| South Cascade Glacier | |
|---|---|
South Cascade Glacier, October 2000. Note how far the glacier has retreated since the 1965 photo below. |
|
| Type | alpine |
| Location | North Cascades, Skagit County, Washington, USA |
| Area | 1.1 mi² (2.9 km²) as of 1971 |
| Length | 2.4 mi (3.9 km) |
| Terminus | glacial lake at 5,292 ft (1613 m) |
| Status | retreating (getting smaller) |
South Cascade Glacier is a large alpine glacier in the North Cascades of Washington, USA. It is bordered on the east by 8,261-foot (2,518 m) Sentinel Peak, and is about 17 miles (27 km) north of Glacier Peak in the Glacier Peak Wilderness. Meltwater from the glacier flows directly into South Cascade Lake, which feeds the South Fork Cascade River, which is a tributary of the Skagit River.
The South Cascade Glacier has been closely monitored by glaciologists studying the effects of climate on glaciers. As of 2009, the South Cascade Glacier has lost nearly a half of its volume since 1958.[1]