Gannett Glacier is the largest
glacier
A glacier (; ) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. It acquires distinguishing features, such as ...
in the
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in straight-line distance from the northernmost part of western Canada, to New Mexico ...
within the United States. The glacier is located on the east and north slopes of
Gannett Peak, the highest mountain in
Wyoming
Wyoming () is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the southwest, and Colorado to the s ...
, on the east side of the
Continental Divide in the
Wind River Range
The Wind River Range (or "Winds" for short) is a mountain range of the Rocky Mountains in western Wyoming in the United States. The range runs roughly NW–SE for approximately . The Continental Divide follows the crest of the range and incl ...
. Gannett is but one of dozens of glaciers located in the
Fitzpatrick Wilderness
The Fitzpatrick Wilderness is located in Shoshone National Forest in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The wilderness was originally known as the Glacier Primitive Area, but was redesignated a wilderness in 1976.
Overview
U.S. Wilderness Areas do not all ...
of
Shoshone National Forest
Shoshone National Forest ( ) is the first federally protected National Forest in the United States and covers nearly in the state of Wyoming. Originally a part of the Yellowstone Timberland Reserve, the forest is managed by the United States ...
.
As is true with many glaciers around the world, Gannett Glacier is slowly disappearing. Photographic evidence clearly demonstrates that there has been an enormous reduction in the area of the glacier since the 1920s. The area of the glacier was estimated in 1950 to be and was measured in 1999 to be . Measurements taken in 1958 and again in 1983 showed a depth reduction of over 25 years.
A general warming pattern and a reduction in moisture is widely believed to be the reason for the
glacier retreating. Numerous other glaciers are located in the immediate area including six more that are within the top ten in size within the Rocky Mountains of the U.S.
[
In a 1989 study, both Gannett and Dinwoody glaciers were researched to determine the amount of melt water they supplied to streams. Both glaciers supply melt water which flows into Dinwoody Creek, which in turn flows into the Wind River. The melt water was found to have contributed increasingly lower amounts to the total water supplied to Dinwoody Creek. This has been attributed to the glaciers thinning and retreating, especially since 1950, when Gannett Glacier was measured to be almost 20 percent larger than in 1999.]
See also
*List of glaciers in the United States
This is a list of glaciers existing in the United States, currently or in recent centuries. These glaciers are located in nine states, all in the Rocky Mountains or farther west. The southernmost named glacier among them is the Lilliput Glacier ...
References
Glaciers of Fremont County, Wyoming
Shoshone National Forest
Glaciers of Wyoming
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