Repeat photography provides objective visual evidence of landscape change. USGS scientists created approximately sixty repeat photography pairs that document glacier change in Glacier National Park. These photograph pairs are available as a collection hosted by the USGS Photographic Library and are publicly available for download. Modern (1997 to 2019) photographs were taken from precisely the same location as historic (1887 to 1943) photographs, enabling direct comparison of the landscape then and now. The photographs document glacier change and illustrate the impact of climate warming on the glaciers of Glacier National Park.
USGS Repeat Photography Collection
Collection Highlights (some beautiful examples)
Full Collection – two platforms to browse and download images:
The Glacier RePhoto Project - view and contribute to glacier re-photo efforts in the American West
USGS Repeat Photography Project
In 1997 the USGS began re-photographing historic glacier images to document changes to the park’s namesake features. An abundance of historic glacier imagery, captured by early twentieth century photographers interested in tourism promotion and scientific study, provides the foundation for repeat photography in Glacier National Park (GNP). USGS staff and volunteers generated repeat photograph pairs by taking copies of historic photos into the field, finding the precise location where that photograph was taken, and then repeating the same photo, years apart. Historic and modern era photo pairs were then displayed side by side in Park hotels, museums, and as shown on the GNP Glacier Repeat Photos website, for viewers to compare and assess landscape change.
Repeat photo pairs were immediately popular with the media and the public as visual representations of the impact of climate change on glaciers. Efforts to capture, archive, and provide publicly accessible images became known as the USGS Repeat Photography Project, which generated a collection of over sixty repeat photo pairs. The images have inspired artistic collaborations and museum displays, the creation of teaching materials, and a variety of public uses of the imagery which include quilting, modern dance performance, and the inclusion on a gold-plated disc orbiting the Earth with a selection of images that represent humanity.
Capturing Repeat Photographs of Glaciers
Historic glacier images for the USGS Repeat Photography Project were selected from collections at Glacier National Park Archives, the University of Montana Archives Photography Collections and the USGS Photographic Library. Historic photographs were selected for repeat photography based on the image containing clearly exposed bare ice and glacier margins that are not obscured by seasonal snow. Google Earth was used to obtain approximate photo coordinates to aid relocation of the photo point in the field. Locating the precise field position of the original photo then involved triangulation of landscape features and moving up and down the hillside to replicate exact elevation.
Field excursions to capture repeat historic images were scheduled in late summer to document the glacier free of seasonal snow at the margins. Several challenges were inherent to the late summer restriction because this window of opportunity frequently coincided with inclement weather, forest fire smoke, lengthening shadows, and early winter snowfall. For example, weeks of forest fire smoke prevented re-photography during late August and early September for at least four field seasons between 1997-2019. Only a few glaciers have trails that offer easy access, therefore, visiting most of the park’s glaciers requires multi-day backcountry travel. As a result, the most accessible glacier, Grinnell Glacier, has the most repeat photo pairs (n=23) in the Glaciers of Glacier National Park Repeat Photography Collection.
Record of a Changing Landscape
Since 1997, USGS scientists repeated and established re-photo sites for over twenty different glaciers in GNP. Glacier recession is the most striking change documented by these photo pairs. Yet close inspection of the photographs in this collection reveal other landscape changes in addition to retreating glaciers. Establishment of vegetation along newly melted glacier margins and changes in forest composition are evident in multiple photo pairs (e.g. Jackson, Sperry, and Piegan Glacier images). The collection also documents some forms of human use in the park and serves as a visual record of a dynamic landscape.
The Repeat Photography Project was one chapter of USGS glacier research. This visual documentation of glacier change in Glacier National Park paved the way for ongoing studies of glacier mass balance, glacier response to climate, and regional assessments of glacier mass change. This photograph collection complements the long term records and research insight generated from the USGS Benchmark Glacier Research project.
