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U.S. States with Glaciers

Which states of the U.S. have glaciers within their territory?
Source: Wikipedia
Number displayed is the number of named glaciers
Quiz by Quizmaster
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Last updated: July 25, 2023
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First submittedJuly 25, 2023
Times taken17,731
Average score88.9%
Rating4.50
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#
State
664
Alaska
186
Washington
60
Montana
37
Wyoming
35
Oregon
#
State
20
California
16
Colorado
1
Nevada
1
Utah
15 Comments
+6
Level 77
Jul 25, 2023
Good quiz. There is enough time to type in every US state though, so maybe a little shorter time?
+6
Level 76
Jul 25, 2023
Good quiz. I would cut the time to 2:00 or 1:30. Most people could type all 50 states in less than 4 minutes.
+2
Level ∞
Jul 25, 2023
Yes, lowered the time
+1
Level 66
Apr 29, 2024
Still really easy tbh, just guess all the western states
+4
Level 74
Jul 25, 2023
I mixed up glaciers and sea ice. After exhausting every coastal state, it took me a moment.
+6
Level 69
Jul 25, 2023
How did poor Idaho end up with no glaciers? :(
+31
Level 69
Jul 29, 2023
No ice, only potato
+5
Level 22
Aug 11, 2023
this is my favourite jetpunk reply of all time
+1
Level 49
Jun 29, 2024
based
+9
Level 68
Jul 31, 2023
If the border with Wyoming was 15 miles to the east, Idaho would have several (small) glaciers in the Teton Range. As it is, the American Rockies just don't have very much in the way of glaciers to begin with. They are too dry, and tend to not be quite high enough to hit the snowline except in sheltered places, and that does not really change as you go north until you reach the Canadian Rockies. The only serious large scale glaciation in the American Rockies is in the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming. So it isn't surprising that one state would lose out.

I would guess that Idaho loses out as its mountains are mostly on the drier west side of the Rockies, its highest peaks run in narrow ranges that run north-south and provide little in the way of permanent shade in high elevations that might allow glaciers to form lower than usual. Its highest mountains are also further south, in the driest parts of the state, while wet northern Idaho has mountains that barely get above treeline.

+1
Level 73
Aug 12, 2023
It looks like they had one but it melted. Sad.
+6
Level 93
Jul 25, 2023
There's an older news report from Feb of 2021 that claims the the U.S. Geological Survey recognized one glacier in Idaho - the Borah glacier. Maybe they've withdrawn recognition or that glacier has since melted. The USGS website now states that the glacier in Utah is now a rock glacier - rocks hide the ice - and a glacier in Idaho - which they call the Otto Glacier, not clear whether it's the same as the Borah - has melted away.
+3
Level 68
Jul 31, 2023
Honestly, if the rock glacier on Timpomagos in Utah is included, then Idaho should be included as well. While Idaho has at best one true glacier, there are a ton of rock glaciers in the Sawtooth Mountains in Idaho. Worth pointing out that "Rock Glacier" != a regular glacier that is just covered in rocks. While they can be that, they don't have to be. There might be no actual ice underneath there at all, just permafrost that is slowly deforming under the force of gravity, having more to do with mass-wasting or landslides than true glaciers. Now the rock glacier in Utah is arguably more like a real glacier in that it clearly has an ice core, I would not be surprised if at least one rock glacier in Idaho also has an ice core.

Source on Idaho:https://glaciers.us/glaciers.research.pdx.edu/Glaciers-Idaho.html

+1
Level 55
Aug 11, 2023
I agree Idaho should be included. Especially because the one glacier in Nevada is also a rock glacier (Wheeler Peak).
+1
Level 69
Aug 12, 2023
Missed Colorado and Nevada