Glacier Lakes - Summit County, Colorado
Glacier Lakes, Summit County, ColoradoIf you are visiting the high country you might want to take a hike, bike or 4WD to a Glacier lake in the area. Wondering how they are formed? |
Glacier Lakes, Summit County, CO
| Summit County, CO > Summit County, Colorado > Local > Glacier Lakes | ||
Glacier LakesHow Glacier Lakes are formed: Glaciers are formed when more snow falls each winter than melts in the summer. As the snow accumulates the layers compact into ice. The ice near the top becomes hard while the bottom layer becomes flexible and can move. Each year the warm climates threaten the glaciers since they are melting more and more each year. As the ice moves, it collects fallen debris from the sides and bottom of the valleys shaping the land into valleys, sharp peaks, and lake filled basins. Glacial Landforms The action of glaciers produce varies formations outlined below. Horns A horn is a steep mountain peak caused by several glaciers carving different sides of the same mountain. Cirques A cirque is a large bowl formed at the head of a glacier. Often as the ice melts away a small lake will form in the depression gouged by the glacier. Arêtes An arête (French for fish-bone) forms when two glaciers work on opposite sides of the same wall, leaving a long narrow ridge. Hanging Valleys As large glaciers scoured the main valleys; tributary glaciers worked the smaller side canyons. Unable to cut as deep as the valley glaciers, they left behind small valleys high up on the mountainsides. Frequently hanging valleys have waterfalls cascading out of their mouths into the valleys below. Moraines Moraines form at the sides and front of a glacier. In a glacier there is always a flow of ice from the head to the toe. This conveyor belt like flow brings with it the rock and debris trapped in the ice. As it reaches the sides or front and the ice melts, this trapped material is released forming large piles. These piles of glacially transported material are called moraines. Moraines from the present glaciers are visible as mounds of rock and gravel along the sides and front of the ice. Plants soon colonize this new soil. Forests and meadows cover many ancient moraines making them harder to spot. |
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Summit County Information: SummitColorado.com ©2008
info@summitcolorado.com
106 N. French Street
Breckenridge, Colorado 80424