Left image: Landsat 5 image of Columbia Glacier, Alaska on Sept. 14, 1986.
Right image: Landsat 9 image of Columbia Glacier, Alaska on Sept. 17, 2025.
Christopher McNeil
My research focuses on understanding the ways glaciers change in area, volume, and mass at basin-to-regional spatial scales, and how those changes impact local ecosystems and global sea level.
My projects synthesize both in-situ and remotely sensed data of glacier change ranging from Alaska to the Contiguous United States. Research includes reanalyzing the longest in-situ records of glacier change in North America to homogenize the U.S. Geological Survey’s traditional glacier monitoring network. Additionally, my research extends to understanding the factors (hypsometry, snow accumulation patterns, energy balances, dynamic processes) that drive variable glacier change rates at the mountain range scale. This work leverages historical aerial imagery, high resolution commercial satellite imagery, open-source computing platforms, geospatial analyses, and high-performance computing.
Science and Products
Glaciers and Landscape Change
Mountain glaciers are dynamic reservoirs of frozen water, deeply interconnected with their surrounding ecosystems. Glacier change in North America has major societal impacts, including to water resources, natural hazard risk, tourism disruption, fisheries, and global sea level change. Understanding and quantifying precise connections between changing glaciers, the surrounding landscape and climate...
Mass Balance Methods: Measuring Glacier Change
Nearly all of Earth's alpine glaciers are losing mass, with consequences for freshwater resources, landscape stability, regional ecosystems, and global sea level. Rates of glacier mass loss in Western North America and Alaska are among the highest on Earth (The GlaMBIE Team, 2025).
Additional Research Glaciers
The USGS Glacier Project has conducted research beyond the Benchmark Glaciers, both past and present. This work has focused on infrastructure hazards, rapid glacier change, landscape destabilization, and glacier dynamics and processes not captured by the Benchmark Glacier network. These glaciers include Black Rapids, Kahiltna, Kennicott, Columbia, Hubbard, and Taku.
Gulkana Glacier
Gulkana Glacier is located in the high-latitude continental climate regime of Alaska’s Delta Mountains. Glacier observations began at this site in 1966 and continue through present as the northern most USGS Benchmark Glacier.
2025 USGS Benchmark Glaciers Executive Summary
2025 Data Now Available: Explore how the USGS Benchmark Glaciers have changed in 2025
Columbia Glacier change between 1986 and 2025
Left image: Landsat 5 image of Columbia Glacier, Alaska on Sept. 14, 1986.
Right image: Landsat 9 image of Columbia Glacier, Alaska on Sept. 17, 2025.
Taku Glacier change between 1948 and 2018
Left image: Aerial image of Taku Glacier in 1948. The Norris Glacier can be seen on the lower left hand corner and the Hole-in-the-Wall Glacier in the upper center portion of the image. Citation: McNeil, C. J., and Baker, E.
Left image: Aerial image of Taku Glacier in 1948. The Norris Glacier can be seen on the lower left hand corner and the Hole-in-the-Wall Glacier in the upper center portion of the image. Citation: McNeil, C. J., and Baker, E.
Aerial photographs of South Cascade Glacier represent 57 years of change
Aerial photographs of South Cascade Glacier represent 57 years of changeAerial photograph of South Cascade Glacier, WA taken August 13th, 1958 (before image) and October 14th, 2015 (after image).
Aerial photographs of South Cascade Glacier represent 57 years of change
Aerial photographs of South Cascade Glacier represent 57 years of changeAerial photograph of South Cascade Glacier, WA taken August 13th, 1958 (before image) and October 14th, 2015 (after image).
Columbia Glacier 2025
Landsat 9 image of Columbia Glacier, Alaska on Sept. 17, 2025.
Landsat 9 image of Columbia Glacier, Alaska on Sept. 17, 2025.
Gulkana Glacier area change, 1957 - 2021
Gulkana Glacier area change, from 1957 - 2021. Gulkana Glacier is located along the south flank of the eastern Alaska Range.
Gulkana Glacier area change, from 1957 - 2021. Gulkana Glacier is located along the south flank of the eastern Alaska Range.
Taku Glacier, Alaska retreat
2019 Juneau Icefield Research Program (JIRP) students during a four day and 83 kilometers ski traverse across Taku Glacier, carrying all their food, water, clothing, tents, and science gear as they help measure the mass balance along the way.
2019 Juneau Icefield Research Program (JIRP) students during a four day and 83 kilometers ski traverse across Taku Glacier, carrying all their food, water, clothing, tents, and science gear as they help measure the mass balance along the way.
