Old Sun Glacier, Alpine glacier in Glacier National Park, Montana.
Old Sun Glacier is an alpine glacier in Glacier National Park that sits between 8,600 and 9,400 feet in elevation and covers roughly 37 acres. It lies near Mount Merritt and displays the typical features of an active mountain glacier with deep crevasses and distinct zones of accumulation and ice.
The glacier was first studied and named in the 1960s after a Blackfoot spiritual figure. Since then it has shrunk by roughly one-eighth of its original surface area, reflecting the long-term changes happening across the high peaks of the region.
The glacier takes its name from Ntas, a Blackfoot spiritual leader, showing the deep connection between Native American people and this mountain landscape. Visitors can see this naming as a reminder of the indigenous presence that has always been part of these mountains.
Visitors need high alpine experience and specialized equipment including ropes, ice axes, and crampons to safely traverse this glacier. The best window for a visit is from July through September when conditions are most stable.
This glacier terminates in a natural rockfall zone, a rare feature that reveals the dynamic interaction between ice and stone. This formation provides clues about how high mountain glaciers evolve with their surroundings.
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