ST MARY'S GLACIER LOCATED IN COLORADO AND CAN BE REACHED FROM THE FALL RIVER ROAD EXIT ON I70 WEST OF IDAHO SPRINGS.  FOLLOW THE ROAD UP, BUT THE LAST FEW HUNDRED FEET ARE ON FOOT.  I THINK THE GLACIER IS AT AROUND 11,000 FEET GIVE OR TAKE SOME.

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It was something of an accident, but I happened to get two pictures of this glacier -- one in July, 1980, and the other in August, 2004.  You can compare these with other pictures on the internet of shrinking glaciers (links below).  In 2004, I reached a small town up there and asked directions to the glacier.  The guy I talked to told me to go back down a little ways, park in a parking area to the side of the road, and then walk the rest of the way up.  He added, "I don't know why they go up there; there's nothing much there."

July, 1980 This is a scan of a slide that I took on a trip to Colorado that year.  This glacier is farther away and larger than it looks.  There are some little dots on it that are people.  You can see them better on the larger picture at the link below. To compare pictures, look at the rock formation on the side of the glacier facing the camera.  I think that is the same formation in the other picture, but in front of it there. Larger version (935 KB)

August, 2004 This is a digital camera picture, but the camera I had that year was less than a megapixel.  Sorry.  Unfortunately, when I set out on the 2004 trip, I was not planning to visit this glacier again, so I didn't bring the 1980 picture with me to help find the same spot.  I was closer to the glacier this time.  The lake was still there, but I was between it and the glacier for this picture.  It looks like I was also lower for this one. Larger version (358 KB)

If you have any use for these, feel free.  The shrinkage in this case may be due to lack of snowfall more than excess melting, but is the drought itself in this region linked to global warming?

SOME LINKS TO OTHER BEFORE AND AFTER GLACIER PICTURES Alaska -- Glacier Bay Alaska -- Other Glaciers Glacier Discussion  at PBS, Journey to Planet Earth Glaciers Rephotographed by the US Geological Survey Online Glacier Photograph Database Switzerland Three Benchmark Glaciers World View of Global Warming