Wilson Glacier (Mount Adams) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wilson Glacier |
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 Wilson Glacier
Location in Washington (state)
Wilson Glacier
Location in the United States
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| Type | Mountain glacier |
| Coordinates | 46°12′45″N 121°28′00″W / 46.21250°N 121.46667°W |
| Area | 1.03 km2 (0.40 sq mi) in 2006 |
| Length | .85 mi (1.37 km) |
| Terminus | Talus |
| Status | Retreating |
The Wilson Glacier is a large ice mass found on the eastern side of Mount Adams. Mount Adams is a type of volcano called a stratovolcano in the state of Washington, USA. This glacier is located within the Yakama Indian Reservation.
The Wilson Glacier starts high up on the mountain, around 10,600 feet (3,230 meters). It then flows down to about 7,400 feet (2,255 meters). For more than 100 years, the glacier has been getting smaller. Between 1904 and 2006, it lost 14 percent of its surface area. This means it is "retreating," or melting away.
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What is the Wilson Glacier?
The Wilson Glacier is a type of glacier known as a mountain glacier. It is a large, slow-moving river of ice. Glaciers form in places where snow falls and builds up faster than it melts. Over time, the snow gets packed down and turns into ice.
Where is the Wilson Glacier located?
The Wilson Glacier is on the eastern slopes of Mount Adams. Mount Adams is a very tall volcano in the state of Washington, USA. It is part of the Cascade Range. The glacier is also inside the Yakama Indian Reservation, which is land belonging to the Yakama Native American tribe.
How has the Wilson Glacier changed?
Like many glaciers around the world, the Wilson Glacier is shrinking. Scientists have been watching it for a long time. It has been retreating for over a century. This means the ice is melting faster than new snow can turn into ice and add to the glacier. This change can affect local water supplies and ecosystems.
How did Wilson Glacier get its name?
The Wilson Glacier has had a few names over the years. In 1906, a person named Harry Fielding Reid studied the glaciers on Mount Adams. He first called this one the "Little Muddy Glacier."
Who named the glacier "Wilson"?
Later, a man named Claude Ewing Rusk gave the glacier its current name, Wilson Glacier. He did this to honor Woodrow Wilson, who was the President of the United States during World War I.
Naming Roosevelt Cliff
Claude Ewing Rusk also named a nearby ridge "Roosevelt Cliff." He did this to honor another former President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt. Theodore Roosevelt was known for his work in protecting nature. The name "Roosevelt Cliff" was later moved to a different set of cliffs above both the Wilson Glacier and the Rusk Glacier.
