74 THE ICE AGE IN NORTH AMERICA. 



Inlet this glacier was exposed to tide water only in the south- 

 western bay, where its front is intercepted in its central part 

 by a large promontory of light colored granite. Eight thou- 

 sand feet is approximately its recession since 1892. Charpen- 

 tier Glacier also receded about 9,000 feet and promises to con- 

 tinue its recession rapidly, especially along its southern front, 

 as its valley is opening out and allowing a greater exposure of 

 ice front to the action of tide water. 



The small stagnant glacier east of Charpentier is simply 

 melting away and wilt probably disappear in ten or twenty 

 years. 



Favorite Glacier is still receding. Wood Glacier is no 

 longer tidal and only a small part of Geikie Glacier ice front 

 is exposed to salt water. Geikie Glacier has receded about 

 5,000 feet during the past fourteen years. 



On the whole, recession has been the rule for the glaciers 

 of Glacier Bay. Those glaciers have receded most whose fronts 

 have, on recession, increased appreciably in length. In the 

 past fourteen years the combined ice front of all the glaciers 

 exposed to the tide water has increased from 17,000 feet to 

 over 40,000 feet and the amount of recession has in that time 

 alone equalled that of the previous twenty years. 



To the west of Glacier Bay, Brady Glacier in Taylor Bay 

 has receded considerably. In Lituya Bay, the glacier at 

 the northwestern end of the bay has advanced about one-half 

 mile since 1894; the central and southeastern glaciers have 

 apparently remained unchanged although the latter may have 

 advanced slightly.* 



*H. F. Reid: "Variation of Glaciers," xii, "Journal of Geology," 

 xvi, pp. 52, 53. 



