Gem Glacier
| Type | Hanging glacier |
|---|---|
| Location | Glacier National Park, Glacier County, Montana, USA |
| Coordinates | 48°44′48″N 113°43′40″W / 48.74667°N 113.72778°W[1] |
| Area | 14.8 acres (0.060 km2)[2] |
| Terminus | Cliffs |
| Status | Stable |
Gem Glacier is the smallest named glacier in Glacier National Park (U.S.). Located on the east (Glacier County) side of the Continental Divide arete known as the Garden Wall, the glacier is situated on the cliff face above the better known Grinnell Glacier.[3] Unlike the much larger Grinnell Glacier, Gem Glacier has shown little evidence of retreat over the past 70 years. Gem Glacier is a hanging glacier, and drapes down from the north face of the steep arete to which it is attached. The location of the glacier may provide the key that explains why such a small glacier has retreated so little while larger Grinnell Glacier, though located adjacent to Gem, has in the same period of time, lost more than half its surface area.[4]
Cited references
- ^ "Gem Glacier". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
- ^ "Description of Glaciers and Importance for Study". U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved 2007-03-20.
- ^ "Gem Glacier, USGS Logan Pass (MT) Topo Map" (Map). TopoQuest. Retrieved 2008-07-04.
- ^ Key, C.H.; D.B. Fagre; R.K. Menicke (2003). "Glacier Retreat in Glacier National Park, Montana". U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center. Retrieved 2007-01-16.
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See also