"NORTH CASCADES NATIONAL PARK, Wash. — Jon Riedel’s white hair and light blue eyes match the icy tint of the landscape he’s studied for more than 30 years.

He moved to Washington soon after finishing his PhD at the University of Wisconsin because he says the glaciers of the Northwest are still writing the landscape, still carving out curves and valleys.

Outside of Alaska, there is no better place in the U.S. to study glaciers than Washington. The Cascade Range has the perfect elevation and weather patterns to ensure that wet, heavy snow piles on thick and sticks around. Skiers here call it 'Cascade concrete.'"

Ashley Ahearn reports for EarthFix/OPB November 9, 2014. [2]