OTHER LINKS OF INTEREST
- Glaciers of the American West – PSU
- National Snow & Ice Data Center
- Glacier RePhoto Project
- Glaciers Online
- Re-Photos
- National Park Service Repeat Photography Teacher Trunk
Teacher Resources:
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Science in Glacier National Park
Time Series of Glacier Retreat
Status of Glaciers in Glacier National Park
Glacier Monitoring Studies
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Glaciers of Glacier National Park Repeat Photography Collection
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
Boulder Glacier: circa 1910 M Elrod, Glacier National Park Archives - 8/24/2007 D Fagre & G Pederson, USGS
Boulder Glacier: circa 1910 M Elrod, Glacier National Park Archives - 8/24/2007 D Fagre & G Pederson, USGS
Blackfoot & Jackson Glaciers: 8/1/1914 EC Stebinger, USGS Photographic Library – 9/3/2009 L McKeon, USGS
Since the historic photo was taken, Blackfoot Glacier has retreated and fragmented into two separate glaciers, Blackfoot (foreground) and Jackson (distant) Glaciers.
Blackfoot & Jackson Glaciers: 8/1/1914 EC Stebinger, USGS Photographic Library – 9/3/2009 L McKeon, USGS
Since the historic photo was taken, Blackfoot Glacier has retreated and fragmented into two separate glaciers, Blackfoot (foreground) and Jackson (distant) Glaciers.
Grinnell, Gem & Salamander Glaciers: 8/9/1910 M Elrod, U of M Library – 9/27/2016 L McKeon, USGS
Grinnell, Gem & Salamander Glaciers: 8/9/1910 M Elrod, U of M Library – 9/27/2016 L McKeon, USGS
Grinnell, Gem & Salamander Glaciers: 8/9/1910 M Elrod, U of M Library – 9/27/2016 L McKeon, USGS
View the full collection at USGS Photographic Library
Grinnell, Gem & Salamander Glaciers: 8/9/1910 M Elrod, U of M Library – 9/27/2016 L McKeon, USGS
View the full collection at USGS Photographic Library
Agassiz Glacier: 8/5/1913 WC Alden, USGS Photographic Library - 8/24/2007, D Fagre, USGS
View the full collection at USGS Photographic Library
Agassiz Glacier: 8/5/1913 WC Alden, USGS Photographic Library - 8/24/2007, D Fagre, USGS
View the full collection at USGS Photographic Library
Boulder Glacier Ice Cave: 1932, TJ Hileman, GNP Archives – 1988, J DeSanto, U of M Library
This photo pair inspired the USGS to document glacier and landscape change using oblique photography.
Boulder Glacier Ice Cave: 1932, TJ Hileman, GNP Archives – 1988, J DeSanto, U of M Library
This photo pair inspired the USGS to document glacier and landscape change using oblique photography.
Chaney Glacier: 1911, MR Campbell, USGS Photographic Library – 8/19/2005 Karen Milone, USGS
View the full collection at USGS Photographic Library
Chaney Glacier: 1911, MR Campbell, USGS Photographic Library – 8/19/2005 Karen Milone, USGS
View the full collection at USGS Photographic Library
Sperry Glacier: circa 1930, MJ Elrod, U of M Library – 9/17/2008, L McKeon, USGS
Repeating this photo from the same photo point was impossible since the historic photo was shot from the elevated perspective of the glacier’s surface.
Sperry Glacier: circa 1930, MJ Elrod, U of M Library – 9/17/2008, L McKeon, USGS
Repeating this photo from the same photo point was impossible since the historic photo was shot from the elevated perspective of the glacier’s surface.
Shepard Glacier: 9/6/1913, WC Alden, USGS Photo Library – 8/21/2005, B. Reardon, USGS
Shepard Glacier: 9/6/1913, WC Alden, USGS Photo Library – 8/21/2005, B. Reardon, USGS
Jackson Glacier: 1912, MJ Elrod, U of M Library – 9/3/2009, L McKeon, USGS
Trees and vegetation continue to establish themselves at the base of Jackson Glacier as the glacier retreats.
Jackson Glacier: 1912, MJ Elrod, U of M Library – 9/3/2009, L McKeon, USGS
Trees and vegetation continue to establish themselves at the base of Jackson Glacier as the glacier retreats.
Logan and Red Eagle Glaciers: Aug. 1914, EC Stebinger, USGS Photo Library – 9/2/2009, L McKeon, USGS
These glaciers were once a continuous glacier, but became separate glaciers as retreat progressed.
Logan and Red Eagle Glaciers: Aug. 1914, EC Stebinger, USGS Photo Library – 9/2/2009, L McKeon, USGS
These glaciers were once a continuous glacier, but became separate glaciers as retreat progressed.
