Sandy Glacier Caves

Last updated
Sandy Glacier Caves
Ice caves in the Sandy Glacier.jpg
An aerial view of the collapsed "Snow Dragon" and the nearby "Pure Imagination" ice caves taken August 29, 2016.
Location Clackamas County, Oregon, U.S.
Length>1 mile
Geologycavern in glacial ice
DifficultyDifficult
HazardsExposure, hypothermia, structure collapse
AccessPublic

The Sandy Glacier Caves are a system of glacier caves within the ice of Sandy Glacier on Mount Hood, Oregon. They are thought to be the largest glacier caves in the lower 48 states of the United States. [1] Surveys done in 2011 and 2012 have measured the system at over 1 mile in length or about 7,000 feet. [2] The caves formed from internal glacial melting at what are the headwaters of the Muddy Fork river. As melting continues, the caves grow larger with their entrances melting their way up the glacier's slope. Eventually it is predicted the caves will be completely gone within 7 to 10 years once the interior melting has reached the surface of the glacier.

Contents

During early summer, all three surveyed caves within the glacier are connected through perennial ice and are called the Snow Dragon Glacier Cave System. By late summer, the perennial ice melts away leaving only the disconnected glacier caves that have been individually named Snow Dragon, Pure Imagination, and Frozen Minotaur Caves. [2] In 2013, a fourth glacier cave was discovered on the Sandy Glacier, but so far it has not been explored.

Exploration

The caves were first brought to the attention of Brent McGregor and Eddy Cartaya, both members of the Oregon High Desert Grotto, [3] when a video was posted on YouTube showing individuals at the entrance to a new glacier cave. [4] Being ill-equipped, no exploration was done until McGregor and Cartaya explored the cave shortly thereafter with Scott Linn, and then returning to survey the cave which they coined Snow Dragon. [5] Return trips led to the discovery of Pure Imagination Cave and then Frozen Minotaur. [6] In 2012, the Oregon High Desert Grotto and other NSS members surveyed the entire system. In 2013, after numerous trips to the cave, OPB's Oregon Field Guide lead their most complex shoot to document the caves being studied by the grotto and scientists. [7] As of October 2013, McGregor and Cartaya spent more than 300 hours mapping more than a mile of caves within the glacier. [4] In 2016 it was reported that since 2014, McGregor's team the Glacier Cave Explorers has completed three expeditions to the glacier to map, photograph, and record environmental data. [8] Their work in the caves discovered fir tree seedlings, duck feathers, and extremophiles. [2] [8] The team has brought glaciologists with them including Andrew Fountain, Jason Gulley and Gunnar Johnson. [2] [9]

History and science

The Sandy Glacier has lost about 40%, or almost half, of its ice between 1907 and 2004. [10] The expeditions led by Cartaya and McGregor included Andrew Fountain to determine how much ice the glacier was losing per year by placing stakes on the surface. [9] Internal temperatures in Snow Dragon Cave were measured at above 40 degrees Fahrenheit. [2] Andrew Fountain believed the melting of the glacier is a sign that it was dying and in 5 to 10 years the caves would be entirely gone. [2] In 2015 it was observed that a major portion of Snow Dragon had collapsed. [11] The collapse of the caves continued with the majority of the caves being reported as entirely gone in 2016. [12] The initial reason for their demise was reported as climate change, however other factors seemed to be contributing such as geothermal activity. [12] [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Baker</span> Mountain in Washington state, United States

Mount Baker, also known as Koma Kulshan or simply Kulshan, is a 10,781 ft (3,286 m) active glacier-covered andesitic stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc and the North Cascades of Washington State in the United States. Mount Baker has the second-most thermally active crater in the Cascade Range after Mount St. Helens. About 30 miles (48 km) due east of the city of Bellingham, Whatcom County, Mount Baker is the youngest volcano in the Mount Baker volcanic field. While volcanism has persisted here for some 1.5 million years, the current volcanic cone is likely no more than 140,000 years old, and possibly no older than 80–90,000 years. Older volcanic edifices have mostly eroded away due to glaciation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount St. Helens</span> Volcano in Washington, U.S.

