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Penny Royal Glacier is a hanging alpine glacier in the
Talkeetna Mountains
The Talkeetna Mountains (''Dghelaay tahwt’aene'' in Ahtna) () are a mountain range in Alaska. The Matanuska and Susitna River valleys, with towns such as Trapper Creek, Talkeetna, Wasilla, Palmer, Sutton, and Chickaloon, roughly bound the Ta ...
of
Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...
.
Location and Terrain
Penny Royal Glacier sits in the Talkeetna Mountains in an undeveloped wilderness area, at an elevation between approximately 4,600-6,000 ft. Penny Royal is an alpine glacier surrounded by mountains, cliffs, and glacial valleys. The glacier can receive snowfall year-round.
Recreation
No developed roads or paths lead to Penny Royal Glacier, though it is frequented by backcountry and wilderness enthusiasts. The glacier is most often accessed from the steep pass between Penny Royal Glacier and Bomber Glacier, from the valley floor at its terminus, or from the Backdoor Gap pass, which separates the glacier from Mint Valley. Penny Royal Glacier lies on the informal "Bomber Traverse" wilderness hiking route through the
Talkeetna Mountains
The Talkeetna Mountains (''Dghelaay tahwt’aene'' in Ahtna) () are a mountain range in Alaska. The Matanuska and Susitna River valleys, with towns such as Trapper Creek, Talkeetna, Wasilla, Palmer, Sutton, and Chickaloon, roughly bound the Ta ...
. Mountaineers may cross it en route to nearby peaks, and the glacier can be skied.
Visitors are cautioned to be aware of the potential existence of dangerous
crevasse
A crevasse is a deep crack, that forms in a glacier or ice sheet that can be a few inches across to over 40 feet. Crevasses form as a result of the movement and resulting stress associated with the shear stress generated when two semi-rigid pie ...
s,
moulins, and
bergschrund
A bergschrund (from the German for ''mountain cleft'') or rimaye (from French; ) is a crevasse that forms where moving glacier ice separates from the stagnant ice or firn above. It is often a serious obstacle for mountaineers, who sometimes abb ...
s, which may come and go with the movement of the glacier.
References
Glaciers of Alaska
Glaciers of Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska
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