Cannon, C.M. and Fountain. A.G. Where Is Benson Glacier

Whereis theBenson Glqcier (if it StillExistsl? by ChorlesM. Connonond AndrewG. Fountoin,Portlond Stote University

Introduction topographic maps (Fountain et al., 2007). This particular featureis basedon USGS aerialphotographs taken in 1981. The Benson Glacier is located in the \WallowaMountains A sudy of landscape change in northeastern Oregon of northeastern Oregon. It was named for former Oregon (Skovlinet al., 2001) describesthe BensonGlacier as a feature governor Frank \fl Benson by a mountaineering expedidon on the northwest slope of Glacier Peak (informal name) in I9I4 (Skovlinet al., 2001). The USGS GeographicNames (Figure l). It is our understanding through the lay literature Information System (GNIS) lists a Board of Geographic (Sullivan, 1999) and through informed conversations that Names decision year of 1944 and an entry date of 22-May- the glacial feature on Glacier Peak is colloquially considered 1986. BensonGlacier is not labeledon the USGS 7%-minute Benson Glacier. Comparing recent (2007) oblique aerial Eagle Cap quadrangle (1990). Exactly which glacier is the images (Figure 2) depicting the same Benson Glacier photo- actual Benson is unclear. graphed in Skovlin et al. (2001) with georectified vertical Locqlion aerial imagery (Figure 3) and topographic map, it is apparent The location of BensonGlacier is inconsistent.The GNIS that the glacier Skovlin identifies is in a different location than lists coordinates in decimal degrees (NADS3 Datum) of the BensonGlacier location as defined by the GNIS. (-1I7.3010137, 45.1655423) and the Portland StateUniver- Glacier Peakis a 9,495-foot sub-peakof Eagle Cap and lies sity Glaciers of the American \fest (GlaciersOnline) database on its southeastridge. A mountaineeringexpedition in 1914 shows a permanent snow or ice feature about 170 meters acquired photographs of what they identified as Eagle Cap (David southwest of this point with that name. This glacier feature, Glacier(s) Jensen, personal communication, photo- like all the rest on this \7eb site, was taken directly from USGS graphs from'S?'allowaCounry Museum). Basedon landmarks, thesephotographs appear to be taken from the northwest slope of Glacier Peak.Stadter (1931) notes a small ice field on Eagle Cap, but does not specify exactly where it is located. Bentley (1974) statesthat a glacierexisted in a depressionlocated at the head of Glacier Lake cirque in 1940, but that "one would be hard-pressedto identify a'glacier' in the \WallowaMountains." It is clearfrom Figure 4 that the glacialfeature on EagleCap, the GNIS Benson Glacier, is a rock glacier, or debris-covered glacier.The location of the GNIS point is probably closeto this feature. The Skovlin et al. Benson Glacier appearsto be a true glacier-a perennial body of ice that moves (Paterson, 1994). Ve noted some anecdotal discussions in the lay communiry whether this feature is really a glacier or stagnant Photoby Horley Richardson ice. Close inspectionof a September2007 aerialphotograph by John Scurlock shows crevasses,an indicator of movement. Thereforewe concludethat the Skovlin et al. (2001) Benson Glacier is a true glacier. However this classification is just a fine point. This glacier is so small that continued shrinkage will soon result in a sraqnantice mass. Summory There are rwo featuresthat have been identified as Benson Glacier: the official GNIS location is the feature on Eagle Capt north face, and the one colloquially considered to be Benson Glacier is located on Glacier Peak along Eagle Capt southeastridge. Both of these featuresare visible in Figure 4. W'e believe the feature on Glacier Peak to be the true Benson 1992 Photoby DovidJensen Glacier given the cultural history of the photographs, recent Figure1: Repeotphotogroph of BensonGlocier from identification in the published literature, its visibiliry from Skovlinet ol. (200'l). The photocoption stotes thot "The Glacier Lake (a commonly visited location), and that it is a peok shown in the photogrophis informollyknown os true glacier. Correspondingly, we believe the GNiS identifica- GlocierPeok. Glocier Peok is o sotellitepoint olong Eogle tion is an error becausethe feature is essentiallya rock glacier Cop Ridge,which is the centrolwotershed feoture of the with little or no snow and is, as far as we can tell, undocu- WollowoMountoin Botholith." mented in the scientific and lay literature. A

32 FeotureArticles Acknowledgements Nylen, T., and Percy,D., 2007,Digital Outlines and Topography of the Glaciers of the American \fest: U.S. Special thanhs to Dauid Jensenfor sharing his hnowledge of Geological the Wallowa Mountains with us. Much appreciation goes io Survey Open-File Report 2006-1340,23 p. Matt Hoffinan Paterson,'V7:S.B.,1994, ThePhyics of Gkciers,3rd for his reuiew of this paper and suggestionsfor its edition: improuement. New York, Pergamon Press,480 p. References Skovlin,J.M., Strickler,G.S., Peterson,J.L., and Sampson, A.\il: 2001, Interpreting LandscapeChange in High Bentley, E.8., 1974, The Glacial Morphology of Eastern Mountains of Northeastern Oregon from Long-term Oregon Uplands: Ph.D. thesis, University of Oregon, Repeat Photography. United StatesDepartment of Agri- 250p. culture General Technical Report PNSf-GTR-505. Fountain,A.G., Hoffrnan, M., Jackson,K., Basagic,H., Stadter,F.'W:, 1931, Glaciation in the \Tallowas: Mazama Annual,v. 13, no. 12,p.26-31. Sullivan, W, L., 1999, Exploring Oregon'sWild Areas, 2nd edidon: Seattle,The Mountaineers,302 p.

Flgur"3: Vertic.oloeriol imoge(TerroServerJ of the Eogle Cop vicinity illushotingpossible locotionsof Benson Glocier.

Figure4: EogleCop northfoce showing both feotures thot could possiblybe BensonGlocier. ThJ snow,/icefeoture Figure 2: Motching londmorks between verticol in the bockgroundis the BensonGlocier of Skovlinet (T-eroServer) ond obliqueimoge token by JohnScurlock ol. {2001). The feoturein the foregroundis the Benson of the regionnorthwest of GlocierPeok. Glocieros identifiedby GNIS ond GlociersOnline.

FeotureArticles 33,, ... ',-:,. TheAnnuol Journol of theMozomos Vol.XC, No. | 3 o December2008

PequefroAlpomoyo.See the Bolivioorticle on Photoby SteveHeikkilo

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