Mount St. Helens is an active stratovolcano located in Skamania County, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It lies 52 miles (83 km) northeast of Portland, Oregon, and 98 miles (158 km) south of Seattle. Mount St. Helens takes its English name from that of the British diplomat Alleyne Fitzherbert, 1st Baron St Helens, a friend of explorer George Vancouver who surveyed the area in the late 18th century. The volcano is part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc, a segment of the Pacific Ring of Fire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cascade Range</span> Mountain range in western North America

The Cascade Range or Cascades is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as many of those in the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades. The small part of the range in British Columbia is referred to as the Canadian Cascades or, locally, as the Cascade Mountains. The highest peak in the range is Mount Rainier in Washington at 14,411 feet (4,392 m).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Hood</span> Stratovolcano in Oregon, United States

Mount Hood is an active stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc. It was formed by a subduction zone on the Pacific coast and rests in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located about 50 mi (80 km) east-southeast of Portland, on the border between Clackamas and Hood River counties. In addition to being Oregon's highest mountain, it is one of the loftiest mountains in the nation based on its prominence, and it offers the only year-round lift-served skiing in North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Jefferson (Oregon)</span> Stratovolcano in the Cascade Range, Oregon, US

Mount Jefferson is a stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc, part of the Cascade Range in the U.S. state of Oregon. The second highest mountain in Oregon, it is situated within Linn County, Jefferson County, and Marion County and forms part of the Mount Jefferson Wilderness. Due to the ruggedness of its surroundings, the mountain is one of the hardest volcanoes to reach in the Cascades. It is also a popular tourist destination despite its remoteness, with recreational activities including hiking, backpacking, mountaineering, and photography. Vegetation at Mount Jefferson is dominated by Douglas fir, silver fir, mountain hemlock, ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine, and several cedar species. Carnivores, insectivores, bats, rodents, deer, birds, and various other species inhabit the area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Thielsen</span> Extinct shield volcano in Oregon

Mount Thielsen, is an extinct shield volcano in the Oregon High Cascades, near Mount Bailey. Because eruptive activity ceased 250,000 years ago, glaciers have heavily eroded the volcano's structure, creating precipitous slopes and a horn-like peak. The spire-like shape of Thielsen attracts lightning strikes and creates fulgurite, an unusual mineral. The prominent horn forms a centerpiece for the Mount Thielsen Wilderness, a reserve for recreational activities such as skiing and hiking. Thielsen is one of Oregon's Matterhorns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Adams (Washington)</span> Southern Washington stratovolcano

Mount Adams, known by some Native American tribes as Pahto or Klickitat, is a potentially active stratovolcano in the Cascade Range. Although Adams has not erupted in more than 1,000 years, it is not considered extinct. It is the second-highest mountain in Washington, after Mount Rainier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount McLoughlin</span> Stratovolcano in Oregon

Mount McLoughlin is a dormant steep-sided stratovolcano, or composite volcano, in the Cascade Range of southern Oregon and within the United States Sky Lakes Wilderness. It is one of the volcanic peaks in the Cascade Volcanic Arc, within the High Cascades sector. A prominent landmark for the Rogue River Valley, the mountain is north of Mount Shasta, and south-southeast of Crater Lake. It was named around 1838 after John McLoughlin, a Chief Factor for the Hudson's Bay Company. Mount McLouglin's prominence has made it a landmark to Native American populations for thousands of years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palmer Glacier</span> Glacier on Mount Hood, Oregon, United States

Palmer Glacier is an extinct glacier on the south slopes of Mount Hood in the U.S. state of Oregon. With glacial ice movement having stopped in the mid-1980s, it is now considered a snowfield rather than an active glacier. The former glacier, now snowfield, is situated at an elevation range of 9,300 to 6,200 feet, and was named for Joel Palmer, an Oregon pioneer. Palmer Glacier is the most well-known of the twelve glaciers on the mountain, despite no longer technically qualifying as a glacier, and is a popular destination for snowsports enthusiasts as it is the only US resort that consistently runs its chairlifts from winter through summer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paradise Ice Caves</span>

The Paradise Ice Caves were a system of interconnected glacier caves located within Mount Rainier's Paradise Glacier in the United States. These glacier caves were visited and documented at least as early as 1908. They have a varied natural history, as their size and even existence has changed over time, from a maximum surveyed length of 13.25 kilometers in 1978, to not existing at all during both the 1940s and 1990s due to glacial recession. In 1978 they were the longest mapped system of glacier caves in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erebus Glacier Tongue</span>

The Erebus Glacier Tongue is a mountain outlet glacier and the seaward extension of Erebus Glacier from Ross Island. It projects 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) into McMurdo Sound from the Ross Island coastline near Cape Evans, Antarctica. The glacier tongue varies in thickness from 50 metres (160 ft) at the snout to 300 metres (980 ft) at the point where it is grounded on the shoreline. Explorers from Robert F. Scott's Discovery Expedition (1901–1904) named and charted the glacier tongue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adams Glacier (Mount Adams)</span> Glacier in Washington state

