Kimtah Glacier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kimtah Glacier |
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 Kimtah Glacier
Location in Washington (state)
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| Type | Mountain glacier |
| Location | Skagit County, Washington, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 48°35′19″N 120°55′03″W / 48.58861°N 120.91750°W |
| Length | .40 mi (0.64 km) |
| Terminus | Barren rock/icefall |
| Status | Retreating |
Have you ever wondered about giant rivers of ice? These are called glaciers! One amazing glacier is the Kimtah Glacier. It's located high up in the mountains of North Cascades National Park in Washington, U.S..
This glacier sits in a special bowl-shaped area called a cirque. It's nestled between two tall mountains: Kimtah Peak to its west and Cosho Peak to its east. Both of these peaks are part of a rugged mountain ridge known as Jagged Edge.
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What is a Glacier?
A glacier is a huge, slow-moving mass of ice. It forms over many years from layers of snow that get packed down. As more snow falls, the weight squeezes the snow into ice.
Glaciers are like very slow rivers. They flow downhill because of gravity. They can be found in mountains or near the Earth's poles.
Where is Kimtah Glacier Located?
Kimtah Glacier is found in the beautiful North Cascades National Park. This park is in the state of Washington in the U.S. It's a wild and rugged area with many mountains and glaciers.
The glacier is specifically in Skagit County, Washington. It's high up in the mountains, making it a remote and icy place.
How Big is Kimtah Glacier?
Kimtah Glacier is a mountain glacier. It's not as big as some of the huge ice sheets in places like Antarctica. However, it's still an impressive size.
The glacier is just under 1 mi (1.6 km) wide. It flows downhill from an elevation of about 8,100 ft (2,500 m) down to 7,000 ft (2,100 m). This means it drops over a thousand feet in height!
Kimtah Glacier also has four distinct parts, or "lobes." These are like separate sections of the ice mass.
What is Happening to Kimtah Glacier?
Like many glaciers around the world, Kimtah Glacier is currently "retreating." This means it is shrinking. The ice is melting faster than new snow can build up.
When a glacier retreats, its front end (called the terminus) moves backward. For Kimtah Glacier, its terminus is now mostly barren rock and icefall. This shows how much the glacier has changed over time.
Scientists study glaciers like Kimtah Glacier to understand more about our planet's climate.
