Lewis Glacier (Washington) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lewis Glacier |
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 Lewis Glacier
Location in Washington (state)
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| Type | Mountain glacier |
| Location | Skagit County, Washington, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 48°30′42″N 120°47′50″W / 48.51167°N 120.79722°W |
| Length | .20 mi (0.32 km) |
| Terminus | Talus |
| Status | Retreating |
Lewis Glacier is a cool ice formation found in the Wenatchee National Forest in the U.S. state of Washington. It's about 1 mi (1.6 km) southeast of a mountain called Black Peak. This glacier sits on the north side of Corteo Peak, right near the border of North Cascades National Park. It's a great example of how glaciers shape the land around them.
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What is a Glacier?
A glacier is like a giant, slow-moving river made of ice. It forms when snow falls in one spot and doesn't melt completely, even in summer. Over many years, this snow builds up and gets packed down. The weight of the new snow squeezes the older snow, turning it into solid ice.
How Glaciers Form
Glaciers usually form in places where it snows a lot and stays cold all year. Mountains are perfect spots for them. As more snow piles up, the ice becomes very thick and heavy. Gravity then pulls this huge mass of ice slowly downhill, like a very slow-motion landslide.
Lewis Glacier's Location
Lewis Glacier is nestled in a beautiful and wild part of Washington state. It's part of the North Cascades, a mountain range known for its rugged peaks and many glaciers.
Where is Wenatchee National Forest?
The glacier is inside the Wenatchee National Forest. This is a large area of protected land filled with forests, mountains, and rivers. It's a popular place for hiking, camping, and enjoying nature.
Near North Cascades National Park
Lewis Glacier is also very close to North Cascades National Park. This park is famous for having more glaciers than any other park in the United States outside of Alaska. The park helps protect the natural environment, including these important ice formations.
Understanding Moraines
Lewis Glacier has something called a "pronounced terminal moraine". This is a really interesting feature that tells us a lot about the glacier's past.
What is a Moraine?
A moraine is a pile of rocks, dirt, and other debris that a glacier leaves behind. As a glacier moves, it acts like a giant bulldozer. It scrapes away at the ground and picks up loose material. When the glacier melts or stops moving, it drops all this stuff, forming a ridge or mound.
Lewis Glacier's Terminal Moraine
The "terminal moraine" is the pile of debris left at the very end, or "terminus," of a glacier. For Lewis Glacier, its terminal moraine is now much lower than where the glacier ends today. This shows that the glacier used to be much bigger and extended further down the mountain.
The Retreat of Lewis Glacier
Like many glaciers around the world, Lewis Glacier is currently "retreating." This means it is getting smaller and melting faster than it is growing.
What Does Retreating Mean?
When a glacier retreats, its front edge moves backward. This happens when the amount of ice melting is greater than the amount of new snow and ice building up. It's a sign that the glacier is losing more ice than it gains each year.
Why Glaciers Retreat
Glaciers can retreat for natural reasons, like changes in weather patterns over long periods. However, many glaciers today are retreating quickly because of a warming climate. Scientists study glaciers like Lewis Glacier to understand how our planet's climate is changing.
