Sperry Glacier
Encyclopedia
Sperry Glacier is located in Glacier National Park (U.S.) in the U.S. state
of Montana
. The glacier is situated on the north slopes of Gunsight Mountain
, west of the Continental Divide. Although many geologic features of Glacier National Park were formed during the much longer period of glaciation ending over 10,000 years ago, Sperry Glacier, like all the glaciers in the park today, is a product of the recent Little Ice Age
, the period of cooler average temperatures starting in about the 13th century and concluding in the mid-19th century.
Once one of the largest glaciers in the park, the surface area of Sperry Glacier has retreated 75 percent since the mid-19th century. 2005 measurements of the surface area of the glacier resulted in an estimated area of 216 acre (0.87412176 km²), whereby the glacier is estimated to have covered an area of 930 acres (3.8 km²) at the end of the Little Ice Age in the mid-19th century. The glacier lost almost 35 percent of its surface area between 1966 and 2005.
The glacier is named for Lyman B. Sperry, a professor from Oberlin College
, who in 1895 was a party in an exploration of the region where the glacier is located.
Like all other glaciers in the park, Sperry has significantly retreated, though it leaves many minor glacial features, including large moraines and streams and lakes colored a milky aqua from glacial flour. Unlike the more famous Grinnell Glacier
, Sperry is high above the lakes it feeds, so no icebergs form.
or its neighboring frontcountry campground (requires a permit) before the hike to Sperry Glacier. Although it is seven miles (11 km) round-trip from the Chalet (about eight from the campground), it is a steep walk, rising 1600 feet (487.7 m) in just 2.5 miles (4 km). Invisible from the rocky slopes below, a series of green glacial cirques
with trickling streams and waterfalls and clear lakes reflecting snow fields and mountain peaks leads to a steep and narrow stone staircase cut into the stone ridge of Comeau Pass. The view from the top of the steps is panoramic, encompassing Mt. Brown, Edwards Mountain, and Little Matterhorn.
Reaching the glacier itself involves crossing a wide rock scrabble, snow fields, and the colorful but sometimes tricky glacial moraine
. Following the rock cairn
s and other trail markers will ensure the best footing and easiest routes. Ranger-led hikes are available, starting at the chalet.
For the more adventurous hiker, the glacier and the surrounding area known as Floral Park can be reached via a long day hike starting from Logan Pass. The route takes the hiker along the entire western edge of Hidden Lake before climbing upward and crossing the westernmost tip of the Dragon's Tail. From there, the route descends into Floral Park, and after a careful traverse across the bottom of the glacier, the hiker can exit the area via Comeau Pass and can descend down to the Going-to-the-Sun Road near Lake McDonald. The route is in the vicinity of 20 miles (32.2 km) and is quite strenuous.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
. The glacier is situated on the north slopes of Gunsight Mountain
Gunsight Mountain (Montana)
Gunsight Mountain is located in the Lewis Range, Glacier National Park in the U.S. state of Montana. Gunsight Mountain is immediately south of Sperry Glacier....
, west of the Continental Divide. Although many geologic features of Glacier National Park were formed during the much longer period of glaciation ending over 10,000 years ago, Sperry Glacier, like all the glaciers in the park today, is a product of the recent Little Ice Age
Little Ice Age
The Little Ice Age was a period of cooling that occurred after the Medieval Warm Period . While not a true ice age, the term was introduced into the scientific literature by François E. Matthes in 1939...
, the period of cooler average temperatures starting in about the 13th century and concluding in the mid-19th century.
Once one of the largest glaciers in the park, the surface area of Sperry Glacier has retreated 75 percent since the mid-19th century. 2005 measurements of the surface area of the glacier resulted in an estimated area of 216 acre (0.87412176 km²), whereby the glacier is estimated to have covered an area of 930 acres (3.8 km²) at the end of the Little Ice Age in the mid-19th century. The glacier lost almost 35 percent of its surface area between 1966 and 2005.
