DESCRIPTION:
Mount Rainier Glaciers and Glaciations
Mount Rainier Glacier Hazards and Glacial Outburst Floods

[Graphic,27K,InlineGIF]
Map, Major glaciers on Mount Rainier
-- Modified from: Driedger, 1992, USGS Open-File Report 92-474

Emmons Vista presents a sense of the immensity of the volcano. A mantle of ice shrouds the great dome of the Mountain. Here you can see the largest glacier in the contiguous United States, the Emmons Glacier. The 25 named glaciers on the Mountain cover about 34 square miles, more than on all the other Cascade volcanoes combined.

Mount Rainier, at 14,410 feet elevation, soars into the upper atmosphere to disturb eastward flowing floods of marine air, resulting in spectacular cloud formations. In a sense, the Mountain, often cloaked in fog, mist or showers, makes its own weather. Clouds bring prodigious amounts of rain to the lower slopes and correspondingly record-setting snowfalls on the mid-slopes. Paradise, on the south flank of the Mountain, receives an average 680 inches of snowfall annually. The winter of 1971-1972 brought 1122 inches of snowfall on Paradise. The summit often projects above the cloud layers, and precipitation usually drains moisture from storm clouds before they reach the summit. Consequently less snow falls there. In the middle elevations, all of each winter's snowfall melts each summer, but very little snow melts at the summit. Each succeeding winter adds more snow to the permanent snowpack of this alpine glacial system.

Glaciers are among the most conspicuous and dynamic geologic features on Mount Rainier in Washington State. They erode the volcanic cone and are important sources of streamflow for several rivers, including some that provide water for hydroelectric power and irrigation. Together with perennial snow patches, glaciers cover about 36 square miles of the mountain's surface, about nine percent of the total park area, and have a volume of about 1 cubic mile. ...

The size of glaciers on Mount Rainier has fluctuated significantly in the past. For example, during the last ice age, from about 25,000 to about 15,000 years ago, glaciers covered most of the area now within the boundaries of Mount Rainier National Park and extended to the perimeter of the present Puget Sound Basin. ...

Between the 14th century and A.D. 1850, many of the glaciers on Mount Rainier advanced to their farthest extent downvalley since the last ice age. Many advances of this sort occurred worldwide during this time period known to geologists as the Little Ice Age. During the Little Ice Age, the Nisqually Glacier advanced to a position 650 feet to 800 feet downvalley from the site of the Glacier Bridge, Tahoma and South Tahoma Glaciers merged at the base of Glacier Island, and the terminus of Emmons Glacier reached within 1.2 miles of the White River Campground.

Retreat of the Little Ice Age glaciers was slow until about 1920 when retreat became more rapid. Between the height of the Little Ice Age and 1950, Mount Rainier's glaciers lost about one-quarter of their length. Beginning in 1950 and continuing through the early 1980's, however, many of the major glaciers advanced in response to relatively cooler temperatures of the mid-century. The Carbon, Cowlitz, Emmons, and Nisqually Glaciers advanced during the late 1970's and early 1980's as a result of high snowfalls during the 1960's and 1970's. Since the early-1980's and through 1992, however, many glaciers have been thinning and retreating and some advances have slowed, perhaps in response to drier conditions that have prevailed at Mount Rainier since 1977.

It has been said that the only thing constant in nature is change. And, for the glaciers at Mount Rainier, this is true. Several times during at least the last two million years the climate has cooled for distinct periods, resulting in Pleistocene glaciations (Bowen, 1981). During these periods ice sheets spread over the northern half of the continent. The most recent of these Pleistocene glaciations ended about 10,000 years ago. Geologists tell us the Puget Lobe of the Cordilleran ice sheet scoured, then buried the Puget Sound lowlands in a veneer of drift.

