Qualla: Glacier National Park: Racing to See the Ice Before It Melts

Glacier National Park: Racing to See the Ice Before It Melts: Introduction

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit Robert M. Russell, CC BY-SA 4.0. When Glacier National Park was established in 1910, it contained approximately 150 glaciers. Today, 26 remain, and they're shrinking. Grinnell Glacier, once a dramatic ice mass visible from Going-to-the-Sun Road, has lost over 75% of its area since the 1850s. Climate models suggest the park could be glacier-free by 2030 or 2050, depending on emissions. The irony is bitter: the ice that gives the park its name is melting because of the carbon emissions of the visitors who come to see it. Yet the landscape remains spectacular - the carved valleys, the alpine lakes, the mountain goats on impossible ledges. The glaciers shaped this place. Their absence will change what it means.

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Image: Robert M. Russell | CC BY-SA 4.0

Glacier National Park: Racing to See the Ice Before It Melts: The Glaciers

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit CGP Grey, CC BY 2.0. The park's glaciers are relics of the Little Ice Age, which ended around 1850. Since then, they've retreated continuously, with acceleration in recent decades. Grinnell Glacier, the most accessible and most studied, covered 710 acres in 1850; it now covers roughly 150 acres, spli...

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Image: CGP Grey | CC BY 2.0

Glacier National Park: Racing to See the Ice Before It Melts: The Road

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit GlacierNPS, Public domain. Going-to-the-Sun Road is an engineering marvel that crosses the park, climbing 3,000 feet to Logan Pass at the Continental Divide. Built between 1921 and 1932, the road traverses cliff faces, tunnels through rock, and provides access to alpine terrain that would otherwise require...

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Image: GlacierNPS | Public domain

Glacier National Park: Racing to See the Ice Before It Melts: The Wildlife

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit GlacierNPS, Public domain. Glacier hosts the most intact ecosystem in the lower 48 states. Grizzly bears roam the backcountry; black bears are common throughout. Mountain goats navigate the cliffs. Wolves returned in the 1980s and now maintain stable packs. Wolverines, lynx, and countless smaller species p...

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Image: GlacierNPS | Public domain

Glacier National Park: Racing to See the Ice Before It Melts: The Hikers

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit Greg Willis from Denver, CO, usa, CC BY-SA 2.0. Glacier contains over 700 miles of hiking trails ranging from gentle lakeside strolls to demanding alpine crossings. The Highline Trail traverses the Garden Wall with views that justify any crowd. The Grinnell Glacier Trail ends at the shrinking ice. The Ptarmigan Tunnel punches ...

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Image: Greg Willis from Denver, CO, usa | CC BY-SA 2.0

Glacier National Park: Racing to See the Ice Before It Melts: Visiting Glacier National Park

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit Traveler100 at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0. Glacier National Park is located in northwestern Montana, along the Canadian border. The west entrance at Apgar is the most accessible, near Kalispell. The east entrance at Saint Mary provides access to the other side of the park. Going-to-the-Sun Road connects both sides, typica...

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Image: Traveler100 at English Wikipedia | CC BY-SA 3.0