Malaspina Glacier
Malaspina Glacier is a vast, persistent body of floating ice and snow in southeastern Alaska. Known for massive ice volume and slow flow, it terminates in Yakutat Bay.
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Geography
| Continent | North America |
|---|---|
| Region | Alaska |
| Subregion | Pacific Coast |
| Country | United States |
| State | Alaska |
| County | Yakutat Borough |
| District | Prince William Sound |
| City | Yakutat |
| Neighborhood | Glacier |
| Timezone | AmericaAnchorage |
| Latitude | 60 |
| Longitude | -137 |
| Maps |
5:14 PM LOCAL TIMEMalaspina Glacier ranks as the world’s largest tidewater pied glacier by volume, covering approximately 2,540 km² between Yakutat Bay and the Fairweather Range. Named after the early 19th-century explorer Aleixo Malaspina, the glacier is characterized by slow-moving ice and complex calving dynamics. It flows from high icefields in the St. Elias–Yakutat–Taku region, with outlet channels feeding into Yakutat Bay, where large icebergs are periodically calved and ship access is limited. Visitors to the area often focus on remote backcountry travel, glacier viewing from aerial or maritime vantage points, and studying the glacier’s response to regional climate change. Safety considerations include unpredictable breakouts, crevassed terrain, and rapidly changing terminus.
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