A several-thousand-year period of warmer weather ensued followed by a renewed period of minor glaciation about 6,600 years ago. This renewed glaciation (Neoglaciation) has resulted in numerous glacial advances smaller than those of the Pleistocene. Minor renewed glaciations are still occurring today (Crandell and Miller, 1974).

The old drift, Hayden Creek, Wingate Hill, and McNeeley Drifts originated with glaciers that existed on Mount Rainier during and after the Pleistocene. The oldest drift visible is termed old drift. Although we do not know its age, we know that it was deposited on bedrock and beneath the lava flows of Mount Rainier. During the Hayden Creek glaciation, ice flowed as far down the Cowlitz River valley as below Mayfield Lake, about 65 miles from the mountain (Crandell and Miller, 1974). Later glaciations deposited Evans Creek Drift and McNeeley Drift that now form conspicuous features in the park. While the Puget Lobe retreated from the lowlands about 11,000 years ago, the glaciers on Mount Rainier, being smaller and more sensitive to climatic changes, advanced and retreated, probably on many occasions. The McNeeley Drift was deposited at this time.

Within the park you can see evidence of all these glaciations. Look for old drift beneath the mountain's lava and lahars at Glacier Basin, Mazama Ridge, and near Narada Falls. It is compact with boulders set in a matrix of hardened silt and sand (Crandell, 1969). There are deposits of Hayden Creek Drift high upon the slopes of Stevens Ridge, Goat Island Mountain and along the Mowich Lake Road, where it was spared later glaciations. It appears a dark yellowish brown with some boulders being very weathered (Crandell, 1969).

Much of the terrain in the park is covered by Evans Creek Drift (Crandell and Miller, 1974). This glaciation left moraines that appear stranded high above the present level of the ice. Look for Evans Creek moraines at Ricksecker Point above the Nisqually River valley, above the Kautz Glacier terminus, above White River Campground near Emmons Glacier, and elsewhere (Crandell and Miller, 1974). Outside the park, 0.2 miles west of the village of Ashford, you may see the aging terminal moraine of Nisqually Glacier of Evans Creek time. Those moraines are loosely compacted and are purple-gray to brown in color (Crandell and Miller, 1974).

Uneroded moraines of McNeeley Drift remain where no ice exists today. Look for these sharp-crested features that dam many mountain lakes such as Tipsoo Lake near Chinook Pass and Mystic Lake near Moraine Park (Crandell, 1969).

Garda Drift is that deposited 750 years before now, and still being deposited today. This most recent and unconsolidated drift forms spectacular trimlines and unvegetated zones around the present glacier termini (Crandell and Miller, 1974). Garda Drift is evident downvalley of all the major glaciers in the park. You can read more about these features in Surficial Geology of Mount Rainier National Park, Washington by Dwight Crandell, 1969 (not online).

Geologists have been able to develop a more complete history of glaciations that occurred within the last several centuries. We know that around 1750 the glaciers were at their maximum extent downvalley since the last Pleistocene glaciation (Burbank, 1981). H.M. Sarvand and G.F. Evans compiled the first rudimentary map of glacier positions at Mount Rainier during 1896 (Russell, 1898). In his 1898 report about the mountain's glaciers, geologist I.C. Russell acknowledged that the recession of glaciers was the result of a climatic change in progress ... for at least a score of years, and probably for over a century." Indeed some glaciers have reteated more than two miles up their valleys since reaching their maximum post-Pleistocene extent. From the dating of moraines left by the retreating ice, geologists have determined that the glaciers advanced, then vacated their moraines beginning about 1768-77; 1823-30; 1857-63; 1880-85; 1902-03; 1912-15; and 1923-24 (Burbank, 1981).

