Inter Glacier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Inter Glacier |
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Steamboat Prow, 9,680 feet (2,950 m), (center) with the small Inter Glacier on its northeast face. Steamboat Prow divides Emmons Glacier (left) from Winthrop Glacier (right).
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| Type | Mountain glacier |
| Location | Mount Rainier, Pierce County, Washington, USA |
| Coordinates | 46°52′35″N 121°43′37″W / 46.87639°N 121.72694°W |
| Area | 0.3 mile2 (0.8 km2), 1983 |
The Inter Glacier is a small but interesting glacier found on the side of Mount Rainier in Washington, USA. It's like a big, slow-moving river of ice! This glacier sits on a special rocky point called Steamboat Prow. It's nestled between two much larger glaciers, the Emmons Glacier and the Winthrop Glacier.
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What is the Inter Glacier?
This glacier is a huge block of ice that slowly moves down the mountain. It's located on the northeast side of Mount Rainier. Mount Rainier is a very tall volcano in Washington state. The Inter Glacier is quite small compared to some other glaciers.
How Big is This Glacier?
The Inter Glacier holds a lot of ice. It has about 0.6 billion cubic feet (17 million cubic meters) of ice. This covers an area of 0.3 square miles (0.8 square kilometers). That's roughly the size of 150 football fields!
Where Can You Find It?
The Inter Glacier is high up on Mount Rainier. It starts at an elevation of about 9,400 feet (2,900 m). That's almost two miles high! From there, it flows northeast. It ends at a pile of rocks and dirt called a moraine, around 7,000 feet (2,100 m).
The Steamboat Prow
The glacier sits on a rocky wedge known as the Steamboat Prow. This prow is like a natural divider. It separates the Inter Glacier from the huge Emmons Glacier to the south. It also separates it from the Winthrop Glacier to the north.
Smooth Surface and Few Cracks
The land under the Inter Glacier is quite smooth. This means the glacier's surface is also very smooth. You won't find many deep cracks, called crevasses, on this glacier. This makes it different from many other glaciers that have lots of dangerous cracks.
Water from the Glacier
As the glacier slowly melts, its water flows away. This meltwater drains into the White River. This river is an important source of water for the area.
Nearby Features
A smaller peak of Mount Rainier is located next to the Inter Glacier. This peak is named Mount Ruth. It's another interesting feature in this icy landscape.
