Geomorphologist Paul Kennard calls Mount Rainier National Park the canary in a coal mine when it comes to climate change. Glaciers on Rainier melt at a rapid rate, causing issues with the park’s rivers and wildlife. And, resource rangers are at the forefront of dealing with a rapidly changing environment. On this episode of Podcasts with Park Rangers, we talk about the effects of climate change on the most glaciated peak in the lower 48 states.
 
Show Notes found at: https://www.virtualkamper.com/pwpr22/
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Podcast Resources:

* Mount Rainier NP – NPS Website
* An Ascent of Mount Rainier by John Muir
* Episode 21: Mt Rainier NP – Volcanic Activity and Park Geology

Topics Covered

* About Paul Kennard
* Glaciers at Mount Rainier
* What is a Glacier?
* Glacial Formation at Mount Rainier
* Seasonal Changes at Mount Rainier
* How Do We Measure the Amount the Glaciers Have Receded?
* Issues Caused by Climate Change at Mount Rainier
* Debris Flows in Mount Rainier
* How Do We Deal with Climate Change Issues?
* The Pineapple Express of 2006
* Why Climate Change Study at Mount Rainier Important?
* Paul’s Love for Mount Rainier National Park and the NPS
* Thanks to Our Listeners – Let’s Connect More!

About Paul Kennard
Since 2003, Paul has worked as the regional geomorphologist for Mount Rainier National Park. Geomorphologists study landscape features and look at the forces which create and destroy them. Paul calls it “geology on steroids” because unlike most geology, a lot of these changes occur in time spans as little as hours and up to about a decade.
Paul’s background in the oil industry, studying changes in glaciers, and research on forestry effects on salmon in rivers put him in a unique to work for the National Park Service when the position opened at Mount Rainier.
Glaciers at Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier is quite striking in it stands nearly 2 miles higher than all the other mountains in the area and because it’s capped with glaciers.
The number of glaciers at Rainier fluctuates due to definitions and climate change. At the time of this recording, there are 29 named glaciers at the mountain’s peak. Paul anticipates this number to decrease because of climate change — especially the ones located lower on the mountain.
What is a Glacier?
A Glacier is a body of perennial ice. The ice actually moves under its own weight like a slow river. This movement differentiates a glacier from a perennial snowfield, which stays in place.
Snow from the winter accumulates, and when it sits over the winter, ice forms at the top of the glacier. The glacial ice flows to a lower part of the mountain and melts. The ice formation at the top and the melt at the bottom are definitive features of a glacier.
Mount Rainier is the most glaciated peak in lower ...