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Rephotos of Mount Shasta Glaciers



I visited Mount Shasta on September 7, 2012 to reoccupy glacier photo stations established by Phil Rhodes in 1974. Phil is an expert on Mount Shasta’s glaciers and photographed the glaciers for several decades. I was fortunate to meet up with Phil for the first day of photographic surveys on Hotlum Glacier. Phil was invaluable in describing routes to stations and sharing his observations. I visited 10 of his stations at Hotlum, Bolam, Whitney, and Wintun glaciers over several days to record the station locations and rephotograph the scenes.
Bolam Glacier: 1977 to 2012
The photo comparisons reveal the complex changes that have been occurring on Mount Shasta since the 1970s. Bolam Glacier receded, the Lower Wintun Glacier advanced, while others appear fairly stable. Past research has shown Whitney Glacier advancing since the 1950s through the early 2000s. The surface of Whitney Glacier appears to have lowered over the past 30 years from a photo station at 10,000 ft elevation. The photo comparisons also capture the lowering of the terminal moraines at Hotlum Glacier.

I established two new rephoto stations, one of Mud Creek Canyon and another on the south side of Mount Shasta based on historical photographs. I was excited to rephotograph a scene captured by C.E. Watkins in 1870, making it the oldest repeat photograph that I have taken. The advance in treeline is apparent in the foreground. Close inspection reveals the addition of roads and trails.

South side of Mount Shasta: 1870 to 2012

The full album for Mount Shasta can be viewed here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/115462382238657018379/MountShastaRePhoto


The Glacier RePhoto Database project is created by Hassan Basagic, with funding from a Mazamas Research Grant and an American Alpine Club Nikwax Alpine Bellwether Grant, and in collaboration with Andrew Fountain and the Glaciers of the American West Project at Portland State University (//glaciers.us).
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