Cowlitz Glacier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cowlitz Glacier |
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Upper Cowlitz Glacier (right center)
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 Cowlitz Glacier
Location in Washington (state)
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| Type | Mountain glacier |
| Coordinates | 46°49′50″N 121°43′02″W / 46.83056°N 121.71722°W |
| Area | 1.3 sq mi (3.4 km2) |
| Status | Retreating |
The Cowlitz Glacier is a huge river of ice found on the southeast side of Mount Rainier. Mount Rainier is a famous volcano located in the state of Washington, which is in the USA. This amazing glacier covers about 1.3 square miles (3.4 km2) of land. That's like more than 800 football fields! It holds a massive amount of ice, about 6 billion cubic feet (170 million cubic meters).
The Cowlitz Glacier starts very high up, at an elevation of about 10,700 feet (3,300 m). From there, it slowly flows downhill towards the southeast. It's not alone on the mountain! Another glacier, the Paradise Glacier, is connected to it on its southwest side. As the Cowlitz Glacier moves down the slopes of Mount Rainier, it almost meets up with the Ingraham Glacier. Long ago, during a time called the Little Ice Age, these two glaciers actually touched and shared a common end point. The water that melts from the Cowlitz Glacier eventually flows into the Cowlitz River.
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A Look at Its Past: Retreat and Advance
Glaciers are always changing. They can grow bigger (advance) or shrink (retreat) over time. The Cowlitz Glacier has a long and interesting history of these changes.
How Big Was It in the Past?
About 35,000 years ago, during the last major Ice Age, the Cowlitz and Ingraham glaciers were much, much larger. They stretched out about 62 mi (100 km) from Mount Rainier! Imagine a glacier reaching that far! As the Ice Age ended, the climate warmed up. This caused the glacier to slowly melt and retreat back towards Mount Rainier.
What is the Little Ice Age?
The Little Ice Age was a period of cooler temperatures that lasted from about the 1300s to the mid-1800s. During this time, many glaciers around the world, including the Cowlitz Glacier, grew larger. The Little Ice Age ended around the year 1850.
Why Do Glaciers Change Size?
In more recent times, the Cowlitz Glacier has mostly been shrinking and getting thinner. This is called "retreating." However, there was a special period between the mid-1970s and mid-1980s when the glacier actually grew bigger. This was a noticeable "advance." Scientists study these changes to understand how Earth's climate is changing. Glaciers are like giant thermometers, showing us how temperatures have shifted over thousands of years.
