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300 glaciers have disappeared from the American West since the mid-20th century – the survivors have a few things in common

<name>Andrew Fountain, Professor of Geography, Portland State University</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/andrew-fountain-2770507"/>· 12 octobre 2026

Scientists take measurements on Sperry Glacier, in Glacier National Park, Montana. USGS From an airplane, most of the glaciers of the Rocky Mountain West look like small patches of white nestled into rugged landscape where the topography folds. The white is the snow cover, and lower down you can se…

Résumé

Glaciers in the American West

Glaciers in the Rocky Mountain West appear as small white patches nestled in rugged mountain landscapes when viewed from an airplane.

These glaciers are much smaller than those found in Alaska or Greenland.

In the mid-20th century, over 1,450 glaciers existed in the contiguous United States, covering 217 square miles (562 square kilometers) across six western states.

Today, a recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that the total area of these glaciers has shrunk by 35% and they continue to shrink, possibly at an accelerating rate.

The study, led by a team of researchers including the author, analyzed glacier changes over time to reach these conclusions.

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