Images

Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center scientist Zachary Miller conducting routine maintenance on the Garden Wall Weather Station at Glacier National Park, Montana (elevation: 7,400 feet)

Orange and black excluder device (left) will contain minerals, but intended to allow livestock access while excluding wildlife. Mineral block to the right of excluder device.

Fly fishing for trout in one on Montana's rivers.                                                             

This tree-ring sample from an avalanche path captures 256 years of data between the years 1777 and 2013. The scars in 1818 and 1974 are examples of mechanical damage caused by an avalanche. The pith is the center of the tree.

An environmental DNA (eDNA) sampler discretely placed among streamside vegetation at the Flying D Ranch in Montana. An arrow is superimposed on the image to point out the eDNA sampler. 

An environmental DNA (eDNA) sampler discretely placed among the vegetation along a stream on the Flying D Ranch in Montana. 

Grinnell, Gem & Salamander Glaciers: 8/9/1910 M Elrod, U of M Library – 9/27/2016 L McKeon, USGS 

Boulder Glacier: circa 1910 M Elrod, Glacier National Park Archives -  8/24/2007 D Fagre & G Pederson, USGS  

Blackfoot & Jackson Glaciers:  8/1/1914 EC Stebinger, USGS Photographic Library – 9/3/2009 L McKeon, USGS

Since the historic photo was taken, Blackfoot Glacier has retreated and fragmented into two separate glaciers, Blackfoot (foreground) and Jackson (distant) Glaciers. 

Boulder Glacier in 1910 (Elrod photo, GNP Archives) and in 2007 (Fagre/Pederson photo, USGS).  Matching the intersection of the peaks in the background helps the repeat photographer locate the photo point.  USGS Public domain

Grinnell, Gem & Salamander Glaciers: 8/9/1910 M Elrod, U of M Library – 9/27/2016 L McKeon, USGS 

View the full collection at USGS Photographic Library 

Agassiz Glacier: 8/5/1913 WC Alden, USGS Photographic Library - 8/24/2007, D Fagre, USGS 

View the full collection at USGS Photographic Library 

Repeat photo of Harrison Glacier. 8/20/1913 by WC Alden, USGS Photographic Library, 7/30/2009 by Ralph Thornton, USGS.

Karen Holzer and Lisa McKeon rephotograph Shepard Glacier from the slope of Pyramid Peak, Glacier National Park. 1998 USGS photo.

Chaney Glacier:  1911, MR Campbell, USGS Photographic Library – 8/19/2005 Karen Milone, USGS 

View the full collection at USGS Photographic Library 

Boulder Glacier Ice Cave:  1932, TJ Hileman, GNP Archives – 1988, J DeSanto, U of M Library 

This photo pair inspired the USGS to document glacier and landscape change using oblique photography.

Shepard Glacier:  9/6/1913, WC Alden, USGS Photo Library – 8/21/2005, B. Reardon, USGS

Sperry Glacier: circa 1930, MJ Elrod, U of M Library – 9/17/2008, L McKeon, USGS 

Repeating this photo from the same photo point was impossible since the historic photo was shot from the elevated perspective of the glacier’s surface.

Grinnell Glacier in 1910 (Elrod photo, U of M Collection) and 2016 (McKeon photo, USGS).  Retreat resulted in glacier fragmentation, so the 2016 scene shows both Grinnell Glacier, hugging the base of the cliff, and The Salamander Glacier, perched above, along the right edge of the photograph.

Grinnell and The Salamander Glaciers from the summit of Mt. Gould: 1938, TJ Hileman, GNP Archives – 9/4/2019, L McKeon, USGS

Upper Grinnell Lake has formed as the glacier has retreated.  The change in height of Grinnell Glacier along the cliff face hints at  volume loss during this timespan. 

Swiftcurrent Glacier: circa 1910, M. Elod, GNP Archives - 9/27/2016, L McKeon, USGS

During the timespan between these photos, it is evident that Swiftcurrent Glacier has retreated and wildfire has consumed a patch of trees at the base of Swiftcurrent Mountain, the broad, beige slope in the background.