Another study suggests that most of a 1 degree C rise in mean annual temperature since neoglaciation had occurred by 1850 (Burbank, 1982). The glaciers responded to the resulting insufficient snowfall by thinning. By the turn of the century the undernourished glaciers had low-angle termini so thin that retreat accelerated. That period of recession ended for Nisqually Glacier and others during the 1940's when large accumulations of snow thickened the glacier and eventually advanced its terminus. Since then the glaciers have sought equilibrium in new upvalley positions. Some scientists estimate that recessions lag one to five years behind several-year periods of cooler weather. But, such behavior has not been uniform around the mountain because each glacier has a unique slope and shape, and responds differently to climatic change (Patterson, 1981).

The smallest, but most frequent, debris flows at Mount Rainier begin as glacial outburst floods, also called by the Icelandic term "jökulhlaup" (pronounced "yo-kul-h-loip"). Outburst floods at Mount Rainier form from sudden release of water stored at the base of glaciers or within the glacier ice. Outburst floods have been recorded from four glaciers on Mount Rainier: the Nisqually, Kautz, South Tahoma, and Winthrop glaciers. From 1986 through 1992, South Tahoma Glacier released a total of 15 outburst floods, including at least one every year. These outburst floods from South Tahoma Glacier occurred during periods of unusually hot or rainy weather in summer or early autumn, and were apparently caused by rapid input of meltwater or rainwater to the base of the glacier. The exact timing of such outburst floods is unpredictable, however.

Debris flows are slurries of water and sediment (60 percent or more by volume) that look and behave much like flowing concrete. ... During the past 10,000 years, at least 60 debris flows of various sizes have moved down valleys that head at Mount Rainier. All these can be grouped into two categories, called cohesive and non-cohesive debris flows. Cohesive debris flows form when debris avalanches originate from water-rich, hydrothermally altered parts of the volcano. They are cohesive because they contain relatively large amounts of clay derived from chemically altered rocks. Non-cohesive debris flows, in contrast, contain relatively little clay. Mount Rainier's non-cohesive debris flows are triggered whenever water mixes with loose rock debris, such as the mixing of pyroclastic flows or pyroclastic surges with snow or ice; relatively small debris avalanches; unusually heavy rain; or abrupt release of water stored within glaciers. ...

Glacial outburst floods at Mount Rainier result from sudden release of water stored within or at the base of glaciers. Outburst floods and the debris flows they often trigger pose a serious hazard in river valleys on the volcano. The peak discharge of an outburst flood may be greater than that of an extreme meteorological flood (such as the 100-year flood commonly considered in engineering practice) for any given stream valley. At least three dozen outburst floods have occurred during the 20th century. Bridges, roads, and National Park visitor facilities have been destroyed or damaged on about ten occasions since 1926. However, the effects of outburst floods are rarely noticeable outside the boundaries of Mount Rainier National Park. Because they commonly transform downvalley to debris flows, outburst floods are included with debris flows for purposes of hazard zonation. ... Glacial outburst floods at Mount Rainier are unrelated to volcanic activity. The best-studied outbursts those from South Tahoma Glacier are correlated with periods of unusually high temperatures or unusually heavy rain in summer or early autumn. The exact timing of outbursts is unpredictable, however.

The smallest, but most frequent, debris flows at Mount Rainier begin as glacial outburst floods, also called by the Icelandic term "jökulhlaup" (pronounced "yo-kul-h-loip"). Outburst floods at Mount Rainier form from sudden release of water stored at the base of glaciers or within the glacier ice. Outburst floods have been recorded from four glaciers on Mount Rainier: the Nisqually, Kautz, South Tahoma, and Winthrop glaciers. ...

KAUTZ CREEK--The largest debris flow since the establishment of the park occurred October 2-3, 1947, when heavy rains apparently triggered an outburst flood from Kautz Glacier. The flood passed over the lowest part of the glacier, eroding a gorge through the ice, then mobilized sediment and transformed into a debris flow as it continued downvalley. Nine kilometers (5.5 miles) downstream from the glacier, the Nisqually-Longmire Road (equivalent to Highway 706 west of the park entrance) was buried by 9 meters (28 feet) of mud and debris. About 40 million cubic meters (50 million cubic yards) of sediment were moved, including boulders up to 4 meters (13 feet) in diameter. Although Kautz Creek has subsequently cut down through those deposits, visitors to the park will notice that they are driving uphill as they approach the creek. To observe deposits of the 1947 event, along with upright dead trees partly buried by those deposits, stop at the parking lot on the east side of Kautz Creek. Smaller debris flows have moved along Kautz Creek in 1961, 1985, 1986, and perhaps at other times.

