Skillet Glacier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Skillet Glacier |
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Skillet Glacier on Mount Moran is at right. On the left is Falling Ice Glacier
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 Skillet Glacier
Location in Wyoming
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| Type | Mountain glacier |
| Coordinates | 43°50′12″N 110°45′57″W / 43.83667°N 110.76583°W |
| Area | 175 acres (0.71 km2) |
| Length | 0.5 mi (0.80 km) |
| Terminus | rockfall |
| Status | unknown |
Skillet Glacier is a cool natural ice formation found in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, USA. It sits on the eastern side of Mount Moran and is easy to spot from a place called Jackson Hole. This glacier gets its name because it looks a lot like a frying pan, also known as a skillet!
Discovering Skillet Glacier
Skillet Glacier is one of only twelve glaciers left in Grand Teton National Park. It is also one of five glaciers located on Mount Moran itself. Glaciers are huge, slow-moving rivers of ice. They form over many years as snow piles up and gets pressed into ice.
Its Unique Shape
The shape of Skillet Glacier is very special. The top part of the glacier is long and narrow. Then, about halfway down the mountain, it suddenly gets much wider. This wider part looks like the round bottom of a skillet. This unique shape is why it was given its interesting name.
Climbing Mount Moran
Mountain climbers often use the Skillet Glacier route. Many climbers think it is one of the fastest and easiest ways to reach the top of Mount Moran. The very first time Mount Moran was climbed, in 1922, climbers used this exact route.
However, climbers usually avoid this route in late summer. This is because the ice and snow can become very soft. This makes it hard to walk safely, and there is a risk of slipping.
