Emmons Glacier
Emmons Glacier is a glacier on the northeast flank of Mount Rainier, in Washington. It is the largest glacier (by area) in the continental United States, with a surface area of 4.3 square miles (11 km2).
In the 1930s, the glacier was found to be receding quickly. However, in 1963, a rock fall from Little Tahoma Peak covered the lower glacier with rock debris. The debris cover insulates the ice from melting. As a result of decreased melting, the glacier advanced rapidly in the early 1980s. That advance continues today, but at a slower rate. Ice beneath the rock debris is melting irregularly and forming a vast hummocky area.
Emmons Glacier is often used as a route to climb to the summit of Mount Rainier which is called Columbia Crest.
External link and source
- Glaciers of Mount Rainier National Park (public domain source)