The park's glaciers have been slowly melting since about 1850, when the centuries-long Little Ice Age ended. They once numbered as many as 150, and 37 of those glaciers eventually were named.
A glacier needs to be 25 acres to qualify for the title.
If it shrinks any smaller, it does not always stop moving right away. A smaller mass of ice on a steep slope would still continue to grind its way through the mountains, but eventually disappears completely.
The latest two to fall below the 25 acre (10 hectare) threshold were Miche Wabun and Shepard. Each had shrunk by roughly 55% since the mid-1960s. The largest remaining glacier in the park is Harrison Glacier, at about 465 acres (190 hectares).
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Friday, April 09, 2010
Glacier National Park Shedding Those Pesky Glaciers
Going, going....:
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