Northwest History. Alaska, Glaciers. United States.

• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1937
• Subjects: science; glacier race; Black Rapids ice mountain; Washington; U. S. Geological Survey; Black Rapids glacier; performance charts; plane; James H. Hance; mining school; University of Alaska; S. R. Cappe; government geologist; Delta river; Greenland glaciers; mountain valley; Fairbanks; Northwest; Pacific > History > 20th century; Alaska; Delta River; Greenland; Pacific; glacier; glaciers
• Online Access: http://content.libraries.wsu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/clipping/id/92229

Science Backs Snail To Win Glacier Race: Black Rapids Ice Mountain Held As Not Moving 220 Feet A Day. SCIENCE BACKS, SNAIL TO WIN GLACIER RACE BLACK RAPIDS ICE MOUNTAIN HELD AS NOT MOVING 220 FEET A DAY WASHINGTON, Mar. 30 (U.P.)— The All-Alaska glacier sweepstakes has lost its odds-on favorite through announcement by the U. S. Geological Survey that the Black Rapid's glacier is jusit about where it started 27 years ago. The big piece of ice, according to published reports, had 'been thundering, groaning and crushing down' its ice-way at a world's record speed of 220 feet a day. There didn't appear to be a chance for another of the thousand-odd glaciers in Alaska to make a mark like that. Then, with typical scientific incredulity, the geologists got out the performance charts, had1 the course surveyed from the air and decided not to make arrangements to clock the finish for a few eons. Inspection Made From Plane After Dean James ri. Hance of the mining school of the University of Alaska had flown over the glacier to check tips that Black Rapids was doing a run-away S. R. Cappe, government geologist in Alaskan work, announced that the glacier's foot was about a quarter of a mile from the Delta river. That, explained Cappe, is just! where it was when he helped to map the start of the derby back in 1910. "Glaciers just don't act that way," he said. "There's no evidence of anything dramatic having happened. The fastest glaciers in the world are Greenland glaciers, and the fastest of those does not move a quarter as fast as Black Rapids is supposed to be moving." moving." Geologists suggested several explanations for reports that something phenomenal was going on at the foot of Black Rapids. But first they explained that to under stand glaciers it is necessary to understand how something can go backward and forward at the same time. Melting Always Occurs While the tongue of ice which comprises a glacier may be moving down a mountain valley at a fast pace, such as four inches a day for an Alaskan glacier, the foot is melting and breaking off. Thus a glacier can actually recede while it is moving forward if the melting exceeds the advance of ice. Geological Survey sleuths, knowing that a lot of glaciers yerse their form on occasion and retreat up their respective mountain courses, suggested that perhaps Black Rapids had done just that in recent years while no or was looking and then started to move forward again. Even a slight though sudden advance, caused by heavy snows or rains or perhaps an earthquake near the glacier's head, would account for the groaning and cracking which was reported to have scared the family of a roadhouse keeper near the foot half to death, they said. Scientists Assert They're Right But the scientists were adamant in their opinion that Black Rapids had not advanced three and a half miles since last fall, as reported whatever else might be going on along the Delta river 125 miles south of Fairbanks.