Lower Curtis Glacier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lower Curtis Glacier |
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Lower Curtis Glacier showing glacial retreat documented between 1985 and 2003
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 Lower Curtis Glacier
Location in Washington (state)
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| Type | Mountain glacier |
| Coordinates | 48°49′24″N 121°37′17″W / 48.82333°N 121.62139°W |
| Area | .8 km2 (0.31 sq mi) |
| Terminus | cliffs |
| Status | retreating |
The Lower Curtis Glacier is a glacier located in the North Cascades National Park in the U.S. state of Washington. This glacier is named after a famous photographer, Asahel Curtis. It sits in a bowl-shaped area called a cirque on the western side of Mount Shuksan.
The Lower Curtis Glacier is shrinking quickly. This means it is losing more ice than it gains each year.
About the Lower Curtis Glacier
This glacier is found high up in the mountains. It is a type of glacier known as a mountain glacier. It flows down from the slopes of Mount Shuksan.
Why Glaciers Shrink
Glaciers grow when new snow falls and turns into ice. They shrink when ice melts or breaks off. Scientists use something called "mass balance" to measure this. A glacier has a "negative mass balance" when it loses more ice than it gains. This is what is happening to the Lower Curtis Glacier. It means the amount of new snow and ice added each year is less than the amount that melts away.
How Much Has It Shrunk?
The Lower Curtis Glacier has lost a lot of its size over the years.
- Between 1908 and 1984, the glacier became 45 meters (147 feet) thinner.
- From 1984 to 2002, it lost another 6 meters (19 feet) in thickness.
- The glacier also lost 28% of its surface area. This happened between the end of the Little Ice Age (around 1850) and 1950.
Interestingly, between 1951 and 1979, the glacier actually grew longer by 245 meters (800 feet). However, since 1985, it has shrunk back by 184 meters (600 feet). Part of the reason for this recent shrinking is that the end of the glacier sits on a very steep cliff. This steepness can cause ice to break off faster.
