There are many ways to describe climate. One way is based on atmospheric factors such as: 1) Moist, 2) Dry, 3) Cold, 4) Warm, 5) Abundant Rain and 6) Arid. Based on these factors, we may distinguish: 1) Glacial Climates, when glacial conditions become widespread, 2) Inter-Glacial Climates, 3) Fluvial / Lacustrine Spells, when rivers and lakes increase, 4) Inter-Fluvial / Lacustrine Spells and 5) Deserts.

Because glaciers react to climate not weather, they can tell us a lot about climate. Examining the geological record tells us about the earth’s ancient glaciers and studying the state of current glaciers tells us what is happening now. Comparing today’s glaciers to ancient glaciers allows us to make some predictions about where our climate is going.

Not only are glaciers a source of abundant climatic information, they are majestic physical structures of great beauty. As we see in this photograph of Mount Robson Glacier.