White River Glacier | Portland State University | Sean McCormick | Pat Haverfield

The Melting Point

by Jack Boulware

Whether or not you believe in global warming, the fact remains that a vast majority of the world's glaciers are shrinking. • Photographs by Sean McCormick • Type photographed by Pat Haverfield

At 11,239 feet, Mount Hood measures as the tallest peak in Oregon. Inside the offices of the Timberline Mountain Guides (TMG), Joe Owens and Phil Bowker introduce themselves to our one-day climbing class. Coincidentally, both guides are originally from Ireland, and between the two of them, they have experience scaling summits all over the world. ¶ Our group of 10 sits on benches, decked out in fleece and equipped with crampons and axes. Mountaineering is one of those activities that require a lot of gear. We all look extremely professional.

Early tomorrow morning, we will return to this room and then head up Mount Hood in the dark. There will be one major difference, though: While the rest of the class will attempt to reach the summit, my destination will be the White River Glacier.

White River is one of 11 glaciers on Mount Hood, and according to data compiled by Portland State University (PSU), it has already lost 61 percent of its volume. Whether you believe in global warming or insist that climate change is a figment of Al Gore's fevered imagination, you need only compare aerial photos of just about any glacier - including White River - taken over the years to notice a problem: In the most elemental terms, there's less white than before.