The United States Geological Survey (USGS) started the Repeat Photography Project in 1997 with a systematic search of Glacier’s archives for historic photographs of glaciers in the park. They found many images to work with from early photographers such as Morton Elrod, T.J. Hileman, Ted Marble, F.E. Matthes, and others who scoured the park to publicize its beauty and earn their livings. The USGS scientists then hiked the historic images into the field to rephotograph them from the exact same vantage point.

Historically and today, photographing the glaciers can only occur in a narrow window between late August and October after the previous winter’s snow has melted from the ice and before the first snows of autumn. It is only in this late summer season that the glaciers can be clearly seen.

Below you will see pictures of the glaciers taken in late summer between 2015 and 2025. You can see more repeat photographs of the park’s glaciers here. You can browse other repeat photos, and unrepeated glacier photos, on the USGS website here.