Easton Glacier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Easton Glacier |
|
|---|---|
Easton Glacier on the south slope of Mount Baker, note 1985 terminus position
|
|
 Easton Glacier
Location in Washington (state)
|
|
| Type | Mountain glacier |
| Coordinates | 48°44′37″N 121°50′06″W / 48.74361°N 121.83500°W |
| Length | 2.5 mi (4.0 km) |
| Thickness | 180 to 230 ft (55 to 70 m) |
| Terminus | Moraine/talus |
| Status | Retreating |
The Easton Glacier is a large glacier found on Mount Baker in Washington state, United States. It is located in the beautiful North Cascades mountain range. This glacier was named after Charles F. Easton, who worked hard to record the history of Mount Baker.
The Easton Glacier sits on the south side of Mount Baker. It has two other glaciers as neighbors: the Squak Glacier and the Deming Glacier.
Where is Easton Glacier Located?
The Easton Glacier starts high up on Mount Baker. Its beginning, called the glacier head, is near Sherman Crater at about 9,000 feet (2,700 meters) above sea level. The end of the glacier, known as its terminus, is much lower, at about 5,500 feet (1,700 meters).
How Does the Glacier Change the Land?
As the Easton Glacier moves, it changes the land around it. It has created two clear piles of rock and dirt on its sides. These are called moraines. The one on the left is named Metcalfe Moraine, and the one on the right is called Railroad Grade.
You can easily see how the glacier has moved by looking at the valley floor. Many of the rocks and boulders there look shiny. They have been polished by the glacier sliding over them. You can also see long scratches on the rocks, called glacial striations. These marks show the direction the glacier moved.
Has Easton Glacier Always Been the Same Size?
Like many glaciers around the world, the Easton Glacier changes size over time. It can grow bigger (advance) or shrink (retreat).
Between 1850 and 1950, the Easton Glacier became much smaller. It retreated by about 7,940 feet (2,420 meters). But then, from 1950 to 1979, the weather became cooler and wetter. This caused the glacier to grow again, advancing by about 1,995 feet (608 meters).
However, since 1980, the glacier has been shrinking again. From 1980 to 2006, it retreated by 902 feet (275 meters). More recently, between 1990 and 2009, the Easton Glacier shrank by another 980 feet (300 meters). During this time, it also became thinner, losing about 43 feet (13 meters) of its thickness on average. This shows that the glacier is currently getting smaller.
