Sandy Glacier is an

alpine 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 ...

located on the west slope of

Mount Hood Mount Hood is a potentially active stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc. It was formed by a subduction zone on the Pacific coast and rests in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located about east-southeast of Portlan ...

in the U.S. state of

Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...

. It extends in elevation from about . The glacier is the source of Muddy Fork, a tributary of the Sandy River. The upper extent of the glacier is known for extensive

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. The lower extent was marked by the

Sandy Glacier Caves The Sandy Glacier Caves are a system of glacier caves within the ice of Sandy Glacier on Mount Hood, Oregon. They are thought to be the largest glacier caves in the lower 48 states of the United States. Surveys done in 2011 and 2012 have measure ...

, possibly the largest glacier cave system in the lower 48 U.S. states. The glacier is a remnant of the massive glaciers that formed during the last

ice age An ice age is a long period of reduction in the temperature of Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental and polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers. Earth's climate alternates between ice ages and gree ...

. It is bounded on the south by Yocum Ridge which also defines the northern side of Reid Glacier, and by a ridge on the north which defines part of the Hood River- Clackamas county border which also bounds the south side of

Glisan Glacier Glisan Glacier is an alpine glacier located on the northwest slope of Mount Hood in the US state of Oregon. It lies at an average altitude of . See also *List of glaciers in the United States This is a list of glaciers existing in the Unit ...

. The glacier lies entirely within

Mount Hood Wilderness The Mount Hood Wilderness is a protected wilderness area inside the Mount Hood National Forest, in the U.S. state of Oregon. The area, covering , includes the peak of Mount Hood and its upper slopes, and ranges from temperate rain forests at the ...

. Sandy Glacier decreased in area by 40% between 1907 and 2004. The

glacier terminus A glacier terminus, toe, or snout, is the end of a glacier at any given point in time. Although glaciers seem motionless to the observer, in reality glaciers are in endless motion and the glacier terminus is always either advancing or retreating ...

has retreated by over the same time period.

References

Glaciers of Mount Hood Glaciers of Clackamas County, Oregon Mount Hood National Forest Glaciers of Oregon {{US-glacier-stub