Scimitar Glacier

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Scimitar Glacier
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Scimitar Glacier
TypeMountain glacier
Location Glacier Peak, Snohomish County, Washington, USA
Coordinates 48°06′58″N121°07′45″W / 48.11611°N 121.12917°W / 48.11611; -121.12917 [1]
Length1.4 mi (2.3 km)
TerminusIcefall/Talus
StatusRetreating

Scimitar Glacier is located on the west and northwest slopes of Glacier Peak in the U.S. state of Washington. [2] As is true with all the glaciers found on Glacier Peak, Scimitar Glacier is retreating. [3] During the Little Ice Age Scimitar Glacier was connected to Kennedy Glacier to the north. From about 1850 to 1946, the glacier retreated 5,250 ft (1,600 m), but advanced 1,738 ft (530 m) during a colder and wetter period lasting until about 1980. Scimitar Glacier has retreated since, but due to the thickness of the ice at the terminus, had not lost much of its length through the year 2005. [4]

See also

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Kennedy Glacier is located on northwest slopes of Glacier Peak in the U.S. state of Washington. As is true with all the glaciers found on Glacier Peak, Kennedy Glacier is retreating. During the Little Ice Age, Kennedy Glacier extended down to an altitude of 4,314 ft (1,315 m) and was connected to Scimitar Glacier to the south. From about 1850 to 1952, the glacier lost 5,577 ft (1,700 m) of its length. During a cooler and wetter period from 1952 to 1984, Kennedy Glacier advanced 1,050 ft (320 m) but between 1984 and 2005, the glacier again retreated, losing 1,450 ft (440 m) of its length.

Sitkum Glacier is located on the west slopes of Glacier Peak in the U.S. state of Washington. As is true with all the glaciers found on Glacier Peak, Sitkum Glacier is retreating. Sitkum Glacier is immediately south of Scimitar Glacier.

Suiattle Glacier is located in the Glacier Peak Wilderness in the U.S. state of Washington. The glacier is within Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and nearly touches Honeycomb and White River glaciers separated from them by an arête off the Kololo Peaks at its uppermost reaches. Suiattle Glacier has retreated significantly since the end of the Little Ice Age, and from approximately the years 1850 to 1924 lost 1,400 m (4,600 ft) of its length. Between 1924 and 1940, the glacier retreated an additional 900 m (3,000 ft), then during a cooler and wetter period between 1967 and 1979, the glacier had a small advance of 20 m (66 ft). After this, Suiattle Glacier began to retreat again and has retreated 270 m from its advanced position in the 1970s to 2009.

White River Glacier is located in the Glacier Peak Wilderness in the U.S. state of Washington. The glacier is within Wenatchee National Forest and nearly touches Honeycomb and Suiattle Glaciers, separated from them by an arête off the Kololo Peaks at its uppermost reaches. White River Glacier has retreated approximately 1,000 m (3,300 ft) since the end of the Little Ice Age around the year 1850.

References

  1. "Scimitar Glacier". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior . Retrieved 2012-11-25.
  2. Glacier Peak West, WA (Map). TopoQwest (United States Geological Survey Maps). Retrieved 2012-11-25.
  3. Monroe, James; Reed Wicander (2011). The Changing Earth: Exploring Geology and Evolution. Cengage Learning. p. 349. ISBN   9780840062086 . Retrieved 2012-11-25.
  4. Pelto, Mauri (2007). "Glacier Peak A Century Of Change". North Cascade Glacier Climate Project. Nichols College. Retrieved 2012-11-25.