Denali glacier speeding downhill
By Morgan Krakow, Anchorage Daily News
Published: April 20, 2021, 6:02am
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The view from Eielson visitor center in Denali National Park. (Jeffrey Kreulen/Dreamstime)
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A Denali glacier suddenly moving at a speedier clip is intriguing scientists, increasing the risk of nearby flooding and potentially closing off some climbing routes on the mountain this season.
Muldrow Glacier — which begins on Denali’s northeastern slope and flows to form the McKinley River — is experiencing a geologic phenomenon: a surge event.
The glacier, which usually moves at an average or slow speed, is now jagged and covered with crevasses as it stretches and moves 50 to 100 times faster than normal, according to the National Park Service.