Glaciers Growing on Mt. Shasta

Although the media has done a great job of covering this up, the inconvenient fact is that all seven glaciers on California's Mount Shasta are growing. This includes Whitney Glacier, the state's largest.

Yes, growing. Not melting.

Not only are Mt. Shasta's glaciers growing, two have nearly doubled in size.

Both the Hotlum and Wintun Glaciers have nearly doubled in size since 1950, says this article on Wikipedia. The Bolam Glacier has increased by half, while the Whitney and Konwakiton Glaciers have grown by a third.

Scientists first became aware of these growing California glaciers in 2002, and I began writing about them in 2003. Now, eight years later, most media outlets still refuse to acknowledge that these glaciers are growing.

After this year's record snowfall, it will become harder to continue the deception.

Record snowfall

With a record 98 inches of snow during the month of March, and an estimated 6 feet of new powder during the past week, the Mt. Shasta Ski Park is extending its ski season, said an article yesterday on redding.com.

On Monday, the ski park had nearly 22 feet of snow at the top and more than 8 feet at its lodge.

The City of Mount Shasta, sitting at the foot of the mountain about midway between San Francisco and Portland, Oregon, has broken a 108-year-old snowfall record for March with 97.9 inches, according to the National Weather Service. The old mark of 88 inches was set in 1903.

For the season, 289 inches (24 feet) of snow has fallen on the city.

With all of this snowfall, I expect to see more glacier growth on California's fifth tallest mountain.

Glaciers also growing in Washington and Alaska

But here's the kicker.

Not only on Mt. Shasta, glaciers are also growing in Washington and Alaska.

Look at Washington State. The Nisqually Glacier on Mt. Rainier is growing. Glaciers on Glacier Peak in northern Washington are growing. And Crater Glacier on Mt. Saint Helens is now larger than it was before the 1980 eruption.

Or look at Alaska. Glaciers are growing in Alaska for the first time in 250 years. Two years ago in May, Alaska's Hubbard Glacier was advancing at the rate of seven feet (two meters) per day - more than half-a-mile per year. In Icy Bay, at least three glaciers advanced a third of a mile (½ km) in one year.

Fifth-largest ice field in the Western Hemisphere also growing

And the Juneau Icefield, which covers 1,505 square miles (3,900 sq km) and is the fifth-largest ice field in the Western Hemisphere, is also growing.

According to Michael Zemp at the University of Zurich - one of the scientists that Al Gore likes to quote - "some positive values were reported from the North Cascade Mountains and the Juneau Ice Field." ("Positive values" means "growing".)

The fifth largest ice field in the entire Western Hemisphere is growing, and no one is bothering to report it.

The next time someone tries to guilt you with talk of melting glaciers, ask if they're aware that glaciers are growing on Mt. Shasta, and in Washington, and in Alaska.

Ask if they're aware that the fifth largest icefield in the Western Hemisphere is also growing.

They'll probably be angry that you bothered them with such inconvenient facts.