From Longmire, hike the Wonderland Trail about 3 kilometers (2 miles) to where it crosses Kautz Creek. Boulders strewn across the valley there were deposited by the 1947 debris flow. Note the splintered trees that lined a former stream channel, and trees that lie buried horizontally in older debris-flow deposits. Above the boulder-strewn region and amid the forest lie moss-covered logs downed by previous debris flows.

MORE - 1947 Kautz Creek Mudflow

The smallest, but most frequent, debris flows at Mount Rainier begin as glacial outburst floods, also called by the Icelandic term "jökulhlaup" (pronounced "yo-kul-h-loip"). Outburst floods at Mount Rainier form from sudden release of water stored at the base of glaciers or within the glacier ice. Outburst floods have been recorded from four glaciers on Mount Rainier: the Nisqually, Kautz, South Tahoma, and Winthrop glaciers. ...

NISQUALLY RIVER--Debris flows triggered by outburst floods from Nisqually Glacier damaged or destroyed bridges over the Nisqually River in 1926, 1932, 1934, and 1955. The present bridge has not been damaged by subsequent floods, which occurred in 1968, 1970, 1972, 1985, and perhaps on other occasions.

At the Glacier Bridge over the Nisqually River, observe the boulder berms constructed by debris flows in the 1930's and 1950's. Twisted reinforcing bar and weathered concrete are all that remain of the 1930's-vintage bridge foundation about 100 meters (100 yards) upstream.

The smallest, but most frequent, debris flows at Mount Rainier begin as glacial outburst floods, also called by the Icelandic term "jökulhlaup" (pronounced "yo-kul-h-loip"). Outburst floods at Mount Rainier form from sudden release of water stored at the base of glaciers or within the glacier ice. Outburst floods have been recorded from four glaciers on Mount Rainier: the Nisqually, Kautz, South Tahoma, and Winthrop glaciers. From 1986 through 1992, South Tahoma Glacier released a total of 15 outburst floods, including at least one every year. These outburst floods from South Tahoma Glacier occurred during periods of unusually hot or rainy weather in summer or early autumn, and were apparently caused by rapid input of meltwater or rainwater to the base of the glacier. The exact timing of such outburst floods is unpredictable, however. ...

TAHOMA CREEK--At least 23 debris flows triggered by outburst floods from South Tahoma Glacier have moved down Tahoma Creek since 1967. These flows have carved a gorge as much as 40 meters (130 feet) deep into sediments and stagnant ice below the terminus of South Tahoma Glacier. The hazard of potential debris flows has prompted the National Park Service to close the Westside Road to visitors' automobiles at a point about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) from the junction with the Nisqually-Longmire Road. Bouldery debris-flow deposits have buried the Westside Road about 600 meters (660 yards) farther upstream, near the confluence of Tahoma Creek and Fish Creek, on several occasions since 1988. In the vicinity of a former picnic area, about 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) beyond the road closure, bouldery deposits have accumulated at the extremely rapid rate of nearly 0.5 meters per year (1.5 feet per year) since 1988. About 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) of the Tahoma Creek hiking trail, which began at the picnic area, has been obliterated.

South Tahoma Glacier and the uppermost reach of Tahoma Creek, including the gorge eroded by recent debris flows, are visible from Mirror Lakes, near Indian Henry's Hunting Ground. The lowermost part of the gorge is crossed by the Wonderland Trail suspension bridge at a point about 3 kilometers (2 miles) upstream of the destroyed picnic area. Erosion by passing debris flows has deepened the gorge beneath the bridge from 10 meters (30 feet) to 25 meters (80 feet) since 1986.

