Dusty Glacier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dusty Glacier |
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Left to right, Cool, Chocolate, North Guardian and Dusty Glaciers on the east slopes of Glacier Peak
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 Dusty Glacier
Location in Washington (state)
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| Type | Mountain glacier |
| Coordinates | 48°07′24″N 121°06′14″W / 48.12333°N 121.10389°W |
| Length | 1.4 mi (2.3 km) |
| Terminus | Ice fall |
| Status | Retreating |
Dusty Glacier is a large river of ice located high on the northeast side of Glacier Peak. This mountain is in the state of Washington, USA. It's like a slow-moving, frozen river that changes the landscape over time.
About Dusty Glacier
Dusty Glacier starts very high up, at about 9,022 feet (2,750 meters). It then flows down to about 6,430 feet (1,960 meters). Along its path, it sometimes connects with other nearby glaciers. To its south, it touches North Guardian Glacier, and to its north, it connects with Ermine Glacier.
What is a Glacier?
A glacier is a huge mass of ice that moves slowly over land. It forms when snow piles up over many years and gets compressed into ice. Glaciers are often called "rivers of ice" because they flow, though much slower than water rivers. They can carve out valleys and shape mountains.
Retreating Ice
Like many glaciers around the world, Dusty Glacier is getting smaller. Scientists call this "retreating." This means the glacier is melting faster than new snow can build it up. It has been shrinking for a long time.
The Little Ice Age
Around the year 1850, the Earth was coming out of a period called the Little Ice Age. During this time, Dusty Glacier was much bigger. It stretched down to an altitude of about 4,800 feet (1,460 meters). But since then, it has lost more than 1,500 meters (about 1 mile) of its length. This shows how much the climate has changed.
Glacier Features
Dusty Glacier has many deep cracks in its surface called crevasses. These form when the ice moves over uneven ground. At its very end, the glacier forms an ice fall. This is like a frozen waterfall, where the ice breaks apart as it flows steeply downwards.
