Carroll Glacier, glacier in Alaska, United States
Carroll Glacier is a large ice sheet in Alaska's Glacier Bay region that slowly moves down from the mountains toward lower elevations. The surface is not smooth but filled with cracks and crevasses, and occasionally large chunks of ice break off and fall into the water below.
The glacier formed many centuries ago from accumulated snow that turned to ice and gradually shaped the surrounding landscape. In the early 1900s it began to shrink, but experienced a sudden forward surge in the 1980s, a natural occurrence that happens in some glaciers.
The glacier is best reached by boat or plane, as there are no direct road connections. Visitors should dress warmly and be prepared for sudden weather changes, especially with sturdy footwear and layered clothing.
The glacier produces loud sounds from breaking ice and echoes across the bay, an often overlooked feature for visitors. These sounds occur when large ice chunks calve and fall into the water below.
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