Drainage Basin: Carbon River
Heading: north
Area (1983): 3.1 square miles
Volume (1983): 25.1 billion cubic feet

The Carbon Glacier is the third largest glacier by area on Mount Rainier (3.1 square miles), yet it has the greatest measured thickness (700 feet), glacial volume (0.2 cubic miles), and length (5.7 miles). It's 3,500-feet-altitude terminus is the lowest of any glacier in the contiguous United States, and it's head is just below the imposing 4,000-foot-high Willis Wall.

Carbon Glacier has the greatest measured thickness (700 feet) and volume (0.2 cubic miles) of any glacier in the contiguous United States. It is best viewed via an easy 4 mile trail from Ipsut Creek Campground on the north side of Mount Rainier. The glacier has retreated less than 0.6 miles since the Little Ice Age. The glacier terminus is at a relatively low elevation and is surrounded by mature forest and shrubbery. During the advance of this heavily debris- laden glacier in the late 1970's, visitors watched vegetation being crushed by rocks rolling off the advancing terminus. Currently, the Carbon Glacier terminus is undergoing a minor retreat.

An almost sheer wall of lava some 3,600 feet high which forms the rear wall of the cirque of the Carbon Glacier was named in honor of the well known geologist of California, Bailey Willis, who explored the north side of the mountain and blazed the first trail to the Carbon Glacier in 1881.

Longest and thickest glacier on Mount Rainier: Carbon Glacier, 5.7 miles long and 700 feet thick. Its 3500 foot elevation terminus is the lowers of any glacier in the Unitied States.

Drainage Basin: Cowlitz River
Heading: southeast
Area (1983): 1.3 square miles
Volume (1983): 6.0 billion cubic feet

Cowlitz-lngraham Glacier is best seen from the upper slopes of the mountain, either from Cowlitz Rocks (above Paradise Glacier) or from the summit climbing route by way of Camp Muir. At its farthest extent perhaps more than 35,000 years ago, the Cowlitz-Ingraham Glacier terminated approximately 65 miles downvalley of the mountain near the town of Mossyrock, Washington. The Cowlitz-lngraham Glacier made a notable advance in the mid-1970's and continued to advance slowly until the mid-1980's. It is currently thinning and retreating.

Drainage Basin: Puyallup River
Heading: northwest
Area (1983): 0.5 square miles
Volume (1983): 1.1 billion cubic feet

Drainage Basin: White River
Heading: northeast
Area (1983): 4.3 square miles
Volume (1983): 23.8 billion cubic feet

Emmons Glacier, on the east slope of Mount Rainier, has a surface area of 4.3 square miles, the largest area of any glacier in the contiguous United States. For a closer look, hike the 1-mile trail from White River Campground to the crest of the lateral moraine. In 1963, a rockfall 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 1980's. That advance continues today, but at a slower rate. Ice beneath the rock debris is melting irregularly and forming a vast hummocky area.

The largest glacier on the mountain, and the source of the White River. Named in honor of Samuel F. Emmons the noted geologist, explorer, and mountaineer who was the second to reach the summit of the mountain in 1870.

Emmons Vista presents a sense of the immensity of the volcano. A mantle of ice shrouds the great dome of the Mountain. Here you can see the largest glacier in the contiguous United States, the Emmons Glacier. The 25 named glaciers on the Mountain cover about 34 square miles, more than on all the other Cascade volcanoes combined.

The Emmons, Nisqually, Tahoma, Winthrop, and Ingraham glaciers originate on the summit of Mount Rainier.

