Alaska Glacier Surges

[kenl01]

17 Mar 06 - There is evidence that the McGinnis Glacier, a little-known tongue of ice in the central Alaska Range , has surged. Assistant Professor of Physics Martin Truffer recently noticed the lower portion of the glacier was covered in cracks, crevasses, and pinnacles of ice--all telltale signs that the glacier has recently slid forward at higher than normal rates.

Truffer, of the Geophysical Institute's Snow Ice and Permafrost Group, is having difficulty finding evidence of the glacier's history. He says the glacier hasn't been on anyone's radar screen for some time. Much of what has been written about the glacier is that it was covered with debris after several landslides broke loose from Mount McGinnis after the 2002 Denali Fault earthquake. In fact, that's what prompted Truffer to explore the glacier just a few days ago on a recreational snowmachining trip with friends.

See some great photos at: http://www.gi.alaska.edu/~truffer/McGinnisSurge/

See full article at: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/ ... 031506.php

[Hybridstorm_November2001]

Would only make sense with the Cold Weather up there this past Winter. Thanks for posting those links, very informative reads