{{Short description|Glacier in British Columbia, Canada}} {{Infobox glacier | name = Tenchen Glacier | image = | caption = | type = [[Mountain glacier]] | location = [[Mount Edziza]], [[British Columbia]], Canada | map = Canada British Columbia | label_position = right | mapframe = yes | mapframe-zoom = 9 | mapframe-wikidata = yes | coordinates = {{coord|57|43|59|N|130|35|06|W|region:CA-BC|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | coordinates_ref = <ref name="Tenchen">{{cite bcgnis|id=15007|name=Tenchen Glacier|access-date=2024-03-17}}</ref> | status = Retreating }} '''Tenchen Glacier''' is located on the eastern flank of [[Mount Edziza]] in northwestern [[British Columbia]], Canada. It lies within an immense [[cirque]] whose [[headwall]] has breached the eastern side of Mount Edziza's summit [[volcanic crater|crater]]. At the head of Tenchen Glacier are [[icefall]]s that drape down shear, {{Convert|300|m|ft|adj=mid|-high|abbr=off}} cliffs from the breached eastern crater rim; permanent ice fills the summit crater.<ref name="Souther">{{Cite report|last1=Souther|first1=J. G.|author-link1=Jack Souther|title=The Late Cenozoic Mount Edziza Volcanic Complex, British Columbia|work=[[Geological Survey of Canada]]|publisher=Canada Communication Group|series=Memoir 420|year=1992|pages=21, 175, 177, 179|isbn=0-660-14407-7|doi=10.4095/133497|doi-access=free}}</ref> Meltwater from Tenchen Glacier feeds [[Tenchen Creek]] which eventually merges with [[Kakiddi Creek]].<ref name="cgndb">{{cite cgndb|id=JBAUX|title=Tenchen Glacier|access-date=2024-03-17}}</ref>
The name of the glacier was suggested by the [[Geological Survey of Canada]] on November 19, 1979, and eventually became official on November 24, 1980. ''Tenchen'' is derived from the [[Tahltan]] words ''ten'' and ''chen'', which mean ''ice'' and ''dirty'' respectively. The name of this glacier is a reference to its debris-covered surface.<ref name="Tenchen"/>
==Geology== The Tenchen cirque is the product of erosion that gradually enlarged an initial scar formed by an [[explosive eruption]] that blew away part of the eastern summit crater rim. [[Hydrothermally altered]] rocks of the central volcanic conduit as well as [[lava lake]]s that once filled the summit crater are exposed in the headwall of Tenchen cirque. These rocks are part of the [[Edziza Formation]] which comprises the central [[stratovolcano]] of Mount Edziza.<ref name="Souther"/> Landsliding of the steep headwall and bounding spurs of Tenchen cirque has resulted in Tenchen Glacier being completely covered by rock debris.<ref name="Tenchen"/>
==See also== *[[List of glaciers in Canada]] *[[Idiji Glacier]] *[[Tencho Glacier]] *[[Tennaya Glacier]]
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Mount Edziza volcanic complex}}
[[Category:Glaciers of Mount Edziza]] [[Category:Tahltan place names]]