Largest surface area of any glacier in the contiguous United States: Emmons Glacier (4.3 square miles)

Drainage Basin: Puyallup River
Heading: northwest
Area (1983): 0.1 square miles
Volume (1983): 0.2 billion cubic feet

Drainage Basin: White River
Heading: east
Area (1983): 1.3 square miles
Volume (1983): 2.9 billion cubic feet

Drainage Basin: Cowlitz River
Heading: southeast
Area (1983): 1.5 square miles
Volume (1983): 7.0 billion cubic feet

Cowlitz-lngraham Glacier is best seen from the upper slopes of the mountain, either from Cowlitz Rocks (above Paradise Glacier) or from the summit climbing route by way of Camp Muir. At its farthest extent perhaps more than 35,000 years ago, the Cowlitz-Ingraham Glacier terminated approximately 65 miles downvalley of the mountain near the town of Mossyrock, Washington. The Cowlitz-lngraham Glacier made a notable advance in the mid-1970's and continued to advance slowly until the mid-1980's. It is currently thinning and retreating.

The upper branch of the Cowlitz Glacier which joins the Cowlitz below Gibraltar Rock. Named after Maj. E.S. Ingraham of Seattle, who spent a great deal of his time in exploring the mountain and in making its scenic attractions known to others.

The Emmons, Nisqually, Tahoma, Winthrop, and Ingraham glaciers originate on the summit of Mount Rainier.

Drainage Basin: White River
Heading: northeast
Area (1983): 0.3 square miles
Volume (1983): 0.6 billion cubic feet

Drainage Basin: Nisqually River
Heading: south
Area (1983): 1.8 square miles
Volume (1983): 7.8 billion cubic feet

The Kautz Glacier, one of the primary Glacier of the mountains was named in honor of Lieutenant (later General) A.V. Kautz, of the American Army who in 1857 made the first attempt to scale the peak. Kautz climbed along the edge of the glacier which now bears his name and failed to reach the summit by only a few feet. Kautz Creek flows from the glacier and enters the Nisqually River near the Nisqually Road.

The smallest, but most frequent, debris flows at Mount Rainier begin as glacial outburst floods, also called by the Icelandic term "jökulhlaup" (pronounced "yo-kul-h-loip"). Outburst floods at Mount Rainier form from sudden release of water stored at the base of glaciers or within the glacier ice. Outburst floods have been recorded from four glaciers on Mount Rainier: the Nisqually, Kautz, South Tahoma, and Winthrop glaciers.

The largest debris flow since the establishment of the park occurred October 2-3, 1947, when heavy rains apparently triggered an outburst flood from Kautz Glacier. The flood passed over the lowest part of the glacier, eroding a gorge through the ice, then mobilized sediment and transformed into a debris flow as it continued downvalley. Nine kilometers (5.5 miles) downstream from the glacier, the Nisqually-Longmire Road (equivalent to Highway 706 west of the park entrance) was buried by 9 meters (28 feet) of mud and debris. About 40 million cubic meters (50 million cubic yards) of sediment were moved, including boulders up to 4 meters (13 feet) in diameter. Although Kautz Creek has subsequently cut down through those deposits, visitors to the park will notice that they are driving uphill as they approach the creek. To observe deposits of the 1947 event, along with upright dead trees partly buried by those deposits, stop at the parking lot on the east side of Kautz Creek. Smaller debris flows have moved along Kautz Creek in 1961, 1985, 1986, and perhaps at other times.

MORE - 1947 Kautz Creek Mudflow

Drainage Basin: Nisqually River
Heading: south
Area (1983): 1.8 square miles
Volume (1983): 7.8 billion cubic feet

Nisqually Glacier is one of the most accessible glaciers on Mount Rainier. It can be viewed readily from Nisqually and Glacier Vistas located less than 1-mile from Paradise visitor facilities. Nisqually Glacier advanced and retreated three times between 1965 and 1992. The most recent period of retreat occurred between 1985 and 1991 during which time the glacier thinned by 52 feet in the region immediately west of Glacier Vista. The retreat that has been occurring since the late 1980's may be slowing.

