From a Glacier's Perspective

December 29, 2022

Loss of Hinman Glacier, North Cascade Range 1958-2022

Himan Glacier in 1958 USGS map and in 2022 Sentinel 2 False Color image. The three ice masses with an area greater than 0.01 km² are indicated. Hinman Glacier had descended the northwest flank of Mount Hinman in the North Cascades, Washington and based on 1958 aerial photographs, Hinman Glacier the USGS had listed this as the largest glacier in the North Cascades south of Glacier Peak with an area …

August 22, 2019

The Disappearance of Multiple Baffin Island Glaciers 2002-2019

Glaciers at Point A and B have melted completely away. The commemoration of a single disappearing glacier in Iceland, Okjokull has brought attention to what is quite a common event this decade, glacier disappearance. Here we report on a number of glaciers in the southern part of the Cumberland Peninsula, Baffin Island that have either disappeared or separated into several parts from 2002-2019. Way (2015) noted that on the next peninsula …

May 21, 2013

Galaxy Glacier Rapid Retreat, Pukulkul Basin Glacier disappears, British Columbia

Over the ridge south from Stave Glacier is a 1.5 km long unnamed glacier, that is on the west flank of Galaxy Peak, hence referred to here as Galaxy Glacier. The glacier is in Garibaldi Provinical Park, British Columbia. Koch et al (2009) in their detailed survey of glaciers in the park chronicled the Park’s glacier retreat from 1952 to 2002. Koch et al (2009) Found that all 45 glaciers …

February 17, 2013

Death of a Glacier, Whitechuck Glacier, Washington

The Whitechuck Glacier supplies flow to the headwaters of the Whitechuck River. Its white expanse has graced these headwaters for thousands of years. The Whitechuck Glacier retreated slowly from its advanced Little Ice Age position until 1930, while rapidly thinning. Thus, prepared it began a rapid retreat in 1930. This rapid retreat culminated in the total disappearance of the north branch of the glacier in 2001. No more does this …

November 25, 2009

Grasshopper Glacier, Montana-nearly gone

Grasshopper Glacier, the largest is located about 19 km. north of Cook, Montana within Custer National Forest. The glacier on Iceberg Peak occupies a north facing cirque at nearly 3300 m. (11,000 ft.). In 1940, it was about 1.6 km. wide and on its northwest side terminated in a 15-m. cliff. In 1966, seen below, the glacier had an area of 0.42 square kilometers. The name of the glacier is …

November 17, 2009

Hinman Glacier, North Cascades disappears

In the USGS map for Mount Daniels-Mount Hinman in the North Cascades, Washington based on 1958 aerial photographs, overlain in Google Earth. Hinman Glacier is the largest glacier in the North Cascades south of Glacier Peak. Today it is nearly gone. Hinman Lake, unofficial name, has taken the place of the former glacier, which still has a couple of separated relict ice masses. From 1984-2007 all 47 glaciers observed by …

September 6, 2009

Stubai Glacier’s Protective Blanket

The north facing side of the Stubai Glacier, also referred to as the Schaufel Ferner, that comprises the biggest ski area in the area is open all summer down to the Eisgrat lift station. There are two main lifts that traverse up the glacier, some of the towers for the ski lifts are set right on the glacier. The linear features extending down glacier in this satellite view of the …