Blowing in the wind: The glaciers of Colorado

Abstract

From Native Americans to glacier tourists to modern scientists, glaciers have long held a special place in the history of Colorado. While the state may not hold the same vivid examples of prior glaciations as Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes (kettle lakes) or New York’s Long Island (a terminal moraine), a more critical eye reveals the imprints of glaciers across the state, including spectacular moraines in Rocky Mountain National Park, chaotic deposits of glacial lake outburst floods in the Upper Arkansas Valley, and even today, a few small cirque glaciers in the highest reaches of the state. Here, I briefly outline prior studies that have examined these small modern glaciers and provide details on ongoing work to better understand recent changes and future prospects.