Two members of the Sound Politics research team examine the Nisqually Glacier on Mt. Rainier.
The team spent most of its time studying the effects of climate change, but did do some botanical investigations. Many of the wildflowers are near their peak at Paradise, though most of the avalanche lilies* were looking a little tired. We saw dozens of different species, including anemone, bear grass, bistort, devil's club, heather, and lupine. Some of the bear grass flowers were simply spectacular. The fields of lupine looked as healthy as I have ever seen them.
Unfortunately we did not have a team member who could assess some of the recreational possibilities properly. But there are still a few snow fields close to the visitor's center, so it is possible for kids to make and throw snowballs there, even when the temperature is above 80 degrees. But I wouldn't expect those snow fields to last more than a week or so. (One section of the Skyline Trail was closed because the snow was too deep, but getting to that part would be a bit of a hike for younger kids, since it is about 1500 feet above Paradise.)
Cross posted at Jim Miller on Politics.
(*For years, I have been trying to remember the difference between avalanche lilies and glacier lilies. I'm not the only one to be confused on that point, since those two common names are often applied to different species, sometimes with qualifiers. But you probably won't go wrong if you call an Erythronium montanum an avalanche lily, and an Erythronium grandiflorum a glacier lily. Avalanche lilies have white petals; glacier lilies have yellow petals.)
Posted by Jim Miller at August 02, 2009 10:05 AM | Email ThisMy own exhaustive research has shown the the Nisqually Glacier is accumulating (i.e. growing) at the top and ablating (i.e. shrinking) at the base.
The answer to your question therefore is that the Nisqually Glacier is both growing and shrinking at the same time.
Posted by: deadwood on August 2, 2009 12:58 PMMost likely the last 30 years of drier warmer weather during the positive PDO has resulted in more ablation that accumulation of the glacier as a whole. This is what has been happening all up and down the NW coast from Oregon to Alaska since the mid 1970's.
If the records of previous PDO shifts are to be considered reliable, we can expect to see the opposite for the next 30 years or so while the PDO is negative. We are already seeing accumulation greater than ablation in the Alaskan glaciers.
Posted by: deadwood on August 2, 2009 03:05 PMFrom another Sound Politics team member. My wife and I used to be an unstoppable team on mountain flower identification, but we are spending more time on beaches now and getting rusty.
Posted by: Ron Hebron on August 2, 2009 07:30 PMPosted by: Daniel on August 2, 2009 09:34 PM
Your points about land use and cover would be more relevant on the west or north face of the mountain where significant change has occurred, but the south face of the mountain, where the Nisqually Glacier is situated, is changed little from 100 years ago.
As for my political views - you got it wrong. I'm a strident 2nd Amendment (and 9 others too) libertarian. So be careful, I'm opinionated and armed.
Posted by: deadwood on August 3, 2009 06:48 AMIf you want to insult each other personally, do it somewhere else. And don't make veiled threats.
I should have a post up in the next week or two on what is actually happening to the glaciers on Rainier, which will give you something more substantive to discuss.
Posted by: Jim Miller on August 3, 2009 08:55 AMI don't think I am being disrepectful. If you think I am please point out where.
Posted by: deadwood on August 3, 2009 09:47 AM
Buahahahahahahahaha.
hint: take a science class.
Posted by: Daniel on August 3, 2009 03:22 PM
I did. That's what convinced me that "man-made" or anthropogenic Global Warming (or climate change as the GW Losers have resorted to saying since their Planetary Emergency has been shown to be a complete fraud) is no more significant that a Hummingbird fart in a hurricane.
Thanks for the chuckle. Next...
Posted by: Alphabet Soup on August 3, 2009 04:14 PMAGW propaganda is not science, it is activism intent on social engineering and regret for the advancement of the 1st world. Any presentation of AlGore style falsehoods in a school science class should be challenged as is religion, since it is equivalent to faith for some.
Posted by: yaddacubed on August 4, 2009 08:03 AM
Are you for real (@ #11)?
Between your corny overweening paternalism and Pudge's lying doctrinaire fraudulence, "Sound Politics" is becoming less interesting (and meaningful) every day. You are no boy scout leader, this is not a jamboree, and we are not ten year-olds vying for good neighbor badges.
Thank God (not swearing) for Warren Peterson and Ron Hebron.
Your threads are nearly worthless
Wise up dipstick, you're at least a quart low
Posted by: Amused by Liberals on August 4, 2009 04:34 PM