Glacier National Park Ice Patch Survey Report

Kelly, Robert; Lee, Craig

Brief Description: Progress report for year one (2010) of a 3-year study to investigate ice patch archaeology in alpine and sub-alpine environments within Glacier National Park. Full Description: The "Ice Patches as Sources of Archeological and Paleoecological Data in Climate Change Research in Glacier National Park" project is a three year effort to investigate and document ice/snow patches in Glacier National Park in order to identify archeological, ethnographic, and paleobiological resources endangered by recent climate change and to recover archeological and paleoecological data relevant to global warming research. Forty-nine ice patches were identified for sampling and all but one were visitied during the 2010 field season. No artifacts were found. A number of paleobiological specimens were found; only one of these appears to be from a rooted tree. These are being identified at the University of Wyoming and several will be submitted for radiocarbon dates.