Tahoma Glacier
Encyclopedia
The Tahoma Glacier is a long glacier
mostly on the western flank of Mount Rainier
in Washington. It covers 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²) and contains 4.3 billion ft3 (122 million m3) of ice. The glacier starts out near the summit of the volcano at over 14200 feet (4,328.2 m). As the glacier flows west-southwest out of the summit area, it cascades down a steep rocky face as an icefall
from 13200 feet (4,023.4 m) to 11000 feet (3,352.8 m), where the glacier is connected to the South Mowich Glacier
to the north in the Sunset Amphitheater. As the glacier drops below 10000 feet (3,048 m), the glacier broadens and joins the smaller South Tahoma Glacier
. After the broad expanse of ice at over 8000 feet (2,438.4 m), the Tahoma Glacier narrows as it descends around the rocky 7690 feet (2,344 m)-Glacier Island, a sub-peak of Rainier once fully encircled by both the South Tahoma and Tahoma Glaciers. Leaving the bottleneck in the glacier, the glacier splits, the larger, longer northern arm continues flowing west-southwest and terminates at around 5500 feet (1,676.4 m). The southern arm flows south towards the arm of the South Tahoma Glacier, but this arm terminates
before it rejoins the South Tahoma at 5700 ft (1,737.4 m). Meltwater from the glacier is the source of the South Puyallup River
and Tahoma Creek, a tributary of the Nisqually River
.
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
mostly on the western flank of Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier is a massive stratovolcano located southeast of Seattle in the state of Washington, United States. It is the most topographically prominent mountain in the contiguous United States and the Cascade Volcanic Arc, with a summit elevation of . Mt. Rainier is considered one of the most...
in Washington. It covers 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²) and contains 4.3 billion ft3 (122 million m3) of ice. The glacier starts out near the summit of the volcano at over 14200 feet (4,328.2 m). As the glacier flows west-southwest out of the summit area, it cascades down a steep rocky face as an icefall
Icefall
An icefall is a portion of some glaciers characterized by rapid flow and a chaotic crevassed surface. Perhaps the most conspicuous consequence of glacier flow, icefalls occur where the glacier bed steepens and/or narrows...
from 13200 feet (4,023.4 m) to 11000 feet (3,352.8 m), where the glacier is connected to the South Mowich Glacier
South Mowich Glacier
The South Mowich Glacier is a glacier located on the western flank of Mount Rainier in Washington. It covers and contains 4.5 billion ft3 of ice. Starting from the high-altitude cliffs above the Sunset Amphitheater at over , the glacier flows west down Mount Rainier. The glacier is connected to...
to the north in the Sunset Amphitheater. As the glacier drops below 10000 feet (3,048 m), the glacier broadens and joins the smaller South Tahoma Glacier
South Tahoma Glacier
The South Tahoma Glacier is a glacier located on the southwest flank of Mount Rainier in State of Washington. It covers and contains 4.6 billion ft3 of ice. Starting from an elevation of around at the base of a steep cliff, the glacier flows down southwest with the larger, adjacent Tahoma...
. After the broad expanse of ice at over 8000 feet (2,438.4 m), the Tahoma Glacier narrows as it descends around the rocky 7690 feet (2,344 m)-Glacier Island, a sub-peak of Rainier once fully encircled by both the South Tahoma and Tahoma Glaciers. Leaving the bottleneck in the glacier, the glacier splits, the larger, longer northern arm continues flowing west-southwest and terminates at around 5500 feet (1,676.4 m). The southern arm flows south towards the arm of the South Tahoma Glacier, but this arm terminates
Retreat of glaciers since 1850
The retreat of glaciers since 1850 affects the availability of fresh water for irrigation and domestic use, mountain recreation, animals and plants that depend on glacier-melt, and in the longer term, the level of the oceans...
before it rejoins the South Tahoma at 5700 ft (1,737.4 m). Meltwater from the glacier is the source of the South Puyallup River
Puyallup River
The Puyallup River is a river in the U.S. state of Washington. About long, it is formed by glaciers on the west side of Mount Rainier. It flows generally northwest, emptying into Commencement Bay, part of Puget Sound...
and Tahoma Creek, a tributary of the Nisqually River
Nisqually River
The Nisqually River is a river in west central Washington in the United States, approximately long. It drains part of the Cascade Range southwest of Tacoma, including the southern slope of Mount Rainier, and empties into the southern end of Puget Sound....
.