In Alaska there are a lot of glaciers that have been named and a lot that haven't even been found. A lot of glaciers in Alaska are receding. That means that they are melting and not growing. Others are growing. When a glacier travels it doesn't move very fast. Some can move only an inch or two a day and others can move up to 30 feet a day.

There are several types of glaciers and they each have certain names. There are tidewater glaciers, continental icecap glaciers, piedmont/inland glaciers and alpine glaciers.

The first kind of glacier we're going to talk about is the tidewater glacier. Tidewater glaciers are the kind of glaciers that break off into the sea. They are usually not loud but they are very active. They send out big, huge, heavy icebergs into the sea. Most of the ice is under the water, that makes it very dangerous for boats because they only see what's on top of the water.

Columbia Glacier in Prince William Sound is 3 to 4 miles wide and about 25 miles long. Continental icecap glaciers are very rare. There are only two of this kind in the world. Greenland is one and Antarctica is the other one. Piedmont/inland glaciers are glaciers that are close to the sea and are really a combination of glaciers when they come together and fan out. In the Southeast Region in Juneau there is a glacier called Mendenhall Glacier. That is an inland glacier. The Mendenhall Glacier has a lake for its base. In the winter they use that lake for ice skating.

Image Copyright 1998 PhotoDisc, Inc.

Image Copyright 1998 PhotoDisc, Inc.

Alpine glaciers are the most common in Alaska. These glaciers are parts of larger glaciers. You can see these glaciers in the high canyons of the mountains. These glaciers look dirty on the top because they carry rocks down the mountain.