The smallest, but most frequent, debris flows at Mount Rainier begin as glacial outburst floods, also called by the Icelandic term "jökulhlaup" (pronounced "yo-kul-h-loip"). Outburst floods at Mount Rainier form from sudden release of water stored at the base of glaciers or within the glacier ice. Outburst floods have been recorded from four glaciers on Mount Rainier: the Nisqually, Kautz, South Tahoma, and Winthrop glaciers.

Debris flows triggered by outburst floods from Nisqually Glacier damaged or destroyed bridges over the Nisqually River in 1926, 1932, 1934, and 1955. The present bridge has not been damaged by subsequent floods, which occurred in 1968, 1970, 1972, 1985, and perhaps on other occasions.

At the Glacier Bridge over the Nisqually River, observe the boulder berms constructed by debris flows in the 1930's and 1950's. Twisted reinforcing bar and weathered concrete are all that remain of the 1930's-vintage bridge foundation about 100 meters (100 yards) upstream.

The Emmons, Nisqually, Tahoma, Winthrop, and Ingraham glaciers originate on the summit of Mount Rainier.

Fastest measured movement downhill for a Mount Rainier glacier: Nisqually Glacier, 29 inches per day

Drainage Basin: Puyallup River
Heading: northwest
Area (1983): 2.4 square miles
Volume (1983): 9.5 billion cubic feet

Drainage Basin: Cowlitz River
Heading: east
Area (1983): 0.6 square miles
Volume (1983): 1.3 billion cubic feet

Drainage Basin: Cowlitz River
Heading: southeast
Area (1983): 0.4 square miles (includes Stevens)
Volume (1983): 0.8 billion cubic feet (includes Stevens)

When visitors of 75 years ago came to the park, one of the main attractions was the Paradise Glacier area. On old maps the "Stevens Glacier" was a lobe of the Paradise. [See Stevens Glacier below]

Drainage Basin: Puyallup River
Heading: west
Area (1983): 2.0 square miles
Volume (1983): 10.2 billion cubic feet

Drainage Basin: Nisqually River
Heading: southwest
Area (1983): 0.2 square miles
Volume (1983): 0.4 billion cubic feet

Drainage Basin: Carbon River
Heading: north
Area (1983): 1.3 square miles
Volume (1983): 3.1 billion cubic feet

One of the largest inter-glaciers of the park is a tributary to the Carbon Glacier on the north side. It was named after Professor Israel C. Russell, the first scientists to describe the glaciers of the park. Professor Russell was a great authority on glaciers and volcanos having studied and written about most of those in North America.

Drainage Basin: White River
Heading: east
Area (1983): 0.2 square miles
Volume (1983): 0.4 billion cubic feet

Drainage Basin: Puyallup River
Heading: west
Area (1983): 1.4 square miles
Volume (1983): 4.5 billion cubic feet

Drainage Basin: Nisqually River
Heading: northwest
Area (1983): 1.1 square miles
Volume (1983): 4.6 billion cubic feet

The smallest, but most frequent, debris flows at Mount Rainier begin as glacial outburst floods, also called by the Icelandic term "jökulhlaup" (pronounced "yo-kul-h-loip"). Outburst floods at Mount Rainier form from sudden release of water stored at the base of glaciers or within the glacier ice. Outburst floods have been recorded from four glaciers on Mount Rainier: the Nisqually, Kautz, South Tahoma, and Winthrop glaciers.

