532 A. M. BATEMAN KENNECOTT GLACIER OF ALASKA 



the 25 miles of high divide connecting these mountains (figure 3). 

 The adjacent, gathering grounds on the northern slope of the Wrangell 

 range supply the great Nabesna Glacier and its numerous tributaries. 

 Kennecott Glacier thus emanates from a high and extensive neve field 

 which is the mother of a number of large glaciers. 



DIMENSIONS 



The glacier proper starts high up on the flanks of Mount Blackburn 

 (16,140 feet), at an elevation of about J 3,000 feet, and descends to an 

 elevation of 1,380 feet at its terminal. The total drop is thus about 

 11,600 feet, most of which occurs in the upper reaches. The lower part 

 has a relatively gentle gradient, rising from an altitude of 1,380 feet 

 at the terminal to about 4,000 feet, 15 miles upstream, or approximately 

 175 feet to the mile. The gradient steepens at this point, and the re- 

 maining difference in elevation, about 9,000 feet, occurs in about 10 

 miles. Part of this steep descent is marked by many prominent ice 

 falls, which, from an inspection by the eye, appear to extend over a 

 vertical range of about 5,000 feet. The total length of the glacier is 

 thus about 22 miles. Its maximum width below the junctidh with the 

 Regal branch is about 4 miles: above and below this point it is about 

 2 miles wide 7 (figure 3). The whole glacier may be seen from certain 

 vantage points on the surrounding peaks. 



SURFACE 



Viewed from a distance, the most striking feature of the glacier is its 

 ribboned character, due to the distribution of white ice and debris (figure 

 2). For a mile or so up from the terminal, all of the glacier is of a 

 somber color, due to distributed debris of the terminal moraine. Then 

 white ice appears in the center, with bands of lateral moraine, approxi- 

 mately a half mile in width, at the sides. Still farther up, the irreg- 

 ularly distributed debris differentiates into two lateral moraines and 

 seven medial moraines. These are narrow bands separated by white 

 ice and extend upward with sinuous courses, becoming fewer and fewer 

 in number until they give way to white ice at the ice falls. The lateral 

 moraines persist as diminishing ribbons of debris well up toward the 

 gathering grounds. Smaller transverse bands of debris, bowlike in plan, 

 impart to the glacier the appearance of flowing and recall the conven- 

 tional lines used to designate glaciers on maps. The distant view also 



7 The elevations and distances here given are only approximate, based on rough trian- 

 gnlation and checked by U. S. Geol. Survey top. map accompanying Bulletin 374. 



