Glacier Photos – Stock Photos of Alaska Glaciers

A selected portfolio of professional stock photos of glaciers. You’ll find tidewater glacier photos from  the St. Elias Mountains, in southeast Alaska, as well as piedmont glaciers from the interior of the Wrangell St. Elias National Park, and Gates of the Arctic National Park. Glacier photos include photos of glaciers calving into the ocean, deep crevasses, ogives and banding, medial, lateral and terminal moraines, and more.

Glaciers are formed when the rate of snowpack over each winter is greater than the rate of snowmelt in the summer. The process is ongoing and takes thousands of years. As the snowpack builds up over time, gravity forces it forward, and it (generally) carves its way down a mountain slope. Glaciers that terminate in the ocean, such as Hubbard Glacier or Malaspina Glacier, are called tidewater glaciers. Glaciers whose terminus is on land, in a valley or lake or by a mountainside, are called piedmont glaciers. Kuskulana Glacier is a pediment glacier, as the Bagley Icefield (the largest non polar icefield in the world).

Some of Alaska’s better known glaciers include Malaspina Glacier, Root Glacier, Tana Glacier, Hubbard Glacier and Kennicott Glacier. The St. Elias Mountain Range, in southeast Alaska, are home to some of the larger glaciers in North America.

Browse hundreds of glacier photos and examples of a helpful glacier photos searches:

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Kennecott Glacier calves and breaks up, creating unique ice shapes and forms as the ice fractures. A dusting of fresh snow signals the onset of winter. Wrangell St. Elias National Park, Alaska.
Kennicott Glacier, Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.
Mt. Churchill, Mt. Bona and the Russell Glacier make for an inspiring vista, Wrangell St. Elias National Park, Alaska. (aerial photo)
Mt Bona and Russell Glacier photo.
Small blue tarn and ice on the Tana Glacier, Wrangell - St. Elias National Park, Alaska.
Blue tarn on Tana Glacier.

An ice cave on the Kuskulana Glacier, in the Wrangell Mountains. Winter snow and freezing temperatures ice up the water of the Kuskulana River, and the this wall of ice is a myriad of patterns, colors, and textures. Kuskulana Glacier, Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.
Kuskulana Glacier, Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.
Aerial photo of Ogives on the Root Glacier, Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.
Photo of Ogives, Root Glacier, Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.
Kennicott Glacier flows off Mt. Blackburn. Medial and lateral moraines follow the path of the glacier. Kennicott Glacier, or Kennecott Glacier, Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.
Aerial photo of moraines of Kennicott Glacier, on Mt Blackburn.

Aerial photo of the Gates Glacier in Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.
Aerial photo of the Gates Glacier in Wrangell Mountains.
Crevasses cover the surface of Russell Glacier, Wrangell St. Elias National Park, Alaska.
Crevasses on Russell Glacier, Wrangell St. Elias National Park, Alaska.
Fresh snow dusts the Kennecott Glacier, as winter starts to set in Wrangell St. Elias National Park, Alaska.
Fresh snow dusts the Kennecott Glacier, in Wrangell St. Elias National Park, Alaska.

The Kennecott Glacier gives way to abstract forms and patterns, a deep blue due to the oxygen trapped in the dense ice. Wrangell St. Elias National Park, Alaska.
Photo of the blue ice from Kennicott Glacier in the Wrangell Mountains, Alaska.
Winter brings a coating of fresh snow to the Kennicott Glacier, Wrangell St. Elias National Park, Alaska.
Sculpture of ice, Kennicott Glacier, Wrangell St. Elias National Park, Alaska.
Stairway Icefall and the Root Glacier catch late day alpenglow, as a dusting of fresh snow signals the onset of winter. Wrangell St. Elias National Park, Alaska.
Stairway Icefall and the Root Glacier, Wrangell St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.

An aerial photo of ogives n Gates Glacier, in the Wrangell Mountains.Ogives, Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.
An aerial photo of ogives on Gates Glacier, Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.
Broken glacier hanging from the steep rocky face of an unnamed peak in Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.
Broken glacier hanging from an unnamed peak in near Skolai Pass.
Black and white photo of a hanging glacier on the face of Mt. Jarvis, Wrangell mountains, Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.
Black and white photo of a hanging glacier on the face of Mt. Jarvis.

Old glacier valley and geology in the Arrigetch Peaks, Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, Alaska.
Old glacier valley, Arrigetch Peaks, Gates of the Arctic National Park, Alaska.
Sprawling glacier crawls into a small alpine tarn in the Chugach Mountains, Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.
Sprawling mountain glacier crawls into a small alpine tarn in the Chugach Mountains, Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.
Ogives are bands of ice. Aerial photo of ogives on Gates Glacier in Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.
Aerial photo of ogives on Gates Glacier in Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.

Aerial photo of ice breaking and cracking on a glacier hanging on the steep sides of Mt. Blackburn, Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.
Aerial photo of a glacier hanging on the steep sides of Mt. Blackburn, Wrangell - St. Elias National Park, Alaska.
Photo of Stairway Icefall, a 7000' vertical wall of ice in the Wrangell mountains.
Photo of Stairway Icefall, a 7000' vertical wall of ice in the Wrangell mountains.
Patterns on the ice of the Gates Glacier in the Wrangell mountains. Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska. Aerial photo.
Patterns on the ice of the Gates Glacier in the Wrangell mountains

Looking directly down upon an unnamed peak, in the Saint Elias mountain range, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska - aerial photo.
Looking directly down upon a hanging glacier, in the Saint Elias mountain range.
Mount Saint Elias, 18 008' high, stands tall in the evening light over an unnamed glacier, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska - aerial photo.
An unnamed glacier flows off the face of Mount Saint Elias.
A photo of Russell Glacier and Mt. Bona in Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.
Pphoto of Russell Glacier in Wrangell - St. Elias National Park, Alaska.

