[polarbear]

Many shrinking, a few growing.

[MooseAndSquirrel]

Yeah I saw that & noticed our state not even mentioned! Well it was about CA glaciers... Don't we have the most glaciers in the lower 48? Doesn't mention the Palisades Glacier in the Eastern Sierra near Big Pine CA- Southernmost glacier in the U.S. Couple miles long and 100-200' thick. Guess it's not receding. We know about receding glaciers up here, except for the Carbon Glacier on Rainier, most of them are. The Enchantments were covered with one in the early 1900's.

[MooseAndSquirrel]

Quark, according to 100 Hikes Alpine Lks, A.H. Sylvester, a USGS topographer, 'discovered' the Enchantments in the very early 1900's and from 1908-1931 was Wenatchee NF supervisor. When he was in the upper Enchantment basin the entire basin was filled by the Snow Creek Glacier. Without doubt at a much earlier period the entire Enchantments had glaciers in them. I'm leaning towards the notion I kinda like the E's as they are now but wouldn't want any further melting away of the remaining ice.

[Larry]

Here's a paragraph from my post in the "Hey Marylou" thread: Off topic: Speaking of the Enchantments in 1959...I remember the glaciers coming clear down to the upper third of the area. Crystal Lake and Isolation Lake were actually glaciers. Inspiration Lake had a small glacier on the headwall, calving active ice into the lake. The Snow Creek Glacier was probably 300% of what it is now, with the portion on Little Annapurna an active slope glacier with crevasses. There were small pocket glaciers all over the place, in the last stages of activity. Wow...the rate of recession has been phenomenal. And, there was no trail from Snow Lake up to Viviane...just the barest hint of a boot track. From Viviane on up, not even boot tracks.

[Sore Feet]

While on the subject, anyone gotten a good look at the icefield behind the lava dome on St. Helens recently? I've read that it's not officially recognized as a glacier yet, because it's not really moving (much), but crevases have formed where it's spilling down next to the dome, so it's only a matter of time before it starts moving forward. wouldn't it be interesting if it eventually surrounded the lava dome?

[Larry]

Quark: I'll grub around through my photos and see if I can find one. Would probably be on old 110 film, but if I can find a suitable photo, I'll scan it.

[Dante]

Three words: Pea Soup Lake Lynch Glacier certainly isn't what it was when the Mt. Daniel topo was made. The lake used to be a little fringe of blue at the base of the glacier. Last time I was there, it was pretty big.

[Larry]

[Sore Feet]

Various links to info on the St. Helens Crater Glacier (Lava Dome Glacier?): http://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2002CD/finalprogram/abstract_33712.htm http://glaciercaves.com/html/birtho_1.HTM http://glaciercaves.com/html/anewgl_1.HTM

[MooseAndSquirrel]

Cool. Thanks for the links. It's refered to as a glacier many times in those articles so I guess it is. Kind of a glacier on thin ice in a living volcano though.

[Larry]

Thank you SO MUCH Bryan! Gives me goosebumps. This is totally awesome (an overused cliche', but it works in this case). The birth of a glacier, and the accelerated formation of the glacial firn, is a wonderful event. I'll be watching now.

[Sore Feet]

That whole area is just so interesting, geologically speaking. The way and size that Loowit and Steppe Creeks formed HUGE canyons coming out of the crater was mindboggling. And then the glacier, and apparently there are hot springs all over the crater floor. I wonder if 30 or 40 (or less) years down the road, the USGS will lift the heavy restrictions on entering the crater, so all can see.