At least 23 debris flows triggered by outburst floods from South Tahoma Glacier have moved down Tahoma Creek since 1967. These flows have carved a gorge as much as 40 meters (130 feet) deep into sediments and stagnant ice below the terminus of South Tahoma Glacier. The hazard of potential debris flows has prompted the National Park Service to close the Westside Road to visitors' automobiles at a point about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) from the junction with the Nisqually-Longmire Road. Bouldery debris-flow deposits have buried the Westside Road about 600 meters (660 yards) farther upstream, near the confluence of Tahoma Creek and Fish Creek, on several occasions since 1988. In the vicinity of a former picnic area, about 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) beyond the road closure, bouldery deposits have accumulated at the extremely rapid rate of nearly 0.5 meters per year (1.5 feet per year) since 1988. About 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) of the Tahoma Creek hiking trail, which began at the picnic area, has been obliterated.

From 1986 through 1992, South Tahoma Glacier released a total of 15 outburst floods, including at least one every year. These outburst floods from South Tahoma Glacier occurred during periods of unusually hot or rainy weather in summer or early autumn, and were apparently caused by rapid input of meltwater or rainwater to the base of the glacier. The exact timing of such outburst floods is unpredictable, however.

Drainage Basin: Cowlitz River
Heading:
Area (1983): included in Paradise Glacier
Volume (1983):

When visitors of 75 years ago came to the park, one of the main attractions was the Paradise Glacier area. On old maps the "Stevens Glacier" was a lobe of the Paradise. [See Paradise Glacier above]

The left lobe of the Paradise Glacier has been named Stevens Glacier in honor of General Hazard Stevens who with Mr. Van Trump made the first successful attempt to gain the summit of Rainier. Stevens Creek flows from the glacier to the Muddy Fork of the Cowlitz River on the southern boundary of the park. Stevens Peak is the easternmost peak of the Tatoosh Range.

Drainage Basin: Nisqually River
Heading: south
Area (1983): 0.3 square miles
Volume (1983): 0.5 billion cubic feet

Drainage Basin: Nisqually River
Heading: southwest
Area (1983): 1.2 square miles
Volume (1983): 4.3 billion cubic feet

The Emmons, Nisqually, Tahoma, Winthrop, and Ingraham glaciers originate on the summit of Mount Rainier.

Drainage Basin: Nisqually River
Heading: south
Area (1983): 0.2 square miles
Volume (1983): 0.5 billion cubic feet

Flowing down from the Van Trump Glacier on the southern slope of the mountain, Van Trump Creek flows through a beautiful alpine meadow famous for its wild flower and animal life, which is known as Van Trump Park in honor of that intrepid mountaineer, Mr. P.B. Van Trump who with General Hazard Stevens made the first successful ascent of the old mountain in August, 1870.

Drainage Basin: Cowlitz River
Heading: southeast
Area (1983): 0.9 square miles
Volume (1983): 4.4 billion cubic feet

Drainage Basin: Nisqually River
Heading: south
Area (1983): 0.5 square miles
Volume (1983): 1.9 billion cubic feet

Tributary glacier to the Nisqually on the south side of the mountain. It was named in honor of Mr. A.D. Wilson who in 1870 made the second successful ascent of the mountain with Professor S.F. Emmons.

Drainage Basin: White River
Heading: north
Area (1983): 3.5 square miles
Volume (1983): 18.5 billion cubic feet

Named for Theodore Winthrop who visited the mountain in 1853 and described his experiences so delightfully in his book "Canoe and Saddle". Winthrop died on the field of battle during the Civil War.

The smallest, but most frequent, debris flows at Mount Rainier begin as glacial outburst floods, also called by the Icelandic term "jökulhlaup" (pronounced "yo-kul-h-loip"). Outburst floods at Mount Rainier form from sudden release of water stored at the base of glaciers or within the glacier ice. Outburst floods have been recorded from four glaciers on Mount Rainier: the Nisqually, Kautz, South Tahoma, and Winthrop glaciers.

The Emmons, Nisqually, Tahoma, Winthrop, and Ingraham glaciers originate on the summit of Mount Rainier.

Return to:
[Mount Rainier Glaciers and Glaciations Menu] ...
[Mount Rainier Volcano Menu] ...
[Glaciers and Glaciations Menu] ...