Malaspina Glacier at last light, showing medial moraines and expansive plateau of the glacier toward the Saint Elias Mount Range, including Mount St. Elias, Mt Augusta, Mt. Logan and Mt. Cook. Malaspina Glacier, Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska. Aerial photo.
Aerial photo of Malaspina Glacier.
Icebergs in Disenchantment Bay and the Hubbard Glacier, Wrangell - St. Elias National Park, Alaska.
Icebergs in Disenchantment Bay and the Hubbard Glacier, Wrangell - St. Elias National Park, Alaska.
Gilbert Point and the Hubbard Glacier, Disenchantment Bay, Wrangell - St. Elias National Park, Alaska.
Gilbert Point and the Hubbard Glacier, Disenchantment Bay, Wrangell - St. Elias National Park, Alaska.

Hubbard Glacier, Gilbert Point, in Disenchantment Bay, Wrangell - St. Elias National Park, Alaska.
Hubbard Glacier, tidewater glacier and Disenchantment Bay, Alaska
The towering precipices of the Hubbard Glacier, at Gilbert Point, Russell Fjord and the mouth of Disenchantment Bay, Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.
The blue face of Hubbard Glacier
Gilbert Point, the Hubbard Glacier and Mt Seattle, Disenchantment Bay, Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska. Aerial photo.
The Hubbard Glacier and Mt Seattle, Disenchantment Bay, Wrangell - St. Elias National Par, Alaska.

Marbled moraines on the edge of the Malaspina Glacier, below towering Mt. Cook, in the Saint Elias Mountain Range. Mount Cook, Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.
The incredible patterns of the moraines on Malaspina Glacier, & Mt. Cook, Alaska.
the Hubbard Glacier calving massive sheets of ice into Russell Fjord at Gilbert Point. The Hubbard Glacier is known as the calvingest glacier in the world, and lives up to its reputation. Hubbard Glacier, Russell Fjord and Disenchantment Bay, Wrangell St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.
Hubbard Glacier calving massive sheets of ice into Russell Fjord at Gilbert Point.
Ice calving off the Hubbard Glacier, a tidewater glacier in Disenchantment Bay, Wrangell - St. Elias National Park, Alaska.
A tidewater glacier in Disenchantment Bay, Wrangell - St. Elias National Park, Alaska.

Massive calving and crevassing on the Tana Glacier, near Ross Green Lake and the headwaters of the Tana River. The Tana Glacier is a piedmont Glacier. Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska/
The Tana Glacier is a piedmont Glacier. Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.
Medial moraine bands line and encircle the Malaspina Glacier in Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska. Aerial photo.
Medial moraine of Malaspina Glacier in Wrangell - St. Elias National Park, Alaska.
Malaspina Glacier at last light, showing medial moraines and expansive plateau of the glacier toward the Saint Elias Mount Range. Malspina Glacier, Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska. Aerial photo.
Malaspina Glacier at last light.

Spruce trees grow on top of the Malaspina Glacier, a tidewater glacier in Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.
Spruce trees grow on top of the Malaspina Glacier, a tidewater glacier.
icebergs fill icy Bay, remnants of the rapidly calving Guyot Glacier in Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.
icebergs in icy Bay, remnants of the rapidly calving Guyot Glacier.
Two hikers walk beneath the Yahtse Glacier, a tidewater glacier calving into Icy Bay, Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.
Two hikers and the Yahtse Glacier, Icy Bay.

Ice calves off the Yahtse Glacier into Icy Bay, beneath the towering Mt. St. Elias. Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.
Ice calves off the Yahtse Glacier into Icy Bay.
An aerial view of a broken glacier formed on the steep jagged crags of a mountain in the St. Elias Mountains Range. Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.
Aerial photo of hanging glacier on the St. Elias Mountains.
A moulin, or hole in the ice, filled with deep blue water, on the Root Glacier, Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.
A moulin, or hole in the ice, on the Root Glacier, Alaska.

Two backpackers hiking across the Malaspina Glacier, alongside a medial moraine, Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.
Two backpackers hiking across the Malaspina Glacier.
In Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Mt. St. Elias towers above the Malaspina Glacier.
Mt. St. Elias towers above the Malaspina Glacier.
Kennecott Glacier calves and breaks up, creating unique ice shapes and forms as the ice fractures. A dusting of fresh snow signals the onset of winter. Wrangell St. Elias National Park, Alaska.
Deep crevasse in Kennicott Glacier, Wrangell - St. Elias National Park, Alaska.

Contact me to inquire about licensing any of these photos.

More Notes about Glacier Photos

Roughly 10% of earth is covered with glacial ice, and these glaciers store over 70% of the world’s freshwater. In Washington state alone, glaciers provide 1.8 trillion liters (470 billion gallons) of water each summer.
Most of the glaciers in the US are in Alaska, and the longest glacier in Alaska is the Bering Glacier, at 127 miles long. The Bagley Icefield is longer, but as it doesn’t “flow” it’s an ice field, not a true glacier. Many other glaciers flow off the Bagley, however.

With global climate change a reality, the earth is now between ice ages, and another Ice Age is probably due in several thousand years. Glaciers are good indicators of climate change, and offer valuable signals as to these processes and changes.

The blue ice often seen in glacier photos is a function of the density of the ice. As the weight of the accumulating snow forces any remaining air out of the ice, the ice crystals absorbs all other colors from the spectrum, and reflect blue. As glacial ice becomes exposed to the air, air bubbles find their way into the ice, and the ice loses its deep blue color and becomes whiter.

For licensing or purchasing any of these glacier photos, please contact Carl Donohue.