Glacier mass balance measurements on Taku Glacier, Alaska
Glacier mass balance measurements on Taku Glacier, AlaskaStudents Stacey Edmonsond (left) and Audrey Erickson (right) of the Juneau Icefield Research Program, measuring glacier mass balance at the flow divide of Taku and Mendenhall glaciers during the summer of 2019
Glacier mass balance measurements on Taku Glacier, Alaska
Glacier mass balance measurements on Taku Glacier, AlaskaStudents Stacey Edmonsond (left) and Audrey Erickson (right) of the Juneau Icefield Research Program, measuring glacier mass balance at the flow divide of Taku and Mendenhall glaciers during the summer of 2019
Taku Range, Juneau Icefield, Alaska
Image of the Taku towers, among the Taku Range at Taku Glacier during the summer of 2019
Image of the Taku towers, among the Taku Range at Taku Glacier during the summer of 2019
Satellite image of Taku Glacier in October 1, 2018
Satellite image of Taku Glacier in October 1, 2018Satellite image of Taku Glacier in October 1, 2018. The Norris Glacier can be seen on the lower left hand corner and the Hole-in-the-Wall Glacier in the upper center portion of the image. Citation: McNeil, C. J., and Baker, E.
Satellite image of Taku Glacier in October 1, 2018
Satellite image of Taku Glacier in October 1, 2018Satellite image of Taku Glacier in October 1, 2018. The Norris Glacier can be seen on the lower left hand corner and the Hole-in-the-Wall Glacier in the upper center portion of the image. Citation: McNeil, C. J., and Baker, E.
Satellite image of Taku Glacier
Satellite image of Taku Glacier in October 1, 2018. The Norris Glacier can be seen on the lower left hand corner and the Hole-in-the-Wall Glacier in the upper center portion of the image.
Satellite image of Taku Glacier in October 1, 2018. The Norris Glacier can be seen on the lower left hand corner and the Hole-in-the-Wall Glacier in the upper center portion of the image.
South Cascade Glacier October 14th, 2015
Aerial photograph of South Cascade Glacier, WA taken October 14th, 2015.
Aerial photograph of South Cascade Glacier, WA taken October 14th, 2015.
Aerial image of Taku Glacier, Alaska 1948
Aerial image of Taku Glacier in 1948. The Norris Glacier can be seen on the lower left hand corner and the Hole-in-the-Wall Glacier in the upper center portion of the image. Citation: McNeil, C. J., and Baker, E. H., 2019, Geodetic data for Juneau Icefield Glaciers: orthophotos, digital elevation models, and glacier boundaries (ver 1.0, August, 2019): U.S.
Aerial image of Taku Glacier in 1948. The Norris Glacier can be seen on the lower left hand corner and the Hole-in-the-Wall Glacier in the upper center portion of the image. Citation: McNeil, C. J., and Baker, E. H., 2019, Geodetic data for Juneau Icefield Glaciers: orthophotos, digital elevation models, and glacier boundaries (ver 1.0, August, 2019): U.S.
Columbia Glacier 1986
Landsat 5 image of Columbia Glacier, Alaska on Sept. 14, 1986.
Landsat 5 image of Columbia Glacier, Alaska on Sept. 14, 1986.
South Cascade Glacier August 13th, 1958
Aerial photograph of South Cascade Glacier, WA taken August 13th, 1958.
Aerial photograph of South Cascade Glacier, WA taken August 13th, 1958.
Science and Products
Glaciers and Landscape Change
Mountain glaciers are dynamic reservoirs of frozen water, deeply interconnected with their surrounding ecosystems. Glacier change in North America has major societal impacts, including to water resources, natural hazard risk, tourism disruption, fisheries, and global sea level change. Understanding and quantifying precise connections between changing glaciers, the surrounding landscape and climate...
Mass Balance Methods: Measuring Glacier Change
Nearly all of Earth's alpine glaciers are losing mass, with consequences for freshwater resources, landscape stability, regional ecosystems, and global sea level. Rates of glacier mass loss in Western North America and Alaska are among the highest on Earth (The GlaMBIE Team, 2025).
Additional Research Glaciers
The USGS Glacier Project has conducted research beyond the Benchmark Glaciers, both past and present. This work has focused on infrastructure hazards, rapid glacier change, landscape destabilization, and glacier dynamics and processes not captured by the Benchmark Glacier network. These glaciers include Black Rapids, Kahiltna, Kennicott, Columbia, Hubbard, and Taku.
Gulkana Glacier
Gulkana Glacier is located in the high-latitude continental climate regime of Alaska’s Delta Mountains. Glacier observations began at this site in 1966 and continue through present as the northern most USGS Benchmark Glacier.
2025 USGS Benchmark Glaciers Executive Summary
2025 Data Now Available: Explore how the USGS Benchmark Glaciers have changed in 2025
Columbia Glacier change between 1986 and 2025
Left image: Landsat 5 image of Columbia Glacier, Alaska on Sept. 14, 1986.
Right image: Landsat 9 image of Columbia Glacier, Alaska on Sept. 17, 2025.
Left image: Landsat 5 image of Columbia Glacier, Alaska on Sept. 14, 1986.
Right image: Landsat 9 image of Columbia Glacier, Alaska on Sept. 17, 2025.
Taku Glacier change between 1948 and 2018
Left image: Aerial image of Taku Glacier in 1948. The Norris Glacier can be seen on the lower left hand corner and the Hole-in-the-Wall Glacier in the upper center portion of the image. Citation: McNeil, C. J., and Baker, E.
