Nisqually Glacier | |
---|---|
Type | Mountain glacier |
Location | Mount Rainier National Park, Pierce County, Washington, USA |
Coordinates | 46°50′05″N 121°44′47″W / 46.83472°N 121.74639°W |
Area | 1.8 sq mi (4.7 km2) in 1983[1] |
Length | 4 mi (6.4 km) |
Terminus | moraine |
Status | Retreating [1] |
The Nisqually Glacier is one of the larger glaciers on the southwestern face of Mount Rainier in the U.S. state of Washington. The glacier is one of the most easily viewed on the mountain, and is accessible from the Paradise visitor facilities in Mount Rainier National Park. Nisqually Glacier is the source of the Nisqually River.[1]
Perhaps the longest studied glacier on Mount Rainier, Nisqually's terminal point has been measured annually since 1918.[2] In May 1970, the glacier was measured to be moving at an average of 29 inches (740 mm) per day.[3] Between 1896 and 2021, the glacier shrank from 3.871 square miles (10.03 km2) to 1.584 square miles (4.10 km2).[4]