Johns Hopkins Glacier
| Johns Hopkins | |
|---|---|
Johns Hopkins Glacier with Mount Orville and Mount Wilbur in the background | |
Johns Hopkins | |
Interactive map of Johns Hopkins | |
| Type | Tidewater |
| Location | Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, United States |
| Coordinates | 58°48′24″N 137°15′01″W / 58.80667°N 137.25028°W[1] |
| Length | 12-mile (19 km) |
| Terminus | Johns Hopkins Inlet |
Johns Hopkins Glacier (Lingít: Tsalxaan Niyaadé Sít’) is a 12-mile (19 km) long glacier located in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve in the U.S. state of Alaska. It was named, colonially, after Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland in 1893 by Harry Fielding Reid.[1] It is one of the few advancing tidewater glaciers of the Fairweather Range.[2]
Geography
The glacier begins on the east slopes of Lituya Mountain and Mount Salisbury, and trends east to the head of Johns Hopkins Inlet, 1 mile (1.6 km) southwest of the terminus of Clark Glacier on Mount Abbe, and 79 miles (127 km) northwest of Hoonah. It is located near two towns, being 56 miles (90 km) northwest of Gustavus, and 66 miles (106 km) southwest of Haines.[3] Access to the face of the glacier is limited to the Johns Hopkins Inlet.[4]
The peak elevation of the glacier is 1811ft (552m).[3] The terminus has a height of 225-330 feet (68-100 m) and a width of 1 mile (1.6 km). Many tributary glaciers from the nearby mountains combine to form the Johns Hopkins glacier, creating around 50 medial moraines at the points of contact.[1]
Movement
The reason for the John Hopkins Glacier's advancement is the presence of a submarine end moraine that inhibits calving and melting. This leads to less overall mass lost and an increase in thickness of the glacier.[5] In the last 80 years, the terminus of the glacier has advanced 1 mile (1.6 km) and has gotten 328 feet (100 m) thicker. Additionally, the velocity of the terminus has decreased, unlike most tidewater glaciers which are more rapidly melting.[6]
One disadvantage of the advancing movement is the loss of habitat for harbor seals. Over 2,000 seals aggregate in Johns Hopkins Inlet every summer, making it the largest accumulation of such seals anywhere in Glacier Bay. These seals rely on icebergs, which form from calving glaciers, for molting and pupping, as well as predator avoidance.[6] Therefore, the lack of icebergs formed from the Johns Hopkins glacier's advancing nature poses a threat to the lifestyle of these harbor seals.[5]
See also
References
- ^ a b c "Johns Hopkins Glacier". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ Lawson, Daniel E. "An Overview of Selected Glaciers in Glacier Bay" (PDF). National Park Service. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 7, 2012. Retrieved October 16, 2014.
- ^ a b "Information About Johns Hopkins Glacier". Alaska Guide Co. Retrieved February 15, 2026.
- ^ "Johns Hopkins Glacier: One of Few Advancing Glacier". alaska.org. Retrieved October 16, 2014.
- ^ a b "Impacts of tidewater glacier advance on iceberg habitat (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2026-02-23.
- ^ a b "Glacier Changes Drive New Challenges for Balancing Visitor Access and Natural Resource Protection (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2026-02-23.