 km) directly east on the opposite side of The Great Gorge. Despite its relatively low elevation, it is notable for its north face with nearly 5,000 feet of vertical sheer granite. The mountain was named by famed explorer Dr. Frederick Cook for John R. Bradley, a wealthy casino owner from Florida and one of Cook's financial sponsors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Wake</span> Mountain in the American state of Alaska

Mount Wake is a 9,100+ ft mountain summit located in the Alaska Range, in Denali National Park and Preserve, in Alaska, United States. It is situated on the west side of the Ruth Gorge, 14.44 mi (23 km) southeast of Denali and 5.85 mi (9 km) southwest of The Moose's Tooth. The nearest higher neighbor is Mount Dickey, 2.92 miles (4.70 km) to the north. Mount Bradley lies 1.51 miles (2.43 km) to the north, and Mount Johnson lies 0.89 miles (1.43 km) to the southeast. Despite its relatively low elevation, it is notable for its north face with over 4,000 feet of vertical sheer granite. The mountain was named by famed explorer Dr. Frederick Cook for his friend Charles Wake.

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London Tower is a 7,550 ft (2,300 m) mountain summit located in the Alaska Range, in Denali National Park and Preserve, in Alaska, United States. It is situated on the east side of the Ruth Gorge, 15.23 mi (25 km) southeast of Denali and 3.38 mi (5 km) south of The Moose's Tooth. Mount Bradley rises 2.55 miles (4.10 km) directly across The Great Gorge to the west. Despite its relatively low elevation, it is notable for its west face with over 3,000 feet of vertical granite.

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Mount Barrille is a 7,650 ft (2,330 m) mountain summit located in the Alaska Range, in Denali National Park and Preserve, in the U.S. state of Alaska. It is situated 2,650 feet above the Ruth Glacier at the gateway to the Don Sheldon Amphitheater, or The Great Gorge, depending on direction of travel. Barrille is set 11.43 mi (18 km) southeast of Denali, 3.37 mi (5 km) west of The Mooses Tooth, 3.68 mi (6 km) east of The Rooster Comb, and 1.42 mi (2 km) north of Mount Dickey which is its nearest higher peak. The mountain was named by famed explorer Dr. Frederick Cook for Edward Barrill (1861-1946), a horse packer from Darby, Montana, who was his sole companion during his 1906 claim to be the first to climb Mount McKinley. The claim was later disproved, and in 1909 Barrill signed an affidavit stating that they had not reached the summit. Cook referred to his companion as Barrille in his accounts of the expedition, and Barrille remains as the official spelling used by the United States Geological Survey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Grosvenor (Alaska Range)</span> Mountain in the American state of Alaska

Mount Grosvenor is an 8,400+ ft mountain summit located in the Alaska Range, in Denali National Park and Preserve, in Alaska, United States. It is situated on the west side of the Ruth Gorge, 0.87 mi (1 km) northwest of Mount Church and 0.54 mi (1 km) south of Mt. Johnson. Its nearest higher peak is Mount Wake, 1.32 miles (2.12 km) to the northwest. Despite its relatively low elevation, it is notable for its east face with over 4,000 feet of vertical sheer granite. The mountain was named by famed explorer Dr. Frederick Cook who claimed the first ascent of Mount McKinley in 1906, but was later disproved. This peak's unofficial name honors Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor (1875–1966), President of the National Geographic Society, father of photojournalism, and the first full-time editor of National Geographic magazine. The first ascent of the peak was made in 1979 by Gary Bocarde, Charlie Head, John Lee, and Jon Thomas.

References

  1. "USGS Talkeetna D-2 (AK) Topo Map". Topozone. Retrieved 2007-01-25.
  2. "Ruth Glacier". Denali National Park and Preserve. National Park Service. Retrieved 2007-01-25.
  3. "Flightseeing - Denali National Park & Preserve (U.S. National Park Service)".
  4. "Ruth and Helene Cook". Haeckel Collection. Getty Images. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  5. "Ruth Glacier". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior . Retrieved 2018-09-26.