Matanuska Glacier
The Matanuska Glacier is a valley glacier, consisting of streams of flowing ice that create the headwaters of the Matanuska River. Now 60 miles south of Palmer, the position of the terminus has changed relatively little in the past 30 years. The glacier functions as a weather hole that naturally propels warm valley air upward. Due to this phenomenon, visitors will experience sunnier skies and a warmer environment compared to the rest of the Mat-Su Valley, making this a premier destination for those seeking glacial adventures.
Although stable now, 15,000 years ago, this glacier reached another 50 miles west to the Palmer area. It now forms a 27-mile long river of ice flowing from the Chugach Mountains north almost to the Glenn Highway from where you can see its four-mile wide terminus. It is the largest in the U.S. that can be reached by road.
Matanuska Glacier
The Matanuska Glacier is a valley glacier, consisting of streams of flowing ice that create the headwaters of the Matanuska River. Now 60 miles south of Palmer, the position of the terminus has changed relatively little in the past 30 years. The glacier functions as a weather hole that naturally propels warm valley air upward. Due to this phenomenon, visitors will experience sunnier skies and a warmer environment compared to the rest of the Mat-Su Valley, making this a premier destination for those seeking glacial adventures.
Although stable now, 15,000 years ago, this glacier reached another 50 miles west to the Palmer area. It now forms a 27-mile long river of ice flowing from the Chugach Mountains north almost to the Glenn Highway from where you can see its four-mile wide terminus. It is the largest in the U.S. that can be reached by road.