Adams Glacier is situated on the northwest flank of Mount Adams, a 12,281-foot (3,743 m) stratovolcano in the U.S. state of Washington. Much of it becomes the source of Adams Creek, a tributary of the Cispus River. It is the largest glacier on Mount Adams. It flows down from the summit ice cap at over 12,000 feet (3,700 m) for over 2.5 miles (4.0 km) to a terminus near 7,000 feet (2,100 m).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coalman Glacier</span> Glacier on Mount Hood in Oregon, United States

The Coalman Glacier is a glacier located on the upper slopes of Mount Hood in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is the mountain's highest glacier ranging from about 11,200 to 10,500 ft, located within the crater rim, southwest of the peak. It was named for Elija Coalman, an early mountain guide who climbed Mount Hood 586 times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Hood climbing accidents</span>

Mount Hood climbing accidents are incidents related to mountain climbing or hiking on Oregon's Mount Hood. As of 2007, about 10,000 people attempt to climb the mountain each year. As of May 2002, more than 130 people are known to have died climbing Mount Hood since records have been kept. One of the worst climbing accidents occurred in 1986, when seven high school students and two teachers froze to death while attempting to retreat from a storm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White River Glacier (Oregon)</span> Glacier on Mount Hood, Oregon, United States

White River Glacier is an alpine glacier located on the south slopes of Mount Hood in the U.S. state of Oregon. It ranges in elevation from about 10,000 to 6,200 feet. It is among the best known of the twelve glaciers on the mountain, and the lower reaches are a popular destination for Nordic skiing enthusiasts. The glacier is the source of the White River, a tributary of the Deschutes River, and has a long history of washing out the bridge where Oregon Route 35 crosses at 45.30307°N 121.67208°W.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sandy Glacier</span> Glacier on Mount Hood, Oregon, United States

Sandy Glacier is an alpine glacier located on the west slope of Mount Hood in the U.S. state of Oregon. It extends in elevation from about 8,800 to 6,000 feet. The glacier is the source of Muddy Fork, a tributary of the Sandy River. The upper extent of the glacier is known for extensive crevasses. The lower extent was marked by the Sandy Glacier Caves, possibly the largest glacier cave system in the lower 48 U.S. states.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reid Glacier (Oregon)</span> Glacier on Mount Hood, Oregon, United States

Reid Glacier is an alpine glacier located on the west slope of Mount Hood in the U.S. state of Oregon. It ranges in elevation from about 9,800 to 6,000 feet. The glacier is the source of the Sandy River. The upper extent of the glacier is known for extensive crevasses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Rainier</span> Stratovolcano in the U.S. state of Washington

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oregon High Desert Grotto</span> American caving club

The Oregon High Desert Grotto is an American caving club, known as a Grotto. It is affiliated with the National Speleological Society.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Little Zigzag River</span> River in Oregon, United States

The Little Zigzag River is a tributary, about 5 miles (8.0 km) long, of the Zigzag River in the U.S. state of Oregon. The Zigzag and Little Zigzag drain the Zigzag Glacier on Mount Hood, a high volcanic peak in the Cascade Range. Their combined waters flow westward to meet the Sandy River near the community of Zigzag. Little Zigzag Falls, a popular hiking destination, is on the river near U.S. Route 26 east of Zigzag.

References

  1. "Photographer Brent McGregor Captures The Beauty of Oregon's Caves". OPB.org. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Thin Ice: Exploring Mount Hood's Glacier Caves". OPB.org. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  3. "Sandy Glacier Cave Project: Mt. Hood, Oregon" (PDF). Mocavesandkarst.org. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  4. 1 2 Unknown (2013-10-02), "Mountaineer's explorations documented", The Nugget , pp. 1, 25
  5. "Meet the Adventurers Who Brave Glacial Caves in the Name of Science". sierraclub.org. Retrieved 2018-05-24.
  6. "Eddy Cartaya". Ted.com. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  7. "Shooting video inside ice cave on Mount Hood". PortlandTribune.com. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  8. 1 2 Rullman, Craig (2016-02-10), "Leading journeys into the ice", The Nugget , pp. 3, 28
  9. 1 2 "Newly Discovered Caves Aid Researchers Study Melting Glacier". NPR.org. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  10. Jackson, Keith; Andrew Fountain (2007). "Spatial and morphological change on Eliot Glacier, Mount Hood, Oregon, USA" (PDF). Annals of Glaciology. 46: 222–226. doi: 10.3189/172756407782871152 . Archived from the original (pdf) on 2013-10-19. Retrieved 2012-08-11.
  11. "Ice Cave Collapses On Mt. Hood". Glacierhub.org. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  12. 1 2 "What Happened To Mount Hood's Glacier Caves?". OPB.org. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  13. "Cave explorers want to preserve history". BendBulletin.com. Retrieved 2017-11-05.

45°23′06″N121°43′05″W / 45.385°N 121.718°W / 45.385; -121.718