Overcoat Glacier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Overcoat Glacier |
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 Overcoat Glacier
Location in Washington (state)
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| Type | Alpine glacier |
| Coordinates | 47°30′50″N 121°17′19″W / 47.51389°N 121.28861°W |
| Length | .75 mi (1.21 km) |
| Terminus | Barren rock |
| Status | Retreating |
Overcoat Glacier is a cool natural ice formation. It is found in the U.S. state of Washington. This glacier is like a slow-moving river of ice.
Contents
What is Overcoat Glacier?
Overcoat Glacier is a type of ice mass. It is located high up in the mountains. Glaciers form when snow piles up over many years. This snow then gets compressed into ice. Overcoat Glacier is an "alpine glacier." This means it is found in a mountain range.
Where Can You Find It?
This glacier is special because it's in two different places at once! It stretches across parts of King County and Kittitas County, Washington. Both of these are in Washington state.
Overcoat Glacier is also part of two big national forests. These are the Wenatchee National Forest and the Snoqualmie National Forest. Imagine a huge park with lots of trees and mountains. That's a national forest!
Its Mountain Home
The glacier flows north from two important peaks. One is called Overcoat Peak. The other is Chimney Rock. These are tall mountains in the area.
How Big is Overcoat Glacier?
Overcoat Glacier is about .75 mi (1.21 km) long. That's almost a mile! It starts very high up in the mountains. The top part of the glacier is around 7,200 ft (2,200 m) high. That's taller than many buildings!
From there, it slowly moves downhill. It goes down to about 6,000 ft (1,800 m). The very end of the glacier is called its "terminus." For Overcoat Glacier, its terminus is barren rock. This means there's no ice there anymore.
Is it Changing?
Scientists say that Overcoat Glacier is "retreating." This means it is getting smaller. It is melting faster than new snow can build up. Many glaciers around the world are also retreating. This is a sign of changes in our planet's climate.
