 Glaciologists researching the North Cascades found that all 47 monitored glaciers are receding while four glaciers — Spider Glacier , Lewis Glacier , Milk Lake Glacier and David Glacier — have disappeared completely since 1985 . The White Chuck Glacier ( near Glacier Peak ) is a particularly dramatic example . The glacier area shrank from 3 @.@ 1 km2 ( 1 @.@ 2 sq mi ) in 1958 to 0 @.@ 9 km2 ( 0 @.@ 35 sq mi ) by 2002 . Between 1850 and 1950 , the Boulder Glacier on the southeast flank of Mount Baker retreated 8 @,@ 700 feet ( 2 @,@ 700 m ) . William Long of the United States Forest Service observed the glacier beginning to advance due to cooler / wetter weather in 1953 . This was followed by a 743 metres ( 2 @,@ 438 ft ) advance by 1979 . The glacier again retreated 450 m ( 1 @,@ 480 ft ) from 1987 to 2005 , leaving barren terrain behind . This retreat has occurred during a period of reduced winter snowfall and higher summer temperatures . In this region of the Cascades , winter snowpack has declined 25 % since 1946 , and summer temperatures have risen 0 @.@ 7 ° C ( 1 @.@ 2 ° F ) during the same period . The reduced snowpack has occurred despite a small increase in winter precipitation — thus , it reflects warmer winter temperatures leading to rainfall and melting on glaciers even during the winter . As of 2005 , 67 % of the North Cascade glaciers observed are in disequilibrium and will not survive the continuation of the present climate . These glaciers will eventually disappear unless temperatures fall and frozen precipitation increases . The remaining glaciers are expected to stabilize , unless the climate continues to warm , but will be much reduced in size . 
