Alaska’s Glaciers & 15 Must-Know Facts
Ashley | 24 - 10 - 2021
Updated: October 24, 2021 11:00 pm IST
Though Alaska is famous for its moose, caribou, bears, bison, salmon, whales, puffins, jellyfish, etc. The sight offered by Alaska’s glaciers is the one any human would dream of when thinking about a winter vacation.
Do you know that the glaciers covered a third of the entire landmass during the ice age? Plus, glaciers are not written off to the poles! You can find them on every continent if you look in the right place.
The ice boulders are the primary reason behind the formation of the fjords and the Great Lakes of America. Don’t stop with the tip of the iceberg go to the bottom of them with this cool quiz now.
1. A Mass of Ice Is Termed as a Glacier Based on _____
A mass of ice will be termed as a glacier only if it is at least 0.1 Kilometers that’s almost 25 acres which is almost equal to 19 football fields. Glaciers contain around 69% of the world’s freshwater.
2. How Fast Do Glaciers Move?
Most glaciers move at the average speed of 50 feet per day. The fastest record was set in 2012 when the Jakobshavn Glacier in Greenland moved 150 feet. The glaciers move faster during summer than in winter.
3. Where Are the Glaciers in Alaska Situated?
Most of Alaska’s glaciers are situated in Anchorage and Glacier Bay. Anchorage is accessible by the local folk while the park is reserved for tourism and perseverance purposes being a national monument.
4. What Is the Glacier Called in Alaska?
Alaska’s glaciers are lovingly called Cirques. They form ice mountains by sloping down near the edges giving spectacular scenery. These ice caps melt forming moraines or glacial flour.
5. How Many Types of Glaciers are in Alaska?
Continental and Alpine glaciers are divided into 8 subtypes of glaciers: ice fields, mountain glaciers, valley glaciers, tidewater glaciers, piedmont glaciers, hanging glaciers, cirque glaciers, and ice aprons.
6. How Many Glaciers Are in Alaska?
Out of the 100,000 glaciers in Alaska, only 664 have been officially named so far according to the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). So you know that glaciers occupy 5% of Alaska?
7. Which Is the Most Beautiful Glacier in Alaska?
Being situated amongst the U.S’s largest protected forests, The Tongass National Forest which spreads across 17 miles, Mendenhall is one of the 40 glaciers that form the Juneau Icefield. You can see ice age exhibits here!
8. What Are the Largest Glaciers in Alaska?
Bering is the largest glacier in North America while Hubbard is the largest tidewater glacier in the U.S. Though Bering glacier has been melting due to global warming, Hubbard is constantly growing.
9. What Is the Oldest Glacier in Alaska?
Most of Alaska’s glaciers are from the Pleistocene Ice Age and researchers are concerned only about the area covered. The oldest ice ever recovered was found between Mt. Bona and Mt. Churchill. (30,000 years old)
10. Where Are Alaska’s Calving Glaciers Located?
A calving glacier is a glacier that has pieces falling off from its end. This is a spectacular event that attracts visitors from across the world. Tidal and hanging glaciers are known for this.
11. What Organism Is Found Only in Alaska’s Glaciers?
Ice worms are found only in the glaciers of Alaska in the entire world. There is a popular myth that glaciers get their blue color from these worms and they can grow upto 50 ft.
12. What Are the Unique Features of Glaciers in Alaska?
Alaska is the only place where visitors will be able to view frozen forests lying under glaciers from a short distance. They are also referred to as flowing rivers of ice and the water has a unique glacial fingerprint.
13. What Is the Best Way to Explore Alaska’s Glaciers?
Alaskan glaciers can be visited by cruise ships only. You can explore them further by hiking or kayaking from iceberg landings situated at common locations by rangers. There are no roadways to visit any of them.
14. Which Is the Best Time to Visit Alaska’s Glaciers?
Since calving icebergs, kayaking, and hiking are the most popular activities, mid-June to mid-September is the best time to visit. The days are long, the sunlight adds a shine to ice tips, and the climate is bearable.
15. Alaska’s Glaciers Are Melting ____ Faster
Global warming has contributed to the melting of several glaciers and the rising sea levels. The melting of the Alaskan glaciers is the primary topic of discussion at the COP26 conducted by the UN in Glasgow.
