North Guardian Glacier

North Guardian Glacier lies on the east slopes of Glacier Peak in Washington state, descending from about 8,600 feet to 6,430 feet and partly connecting with Chocolate Glacier to the south. Like Glacier Peak’s other glaciers, it has retreated over the long term. Between 1850 and 1946, it pulled back by about 1,500 meters. A cooler, wetter period from about 1950 to 1979 brought a modest advance, but afterward the glacier resumed retreating and thinning. By 2005, it had returned to the minimum length recorded in 1946, reflecting the broader pattern of long-term glacier loss on Glacier Peak.

Washington · United States