the history and glacial extent of Washington’s magnificent glaciers. Washington's varied landscapes were shaped by the force of glaciers. After Alaska, Washington is the second most glaciated state in the US. Glaciers are found on nearly all the high mountains in the state: the Olympic Mountains; the North Cascade and Stuart ranges; all the major volcanoes; and Goat Rocks. Several national parks (Olympic, North Cascades, and Mount Rainier) provide an opportunity to enjoy the beauty of these glaciers. During the last ice age (Pleistocene), an ice sheet nearly a mile thick covered much of Puget Sound, carving its north to south pattern of hills. In Eastern Washington, the erosional scabland features were formed during the same time when titanic floods burst from ice-dammed lakes.