Swiftcurrent Glacier: circa 1910, M. Elod, GNP Archives - 9/27/2016, L McKeon, USGS
During the timespan between these photos, it is evident that Swiftcurrent Glacier has retreated and wildfire has consumed a patch of trees at the base of Swiftcurrent Mountain, the broad, beige slope in the background.
Swiftcurrent Glacier: circa 1910, M. Elod, GNP Archives - 9/27/2016, L McKeon, USGS
During the timespan between these photos, it is evident that Swiftcurrent Glacier has retreated and wildfire has consumed a patch of trees at the base of Swiftcurrent Mountain, the broad, beige slope in the background.
Grinnell and The Salamander Glaciers from the summit of Mt. Gould: 1938, TJ Hileman, GNP Archives – 9/4/2019, L McKeon, USGS
Upper Grinnell Lake has formed as the glacier has retreated. The change in height of Grinnell Glacier along the cliff face hints at volume loss during this timespan.
Grinnell and The Salamander Glaciers from the summit of Mt. Gould: 1938, TJ Hileman, GNP Archives – 9/4/2019, L McKeon, USGS
Upper Grinnell Lake has formed as the glacier has retreated. The change in height of Grinnell Glacier along the cliff face hints at volume loss during this timespan.
Below are publications associated with this project.
U.S. Geological Survey Benchmark Glacier Project
The U.S. Geological Survey Benchmark Glacier Project combines decades of direct glaciological data with remote sensing data to advance the quantitative understanding of glacier-climate interactions. The global loss of glaciers, and consequent implications for water resources, sea level rise, and ecosystem function underscores the importance of U.S. Geological Survey glaciology research to facilit
Specialized meltwater biodiversity persists despite widespread deglaciation
Parsing complex terrain controls on mountain glacier response to climate forcing
Glacier retreat in Glacier National Park, Montana
Reanalysis of the U.S. Geological Survey Benchmark Glaciers: Long-term insight into climate forcing of glacier mass balance
Glacier recession since the Little Ice Age: Implications for water storage in a Rocky Mountain landscape
Local topography increasingly influences the mass balance of a retreating cirque glacier
Glaciological measurements and mass balances from Sperry Glacier, Montana, USA, years 2005–2015
Glacier-derived August runoff in northwest Montana
Climate change links fate of glaciers and an endemic alpine invertebrate
A century of climate and ecosystem change in Western Montana: What do temperature trends portend?
Repeat photography provides objective visual evidence of landscape change. USGS scientists created approximately sixty repeat photography pairs that document glacier change in Glacier National Park. These photograph pairs are available as a collection hosted by the USGS Photographic Library and are publicly available for download. Modern (1997 to 2019) photographs were taken from precisely the same location as historic (1887 to 1943) photographs, enabling direct comparison of the landscape then and now. The photographs document glacier change and illustrate the impact of climate warming on the glaciers of Glacier National Park.
USGS Repeat Photography Collection
Collection Highlights (some beautiful examples)
Full Collection – two platforms to browse and download images:
The Glacier RePhoto Project - view and contribute to glacier re-photo efforts in the American West
USGS Repeat Photography Project
In 1997 the USGS began re-photographing historic glacier images to document changes to the park’s namesake features. An abundance of historic glacier imagery, captured by early twentieth century photographers interested in tourism promotion and scientific study, provides the foundation for repeat photography in Glacier National Park (GNP). USGS staff and volunteers generated repeat photograph pairs by taking copies of historic photos into the field, finding the precise location where that photograph was taken, and then repeating the same photo, years apart. Historic and modern era photo pairs were then displayed side by side in Park hotels, museums, and as shown on the GNP Glacier Repeat Photos website, for viewers to compare and assess landscape change.
Repeat photo pairs were immediately popular with the media and the public as visual representations of the impact of climate change on glaciers. Efforts to capture, archive, and provide publicly accessible images became known as the USGS Repeat Photography Project, which generated a collection of over sixty repeat photo pairs. The images have inspired artistic collaborations and museum displays, the creation of teaching materials, and a variety of public uses of the imagery which include quilting, modern dance performance, and the inclusion on a gold-plated disc orbiting the Earth with a selection of images that represent humanity.
