Switch Glacier:
NOTE: This page has been updated to show 2021 extents and changes
Stevens Glacier
Hazard Stevens, son of Isaac I. Stevens, was born at Newport, Rhode Island, June 9,1842. He accompanied his father in the treaty making expeditions of 1854 and 1855 and served on the General's staff and was wounded in the Battle of Chantilly when his father was killed. On August 17,1870, with P. B. Van Trump he made the first successful ascent of Mount Rainier. The Stevens Glacier which is below the Paradise Glacier on the south side of Mount Rainier has nearly disappeared.
NOTE: As of surveys in 2021, the Stevens is no longer an active glacier at Mount Rainier. Information is included here for reference only. (Reese, 2009)
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STATISTICS AS OF 2021 (Beason et al., 2022):
Aerial Extent:
0.000 ± 0.000 square miles
(0.000 ± 0.000 km2)
(Rank: 29 of 29)
Debris Cover (Based on Beason, 2017 - not updated in 2021):
--No appreciable debris cover in 2015--
Estimated Glacial Volume: (See notes below)
0.0000 cubic miles
(0.0000 km3)
Highest Elevation (Head):
6,840 feet
(2,085 m)
Lowest Elevation (Terminus):
6,527 feet
(1,989 m)
Elevation Range:
313 feet
(95 m)
Length:
0.36 miles
(0.57 km)
Average Slope:
20°
Average Flow Direction (Flows towards):
East southeast (113°)
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CHANGE IN EXTENT, 1896-2015 (Beason, 2017):
Units |
1896 |
1913 |
1971 |
1994 |
2009 |
2015 |
2021 |
Area, mi2 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
0.039 |
0.013 |
0.000 |
Area, km2 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
0.101 |
0.033 |
0.000 |
Area change between periods
|
1913 |
1971 |
1994 |
2009 |
2015 |
2021 |
1896 |
0.000 mi2 (0.000 km2) |
0.000 mi2 (0.000 km2) |
0.000 mi2 (0.000 km2) |
0.039 mi2 (0.102 km2) |
0.013 mi2 (0.034 km2) |
0.000 mi2 (0.001 km2) |
1913 |
-- |
0.000 mi2 (0.000 km2) |
0.000 mi2 (0.000 km2) |
0.039 mi2 (0.102 km2) |
0.013 mi2 (0.034 km2) |
0.000 mi2 (0.001 km2) |
1971 |
|
-- |
0.000 mi2 (0.000 km2) |
0.039 mi2 (0.102 km2) |
0.013 mi2 (0.034 km2) |
0.000 mi2 (0.001 km2) |
1994 |
|
-- |
0.039 mi2 (0.102 km2) |
0.013 mi2 (0.034 km2) |
0.000 mi2 (0.001 km2) |
2009 |
|
-- |
-0.026 mi2 (-0.068 km2) |
-0.039 mi2 (-0.101 km2) |
2015 |
|
-- |
-0.013 mi2 (-0.033 km2) |
Percent change between periods
|
1913 |
1971 |
1994 |
2009 |
2015 |
2021 |
1896 |
0.00 % |
0.00 % |
0.00 % |
-10,181.94 % |
-3,403.99 % |
-100.00 % |
1913 |
-- |
0.00 % |
0.00 % |
-10,181.94 % |
-3,403.99 % |
-100.00 % |
1971 |
|
-- |
0.00 % |
-10,181.94 % |
-3,403.99 % |
-100.00 % |
1994 |
|
-- |
-10,181.94 % |
-3,403.99 % |
-100.00 % |
2009 |
|
-- |
-67.23 % |
-100.00 % |
2015 |
|
-- |
-100.00 % |
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ESTIMATED CHANGE IN VOLUME, 1896-2021 (Beason et al., 2022; George and Beason, 2017):
