Muldrow Glacier, Valley glacier in Denali National Park, Alaska
Muldrow Glacier is a valley glacier in Denali National Park that extends roughly 39 miles from the northeast slope of the Denali mountain down toward the McKinley River. The ice flows in distinct streams and sections, with crevasses and ice formations continually shifting as the glacier moves downslope.
The glacier was named in 1902 by Alfred Hulse Brooks after Robert Muldrow, a surveyor from the United States Geological Survey who mapped the region. The naming honored early surveying work that fundamentally shaped our understanding of the Denali area.
The Athabaskan people refer to this glacier by traditional names Henteel No' Loo' and Henteel No' Loot, reflecting their deep connection to this frozen landscape. For local communities, it remains part of the region's natural identity and appears in traditional stories.
The glacier can be visible from Denali Park Road, though it lies several kilometers away and is easiest to spot in clear conditions. Visitors should know that accessing it on foot is challenging and requires good preparation, with stable ground in lower areas and rougher terrain higher up.
About every 50 years, this glacier enters a rare surge phase where it flows unusually fast. In 2021, it reached speeds around 27 meters per day, which is extraordinary for an ice mass of this size.
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