Capturing Repeat Photographs of Glaciers
Historic glacier images for the USGS Repeat Photography Project were selected from collections at Glacier National Park Archives, the University of Montana Archives Photography Collections and the USGS Photographic Library. Historic photographs were selected for repeat photography based on the image containing clearly exposed bare ice and glacier margins that are not obscured by seasonal snow. Google Earth was used to obtain approximate photo coordinates to aid relocation of the photo point in the field. Locating the precise field position of the original photo then involved triangulation of landscape features and moving up and down the hillside to replicate exact elevation.
Field excursions to capture repeat historic images were scheduled in late summer to document the glacier free of seasonal snow at the margins. Several challenges were inherent to the late summer restriction because this window of opportunity frequently coincided with inclement weather, forest fire smoke, lengthening shadows, and early winter snowfall. For example, weeks of forest fire smoke prevented re-photography during late August and early September for at least four field seasons between 1997-2019. Only a few glaciers have trails that offer easy access, therefore, visiting most of the park’s glaciers requires multi-day backcountry travel. As a result, the most accessible glacier, Grinnell Glacier, has the most repeat photo pairs (n=23) in the Glaciers of Glacier National Park Repeat Photography Collection.
Record of a Changing Landscape
Since 1997, USGS scientists repeated and established re-photo sites for over twenty different glaciers in GNP. Glacier recession is the most striking change documented by these photo pairs. Yet close inspection of the photographs in this collection reveal other landscape changes in addition to retreating glaciers. Establishment of vegetation along newly melted glacier margins and changes in forest composition are evident in multiple photo pairs (e.g. Jackson, Sperry, and Piegan Glacier images). The collection also documents some forms of human use in the park and serves as a visual record of a dynamic landscape.
The Repeat Photography Project was one chapter of USGS glacier research. This visual documentation of glacier change in Glacier National Park paved the way for ongoing studies of glacier mass balance, glacier response to climate, and regional assessments of glacier mass change. This photograph collection complements the long term records and research insight generated from the USGS Benchmark Glacier Research project.
OTHER LINKS OF INTEREST
- Glaciers of the American West – PSU
- National Snow & Ice Data Center
- Glacier RePhoto Project
- Glaciers Online
- Re-Photos
- National Park Service Repeat Photography Teacher Trunk
Teacher Resources:
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Science in Glacier National Park
Time Series of Glacier Retreat
Status of Glaciers in Glacier National Park
Glacier Monitoring Studies
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Glaciers of Glacier National Park Repeat Photography Collection
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
Boulder Glacier: circa 1910 M Elrod, Glacier National Park Archives - 8/24/2007 D Fagre & G Pederson, USGS
Boulder Glacier: circa 1910 M Elrod, Glacier National Park Archives - 8/24/2007 D Fagre & G Pederson, USGS
Blackfoot & Jackson Glaciers: 8/1/1914 EC Stebinger, USGS Photographic Library – 9/3/2009 L McKeon, USGS
Since the historic photo was taken, Blackfoot Glacier has retreated and fragmented into two separate glaciers, Blackfoot (foreground) and Jackson (distant) Glaciers.
Blackfoot & Jackson Glaciers: 8/1/1914 EC Stebinger, USGS Photographic Library – 9/3/2009 L McKeon, USGS
Since the historic photo was taken, Blackfoot Glacier has retreated and fragmented into two separate glaciers, Blackfoot (foreground) and Jackson (distant) Glaciers.
Grinnell, Gem & Salamander Glaciers: 8/9/1910 M Elrod, U of M Library – 9/27/2016 L McKeon, USGS
Grinnell, Gem & Salamander Glaciers: 8/9/1910 M Elrod, U of M Library – 9/27/2016 L McKeon, USGS
Grinnell, Gem & Salamander Glaciers: 8/9/1910 M Elrod, U of M Library – 9/27/2016 L McKeon, USGS
View the full collection at USGS Photographic Library
Grinnell, Gem & Salamander Glaciers: 8/9/1910 M Elrod, U of M Library – 9/27/2016 L McKeon, USGS
View the full collection at USGS Photographic Library
Agassiz Glacier: 8/5/1913 WC Alden, USGS Photographic Library - 8/24/2007, D Fagre, USGS
View the full collection at USGS Photographic Library
Agassiz Glacier: 8/5/1913 WC Alden, USGS Photographic Library - 8/24/2007, D Fagre, USGS
View the full collection at USGS Photographic Library
Boulder Glacier Ice Cave: 1932, TJ Hileman, GNP Archives – 1988, J DeSanto, U of M Library
This photo pair inspired the USGS to document glacier and landscape change using oblique photography.
