The United States is home to 75,000 square kilometers of glacial ice, most of which is found in Alaska. Several ice fields give rise to thousands of glaciers that range in depth from a few dozen feet thick to over 4500 feet. Some flow as far as sea level to calve off in the ocean while others slide to the floors of valleys or cling to the sides of mountains. Among Alaska's well-known glaciers are the Mendenhall glacier, accessible by the

Juneau road system, the many active tidewater glaciers of Glacier Bay, and the largest glacier in North America, the Bering Glacier, stretching over 122 miles in length. Where glaciers have retreated, steep-walled valleys are left behind, forming the fjords of Southeast and Southcentral Alaska. Many communities offer tours to view glaciers, ice fields, and fjords by bus, plane, helicopter, or boat.

For comprehensive and accessible information on glaciers, visit these sites:

UAF Glacier Power site

USGA glacier site

National Snow & Ice Data Center:

A selection of University of Alaska articles about ice and glaciers