Colony Glacier
March 30, 2005
Provided by: Marco Tedesco, Goddard Space Flight Center
Summary authors & editors: Marco Tedesco
The photo above of the Colony Glacier in southeastern Alaska (northeast of Anchorage) shows a beautiful example of a medial moraine and a glacial meltwater lake. This picture was taken on September 23, 2004 while flying at 600 m over Lake Inner George -- the glacier is approximately 8 km away. As two alpine glaciers merge, their lateral moraines join, forming a medial moraine. This ridge of rock and glacial debris (bits of rock, soil and ice) is usually found in the middle of a glacier, parallel to its flow. The peaks in the left background are part of Colony Glacier drainage area, while those at center form a divide between the Colony Glacier and the Cataract glacier. Note both the azure blue of the crystal clear sky and the cobalt blue of Lake Inner Gorge. This scenic lake feeds the Knik River.
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