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Glaciers in Washington

69 glaciers in Washington with photography planning data — sunrise and sunset azimuths, golden hour by month, Milky Way windows and estimated sky darkness. Pierce County has the most (18). The darkest skies are at Nohokomeen Glacier (Bortle 2).

Top glaciers

Boulder GlacierGlacier
Boulder GlacierWhatcom County
Columbia GlacierGlacier
Columbia GlacierSnohomish County
Emmons GlacierGlacier
Emmons GlacierPierce County
Sahale GlacierGlacier
Sahale GlacierChelan County
Winthrop GlacierGlacier
Winthrop GlacierPierce County
Crystal GlacierGlacier
Crystal GlacierWhatcom County
Nisqually GlacierGlacier
Nisqually GlacierPierce County
Crater GlacierGlacier
Crater GlacierSkamania County
Packwood GlacierGlacier
Packwood GlacierLewis County
Puyallup GlacierGlacier
Puyallup GlacierPierce County
Quien Sabe GlacierGlacier
Quien Sabe GlacierSkagit County
South Cascade GlacierGlacier
South Cascade GlacierSkagit County

Glaciers by county

All glaciers (69)

NameCountyElevationNearest townSky
Boulder GlacierWhatcom County2,378 mPeaceful Valley3
Columbia GlacierSnohomish County1,607 mGold Bar3
Emmons GlacierMount RainierPierce County2,638 mCrocker3
Sahale GlacierNorth CascadesChelan County2,419 mDarrington2
Winthrop GlacierMount RainierPierce County2,369 mCrocker3
Crystal GlacierWhatcom County2,361 mPeaceful Valley2
Nisqually GlacierMount RainierPierce County2,792 mCrocker3
Crater GlacierSkamania County1,923 mAmboy3
Packwood GlacierLewis County2,106 mTieton3
Puyallup GlacierMount RainierPierce County2,456 mCrocker3
Quien Sabe GlacierNorth CascadesSkagit County2,267 mDarrington2
South Cascade GlacierSkagit County1,871 mDarrington2
South Tahoma GlacierMount RainierPierce County2,498 mEatonville3
North Mowich GlacierMount RainierPierce County2,453 mCrocker4
Carbon GlacierMount RainierPierce County1,603 mCrocker4
Coleman GlacierWhatcom County2,250 mPeaceful Valley3
East Nooksack GlacierWhatcom County1,567 mPeaceful Valley2
McAllister GlacierNorth CascadesSkagit County2,110 mDarrington2
Easton GlacierWhatcom County1,949 mPeaceful Valley3
Eldorado GlacierNorth CascadesSkagit County2,210 mDarrington2
Kautz GlacierMount RainierPierce County2,704 mEatonville3
McCall GlacierYakima County2,116 mTieton3
Ohanapecosh GlacierMount RainierPierce County2,254 mCrocker3
Paradise GlacierMount RainierPierce County2,002 mCrocker3
Queets GlacierOlympicJefferson County1,696 mPort Angeles3
Roosevelt GlacierWhatcom County2,278 mPeaceful Valley3
Russell GlacierMount RainierPierce County2,337 mCrocker4
Sarvant GlacierMount RainierPierce County1,954 mCrocker3
Whitman GlacierMount RainierPierce County2,582 mCrocker3
Wilson GlacierMount RainierPierce County2,461 mCrocker3
Boston GlacierNorth CascadesSkagit County2,075 mDarrington2
Challenger GlacierNorth CascadesWhatcom County1,989 mPeaceful Valley2
Chickamin GlacierSkagit County2,200 mDarrington3
Colchuck GlacierChelan County2,143 mLeavenworth3
Company GlacierChelan County2,091 mDarrington2
Hanging Glacier (Mount Shuksan)Whatcom County2,484 mPeaceful Valley2
Inspiration GlacierNorth CascadesSkagit County2,141 mDarrington2
Mary Green GlacierChelan County2,322 mDarrington2
Neve GlacierNorth CascadesWhatcom County2,035 mDarrington2
Price GlacierWhatcom County1,716 mPeaceful Valley2
Sulphide GlacierWhatcom County2,126 mPeaceful Valley2
Goode GlacierChelan County1,899 mDarrington2
Lyman GlacierChelan County1,989 mDarrington3
Middle Cascade GlacierSkagit County1,752 mDarrington2
Nohokomeen GlacierNorth CascadesWhatcom County2,204 mSedro-Woolley2
Yawning GlacierChelan County1,827 mDarrington2
Dome GlacierSkagit County2,347 mDarrington3
Anderson GlacierJefferson County1,648 mSeabeck3
Banded GlacierNorth CascadesSkagit County2,206 mDarrington2
Blue GlacierOlympicJefferson County1,819 mPort Angeles3
Carrie GlacierOlympicClallam County1,813 mPort Angeles3
Cowlitz GlacierMount RainierPierce County2,576 mCrocker3
Davenport GlacierNorth CascadesChelan County2,274 mDarrington2
Douglas GlacierNorth CascadesChelan County2,080 mDarrington2
Eel GlacierJefferson County1,820 mSeabeck3
Fairchild GlacierOlympicClallam County1,857 mPort Angeles3
Fremont GlacierNorth CascadesSkagit County2,439 mDarrington2
Fryingpan GlacierMount RainierPierce County2,573 mCrocker3
Hoh GlacierOlympicJefferson County1,593 mPort Angeles3
Humes GlacierOlympicJefferson County1,657 mPort Angeles3
Ingraham GlacierMount RainierPierce County2,653 mCrocker3
Inter GlacierMount RainierPierce County2,482 mCrocker3
Lillian GlacierOlympicJefferson County1,864 mPort Angeles East3
Lower Curtis GlacierNorth CascadesWhatcom County1,725 mPeaceful Valley2
North Guardian GlacierSnohomish County2,576 mDarrington3
North Klawatti GlacierNorth CascadesSkagit County1,711 mDarrington2
Sherpa GlacierChelan County2,171 mLeavenworth3
Sholes GlacierWhatcom County1,877 mPeaceful Valley3
White Chuck GlacierSnohomish County2,123 mDarrington3

Sky = estimated Bortle class (1 darkest – 9 brightest).

Map

How to photograph glaciers

Ice shows its blue best under overcast skies or in shade; bright sun turns glaciers white and flat.

  • Never walk on a glacier without training and gear; crevasses hide under snow bridges.
  • Expose carefully: ice and snow fool meters into underexposure, so add +1 to +2 stops.
  • A polarizer deepens the blue of glacial ice and the turquoise of meltwater lakes.
  • Include a person or boat for scale — glaciers are much larger than they look.
  • Boat tours to tidewater glaciers offer calving shots; use fast shutter speeds and a telephoto.

Season: Summer offers access; late summer exposes the most bare ice before new snow.