Boulder Glacier Ice Cave: 1932, TJ Hileman, GNP Archives – 1988, J DeSanto, U of M Library
This photo pair inspired the USGS to document glacier and landscape change using oblique photography.
Chaney Glacier: 1911, MR Campbell, USGS Photographic Library – 8/19/2005 Karen Milone, USGS
View the full collection at USGS Photographic Library
Chaney Glacier: 1911, MR Campbell, USGS Photographic Library – 8/19/2005 Karen Milone, USGS
View the full collection at USGS Photographic Library
Sperry Glacier: circa 1930, MJ Elrod, U of M Library – 9/17/2008, L McKeon, USGS
Repeating this photo from the same photo point was impossible since the historic photo was shot from the elevated perspective of the glacier’s surface.
Sperry Glacier: circa 1930, MJ Elrod, U of M Library – 9/17/2008, L McKeon, USGS
Repeating this photo from the same photo point was impossible since the historic photo was shot from the elevated perspective of the glacier’s surface.
Shepard Glacier: 9/6/1913, WC Alden, USGS Photo Library – 8/21/2005, B. Reardon, USGS
Shepard Glacier: 9/6/1913, WC Alden, USGS Photo Library – 8/21/2005, B. Reardon, USGS
Jackson Glacier: 1912, MJ Elrod, U of M Library – 9/3/2009, L McKeon, USGS
Trees and vegetation continue to establish themselves at the base of Jackson Glacier as the glacier retreats.
Jackson Glacier: 1912, MJ Elrod, U of M Library – 9/3/2009, L McKeon, USGS
Trees and vegetation continue to establish themselves at the base of Jackson Glacier as the glacier retreats.
Logan and Red Eagle Glaciers: Aug. 1914, EC Stebinger, USGS Photo Library – 9/2/2009, L McKeon, USGS
These glaciers were once a continuous glacier, but became separate glaciers as retreat progressed.
Logan and Red Eagle Glaciers: Aug. 1914, EC Stebinger, USGS Photo Library – 9/2/2009, L McKeon, USGS
These glaciers were once a continuous glacier, but became separate glaciers as retreat progressed.
Swiftcurrent Glacier: circa 1910, M. Elod, GNP Archives - 9/27/2016, L McKeon, USGS
During the timespan between these photos, it is evident that Swiftcurrent Glacier has retreated and wildfire has consumed a patch of trees at the base of Swiftcurrent Mountain, the broad, beige slope in the background.
Swiftcurrent Glacier: circa 1910, M. Elod, GNP Archives - 9/27/2016, L McKeon, USGS
During the timespan between these photos, it is evident that Swiftcurrent Glacier has retreated and wildfire has consumed a patch of trees at the base of Swiftcurrent Mountain, the broad, beige slope in the background.
Grinnell and The Salamander Glaciers from the summit of Mt. Gould: 1938, TJ Hileman, GNP Archives – 9/4/2019, L McKeon, USGS
Upper Grinnell Lake has formed as the glacier has retreated. The change in height of Grinnell Glacier along the cliff face hints at volume loss during this timespan.
Grinnell and The Salamander Glaciers from the summit of Mt. Gould: 1938, TJ Hileman, GNP Archives – 9/4/2019, L McKeon, USGS
Upper Grinnell Lake has formed as the glacier has retreated. The change in height of Grinnell Glacier along the cliff face hints at volume loss during this timespan.
Below are publications associated with this project.
U.S. Geological Survey Benchmark Glacier Project
The U.S. Geological Survey Benchmark Glacier Project combines decades of direct glaciological data with remote sensing data to advance the quantitative understanding of glacier-climate interactions. The global loss of glaciers, and consequent implications for water resources, sea level rise, and ecosystem function underscores the importance of U.S. Geological Survey glaciology research to facilit