The glacier is named for Lyman B. Sperry, a professor from Oberlin College
Oberlin College
Oberlin College is a private liberal arts college in Oberlin, Ohio, noteworthy for having been the first American institution of higher learning to regularly admit female and black students. Connected to the college is the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, the oldest continuously operating...
, who in 1895 was a party in an exploration of the region where the glacier is located.
Like all other glaciers in the park, Sperry has significantly retreated, though it leaves many minor glacial features, including large moraines and streams and lakes colored a milky aqua from glacial flour. Unlike the more famous Grinnell Glacier
Grinnell Glacier
Grinnell Glacier is located in the heart of Glacier National Park in the U.S. state of Montana. The glacier is named for George Bird Grinnell, an early American conservationist and explorer, who was also a strong advocate of ensuring the creation of Glacier National Park...
, Sperry is high above the lakes it feeds, so no icebergs form.
Visiting the Glacier
Hikers might wish to spend the night at Sperry ChaletSperry Chalet
Sperry Chalet is located about seven miles east of Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park in the U.S. state of Montana. The chalet was built in 1914 by the Great Northern Railway and is a National Historic Landmark contributing property, being one of five structures in the Great Northern Railway...
or its neighboring frontcountry campground (requires a permit) before the hike to Sperry Glacier. Although it is seven miles (11 km) round-trip from the Chalet (about eight from the campground), it is a steep walk, rising 1600 feet (487.7 m) in just 2.5 miles (4 km). Invisible from the rocky slopes below, a series of green glacial cirques
Cirque (landform)
thumb|250 px|Two cirques with semi-permanent snowpatches in [[Abisko National Park]], [[Sweden]].A cirque or corrie is an amphitheatre-like valley head, formed at the head of a valley glacier by erosion...
with trickling streams and waterfalls and clear lakes reflecting snow fields and mountain peaks leads to a steep and narrow stone staircase cut into the stone ridge of Comeau Pass. The view from the top of the steps is panoramic, encompassing Mt. Brown, Edwards Mountain, and Little Matterhorn.
Reaching the glacier itself involves crossing a wide rock scrabble, snow fields, and the colorful but sometimes tricky glacial moraine
Moraine
A moraine is any glacially formed accumulation of unconsolidated glacial debris which can occur in currently glaciated and formerly glaciated regions, such as those areas acted upon by a past glacial maximum. This debris may have been plucked off a valley floor as a glacier advanced or it may have...
. Following the rock cairn
Cairn
Cairn is a term used mainly in the English-speaking world for a man-made pile of stones. It comes from the or . Cairns are found all over the world in uplands, on moorland, on mountaintops, near waterways and on sea cliffs, and also in barren desert and tundra areas...
s and other trail markers will ensure the best footing and easiest routes. Ranger-led hikes are available, starting at the chalet.
For the more adventurous hiker, the glacier and the surrounding area known as Floral Park can be reached via a long day hike starting from Logan Pass. The route takes the hiker along the entire western edge of Hidden Lake before climbing upward and crossing the westernmost tip of the Dragon's Tail. From there, the route descends into Floral Park, and after a careful traverse across the bottom of the glacier, the hiker can exit the area via Comeau Pass and can descend down to the Going-to-the-Sun Road near Lake McDonald. The route is in the vicinity of 20 miles (32.2 km) and is quite strenuous.
See also
- Glaciers in Glacier National Park (U.S.)Glaciers in Glacier National Park (U.S.)There are at least 35 named glaciers in Glacier National Park . In 1850, Glacier had 150 glaciers. There are 25 active glaciers remaining in the park today. Since the ice ages stopped 10,000 years ago, there have been many slight climate shifts causing periods of glacier growth or melt-back...
- Retreat of glaciers since 1850Retreat of glaciers since 1850The retreat of glaciers since 1850 affects the availability of fresh water for irrigation and domestic use, mountain recreation, animals and plants that depend on glacier-melt, and in the longer term, the level of the oceans...
- List of glaciers in the United States