Palisade Glacier

Palisade Glacier is a glacier in the Sierra Nevada mountains that sits at high elevations in a remote alpine setting. The ice covers a substantial area and displays crevasses and formations shaped by its slow downslope flow.

Indigenous peoples of the region relied on water from the high mountains for survival long before Europeans arrived. The area later became known through mountain exploration in the 1800s.

The glacier serves as a living record of how mountains respond to climate shifts, drawing attention to these high-altitude ecosystems. Scientists and visitors alike witness how this landscape continues to transform over time.

Reaching the glacier requires hiking a challenging mountain trail that takes several hours of steady climbing. Proper preparation and high-altitude gear are essential since it sits in a remote alpine wilderness area.

This is the southernmost glacier in the entire United States, sitting in a location where ice formations are unexpected. Despite its southern latitude, it continues to move downslope and carve out new crevasses and shapes over time.