Scimitar Glacier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Scimitar Glacier |
|
|---|---|
 Scimitar Glacier
Location in Washington (state)
|
|
| Type | Mountain glacier |
| Coordinates | 48°06′58″N 121°07′45″W / 48.11611°N 121.12917°W |
| Length | 1.4 mi (2.3 km) |
| Terminus | Icefall/Talus |
| Status | Retreating |
Scimitar Glacier is a large mass of ice located on the west and northwest sides of Glacier Peak. This mountain is found in the state of Washington in the USA. Like many glaciers around the world, Scimitar Glacier is currently getting smaller, a process called "retreating."
What is Scimitar Glacier?
Scimitar Glacier is a type of mountain glacier. This means it forms high up in the mountains. It slowly moves downhill, shaping the land as it goes. Glaciers are important because they store a lot of Earth's fresh water.
Where is Scimitar Glacier Located?
This glacier sits on the slopes of Glacier Peak. Glacier Peak is a tall volcano in the Cascade Range. The glacier is specifically on the west and northwest parts of the mountain. Its exact location is in Snohomish County, Washington.
How Glaciers Change Over Time
Glaciers like Scimitar Glacier do not stay the same size. They can grow or shrink depending on the weather.
- Getting Smaller: Scimitar Glacier is currently retreating. This means it is melting faster than new snow can build up.
- Past Connections: Long ago, during a time called the Little Ice Age, Scimitar Glacier was much bigger. It was even connected to another glacier called Kennedy Glacier to its north. The Little Ice Age was a period from about the 1300s to the mid-1800s when many parts of the world were colder.
- Measuring Changes: Scientists have studied how Scimitar Glacier has changed.
- From around 1850 to 1946, the glacier shrank by about 5,250 feet (1.6 kilometers).
- Then, from 1946 to about 1980, the weather became colder and wetter. During this time, the glacier actually grew a bit, advancing about 1,738 feet (530 meters).
- Since 1980, the glacier has been retreating again. Even though it's shrinking, the ice at its end (called the terminus) was still quite thick in 2005. This thickness helped it not lose too much of its total length.