Left image: Aerial image of Taku Glacier in 1948. The Norris Glacier can be seen on the lower left hand corner and the Hole-in-the-Wall Glacier in the upper center portion of the image. Citation: McNeil, C. J., and Baker, E.
Aerial photographs of South Cascade Glacier represent 57 years of change
Aerial photographs of South Cascade Glacier represent 57 years of changeAerial photograph of South Cascade Glacier, WA taken August 13th, 1958 (before image) and October 14th, 2015 (after image).
Aerial photographs of South Cascade Glacier represent 57 years of change
Aerial photographs of South Cascade Glacier represent 57 years of changeAerial photograph of South Cascade Glacier, WA taken August 13th, 1958 (before image) and October 14th, 2015 (after image).
Columbia Glacier 2025
Landsat 9 image of Columbia Glacier, Alaska on Sept. 17, 2025.
Landsat 9 image of Columbia Glacier, Alaska on Sept. 17, 2025.
Gulkana Glacier area change, 1957 - 2021
Gulkana Glacier area change, from 1957 - 2021. Gulkana Glacier is located along the south flank of the eastern Alaska Range.
Gulkana Glacier area change, from 1957 - 2021. Gulkana Glacier is located along the south flank of the eastern Alaska Range.
Taku Glacier, Alaska retreat
2019 Juneau Icefield Research Program (JIRP) students during a four day and 83 kilometers ski traverse across Taku Glacier, carrying all their food, water, clothing, tents, and science gear as they help measure the mass balance along the way.
2019 Juneau Icefield Research Program (JIRP) students during a four day and 83 kilometers ski traverse across Taku Glacier, carrying all their food, water, clothing, tents, and science gear as they help measure the mass balance along the way.
Glacier mass balance measurements on Taku Glacier, Alaska
Glacier mass balance measurements on Taku Glacier, AlaskaStudents Stacey Edmonsond (left) and Audrey Erickson (right) of the Juneau Icefield Research Program, measuring glacier mass balance at the flow divide of Taku and Mendenhall glaciers during the summer of 2019
Glacier mass balance measurements on Taku Glacier, Alaska
Glacier mass balance measurements on Taku Glacier, AlaskaStudents Stacey Edmonsond (left) and Audrey Erickson (right) of the Juneau Icefield Research Program, measuring glacier mass balance at the flow divide of Taku and Mendenhall glaciers during the summer of 2019
Taku Range, Juneau Icefield, Alaska
Image of the Taku towers, among the Taku Range at Taku Glacier during the summer of 2019
Image of the Taku towers, among the Taku Range at Taku Glacier during the summer of 2019
Satellite image of Taku Glacier in October 1, 2018
Satellite image of Taku Glacier in October 1, 2018Satellite image of Taku Glacier in October 1, 2018. The Norris Glacier can be seen on the lower left hand corner and the Hole-in-the-Wall Glacier in the upper center portion of the image. Citation: McNeil, C. J., and Baker, E.
Satellite image of Taku Glacier in October 1, 2018
Satellite image of Taku Glacier in October 1, 2018Satellite image of Taku Glacier in October 1, 2018. The Norris Glacier can be seen on the lower left hand corner and the Hole-in-the-Wall Glacier in the upper center portion of the image. Citation: McNeil, C. J., and Baker, E.
Satellite image of Taku Glacier
Satellite image of Taku Glacier in October 1, 2018. The Norris Glacier can be seen on the lower left hand corner and the Hole-in-the-Wall Glacier in the upper center portion of the image.
Satellite image of Taku Glacier in October 1, 2018. The Norris Glacier can be seen on the lower left hand corner and the Hole-in-the-Wall Glacier in the upper center portion of the image.
South Cascade Glacier October 14th, 2015
Aerial photograph of South Cascade Glacier, WA taken October 14th, 2015.
Aerial photograph of South Cascade Glacier, WA taken October 14th, 2015.
Aerial image of Taku Glacier, Alaska 1948
Aerial image of Taku Glacier in 1948. The Norris Glacier can be seen on the lower left hand corner and the Hole-in-the-Wall Glacier in the upper center portion of the image. Citation: McNeil, C. J., and Baker, E. H., 2019, Geodetic data for Juneau Icefield Glaciers: orthophotos, digital elevation models, and glacier boundaries (ver 1.0, August, 2019): U.S.
Aerial image of Taku Glacier in 1948. The Norris Glacier can be seen on the lower left hand corner and the Hole-in-the-Wall Glacier in the upper center portion of the image. Citation: McNeil, C. J., and Baker, E. H., 2019, Geodetic data for Juneau Icefield Glaciers: orthophotos, digital elevation models, and glacier boundaries (ver 1.0, August, 2019): U.S.
Columbia Glacier 1986
Landsat 5 image of Columbia Glacier, Alaska on Sept. 14, 1986.
Landsat 5 image of Columbia Glacier, Alaska on Sept. 14, 1986.
South Cascade Glacier August 13th, 1958
Aerial photograph of South Cascade Glacier, WA taken August 13th, 1958.
Aerial photograph of South Cascade Glacier, WA taken August 13th, 1958.