Columbia Glacier (Washington)

For the glacier in Alaska, see Columbia Glacier (Alaska).
For the icefield in Canadian Rocky Mountains, see Columbia Icefield.
Columbia Glacier
Columbia Glacier in left background, looking north, in 2005[1]
Map showing the location of Columbia Glacier
Map showing the location of Columbia Glacier
Columbia Glacier
TypeMountain glacier
LocationSnohomish County, Washington, USA
Coordinates47°57′45″N 121°20′55″W / 47.96250°N 121.34861°W / 47.96250; -121.34861[2]
Area.33 sq mi (0.85 km2)
Length1 mi (1.6 km)
Thickness246 ft (75 m)
TerminusMoraine
StatusRetreating
Map


Columbia Glacier is a glacier located in the Henry M. Jackson Wilderness in the U.S. state of Washington. It descends from 5,600 ft (1,700 m) to 4,700 ft (1,400 m) above sea level. It is surrounded by Columbia Peak, Monte Cristo Peak, and Kyes Peak and is a source of water for Blanca Lake and Troublesome Creek, a tributary of the North Fork Skykomish River.

The glacier retreated 278 ft (85 m) between 1979 and 2004. The retreat is due to recent reduced winter snowpack and more summer melting leading to negative mass balance. The glacier is in disequilibrium with climate and will continue to thin and retreat.[3]

Aerial view of Columbia Glacier in early autumn, 2009
  1. ^ Blanca Lake, WA (Map). TopoQwest (United States Geological Survey Maps). Retrieved 2012-10-20.
  2. ^ "Columbia Glacier". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2012-10-20.
  3. ^ Pelto, Mauri. "The Impact of sampling density on glacier mass balance determination". Department of Environmental Science, Nichols College. Archived from the original on 2012-10-22. Retrieved 2012-10-20.