Artist: Sean Neilson

Johns Hopkins Glacier is one of the few glaciers, not just in Glacier Bay, but in the world, that is advancing. This begs the question, “How can this glacier advance, when neighboring glaciers are retreating?” The answer is microclimates. It is likely that the Johns Hopkins Glacier accumulation area is high enough in elevation that warming conditions are actually providing more snow than previously; this overbalances the ice loss as the glacier flows to the lowlands, allowing the glacier to advance. The adjacent areas are not receiving as much snow, and therefore the glaciers issuing from them continue to melt and withdraw.