PLEASE see important notes about this, below...
Units |
1896 |
1913 |
1971 |
1981* |
1994 |
2009 |
2015 |
2021 |
Volume, mi3 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
0.0004 |
0.0001 |
-- |
Volume, km3 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
0.0017 |
0.0005 |
-- |
* = 1981 was the only year that glacial volumes have been measured. See note below.
Basal Shear Stress (τ): 1,763.40 lbs/ft2
Volume change between periods
|
1913 |
1971 |
1981 |
1994 |
2009 |
2015 |
2021 |
1896 |
0.0000 mi3 (0.0000 km3) |
0.0000 mi3 (0.0000 km3) |
0.0000 mi3 (0.0000 km3) |
0.0000 mi3 (0.0000 km3) |
0.0004 mi3 (0.0017 km3) |
0.0001 mi3 (0.0005 km3) |
0.0000 mi3 (0.0000 km3) |
1913 |
-- |
0.0000 mi3 (0.0000 km3) |
0.0000 mi3 (0.0000 km3) |
0.0000 mi3 (0.0000 km3) |
0.0004 mi3 (0.0017 km3) |
0.0001 mi3 (0.0005 km3) |
0.0000 mi3 (0.0000 km3) |
1971 |
|
-- |
0.0000 mi3 (0.0000 km3) |
0.0000 mi3 (0.0000 km3) |
0.0004 mi3 (0.0017 km3) |
0.0001 mi3 (0.0005 km3) |
0.0000 mi3 (0.0000 km3) |
1981 |
|
-- |
0.0000 mi3 (0.0000 km3) |
0.0004 mi3 (0.0017 km3) |
0.0001 mi3 (0.0005 km3) |
0.0000 mi3 (0.0000 km3) |
1994 |
|
-- |
0.0004 mi3 (0.0017 km3) |
0.0001 mi3 (0.0005 km3) |
0.0000 mi3 (0.0000 km3) |
2009 |
|
-- |
-0.0003 mi3 (-0.0012 km3) |
-0.0004 mi3 (-0.0017 km3) |
2015 |
|
-- |
-0.0001 mi3 (-0.0005 km3) |
Percent change between periods
|
1913 |
1971 |
1981 |
1994 |
2009 |
2015 |
2021 |
1896 |
0.00 % |
0.00 % |
0.00 % |
0.00 % |
-166,287.04 % |
-47,526.33 % |
-100.00 % |
1913 |
-- |
0.00 % |
0.00 % |
0.00 % |
-166,287.04 % |
-47,526.33 % |
-100.00 % |
1971 |
|
-- |
0.00 % |
0.00 % |
-166,287.04 % |
-47,526.33 % |
-100.00 % |
1981 |
|
-- |
0.00 % |
-166,287.04 % |
-47,526.33 % |
-100.00 % |
1994 |
|
-- |
-166,287.04 % |
-47,526.33 % |
-100.00 % |
2009 |
|
-- |
-71.46 % |
-100.00 % |
2015 |
|
-- |
-100.00 % |
With the exception of data in 1981, all values here are calculated estimates based on work by Driedger and Kennard (1986), which calculates glacier volumes with the following equations:
If Glacier Length (L) > 8,500 ft:

If Glacier Length (L) < 8,500 ft:

Basal shear stress (τ) is calculated as:

Where V is the calculated volume of the glacier (ft3), A is the calculated area of the glacier (ft2), ρ is the density of ice (1.779 slug/ft3), g is the acceleration of gravity (32.178 ft/s2), and α is the average slope of the glacier.
If you need a really good research project, recalculating the glacier volumes at Mount Rainier is the way to go!
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NOTES:
Extent of this glacier from 1896-1994 was included with the combined Paradise/Stevents Glacier system. See Paradise Glacier for extent change over time. As of 2021, the Stevens is no longer an active glacier at Mount Rainier National Park.
Data References:
Beason et al., 2022,
Beason, 2017,
George and Beason, 2017,
Reese, 2009, and
Driedger and Kennard, 1986