| Paradise Glacier | |
|---|---|
 Paradise Glacier, viewed from the south | |
| Type | Mountain glacier |
| Location | Mount Rainier, Pierce County, Washington, USA |
| Coordinates | 46°49′03″N 121°42′51″W / 46.81750°N 121.71417°W |
| Area | 0.4 square miles (1.0 km2), 1983 including Stevens Glacier[1] |
Paradise Glacier is a glacier on the southeast flank of Mount Rainier in Washington. It covers 0.4 square miles (1.0 km2) and contains 0.8 billion ft3 (23 million m3) with Stevens Glacier included.[1] The glacier is bounded to the west by the Muir Snowfield, Anvil Rock and McClure Rock. There is a single extant main lobe of the glacier, ranging from 9,000 feet (2,700 m) to 7,200 feet (2,200 m), that is connected to the larger Cowlitz Glacier.[2] To the south, there was a smaller portion which was near the Cowlitz Rocks and the tiny Williwakas Glacier, ranging from 6,900 feet (2,100 m) to 6,400 ft (2,000 m) in elevation and containing the Paradise Ice Caves until the 1990s.[2][3] This smaller lobe melted between 2004 and 2006.[4] Meltwater from the glacier drains into the Cowlitz River.[1]
- ^ a b c "DESCRIPTION: Mount Rainier Glaciers and Glaciations - Mount Rainier Glacier Hazards and Glacial Outburst Floods". USGS. Retrieved 2007-11-19.
- ^ a b "Paradise Glacier, USGS Mount Rainier East (WA) Topo Map". USGS Quad maps. TopoQuest.com. Retrieved 2008-05-15.
- ^ "Rise and Fall Of Paradise Ice Caves". GlacierCaves.com. Retrieved 2007-05-25.
- ^ "Paradise Ice Caves". GlacierCaves.com. Retrieved 2007-05-25.