About Glacier Stone Vases

Hand-selected and hand-made glacier-eroded natural stone vases and home decor

Glacier Stone Vases come from the rivers flowing from Glacier National Park. In the spring, heavy snows melt from the many peaks inside and outside of the Park, creating tumultuous run off. The high waters gather up stones, turning and rolling all sizes and shapes, sending them down the river. Initially the stones are jagged and pointed when carved by glacial formations. By the time they are deposited along sand bars, they are rounded and smoothed, having been chased and tumbled by rolling waters for centuries. In the summer, after the rivers have tamed down, we walk along our favorite sand bars to choose stones for our rock vases.

The stones vary in size, shape and color. Many have quartz intrusions, while others reveal amazing patterns reflecting a complex sequence of sedimentation. The red, marron, and purple rocks owe their colors to the mineral hematite and were formed in shallow sea waters. The green rocks were formed in deeper water, where the iron silicates converted to a green mineral called chlorite. Still other stones come from limestones and dolomites, appearing tan to buff.

Our family enjoys the peacefulness of walking alongside the rivers searching for the elusive "hear" rocks while choosing others we thin will make unique vases. Through trial and error, we came up with the necessary equipment to cut and drill each stone, revealing the beauty we see in each. There are no two alike. Each stone is a small replica of our surrounding majestic landscape. When you take a Glacier Stone to your place of dwelling or workplace, consider the wisdom and eternal time of the mountains. By contrast, our individual time on Earth is brief. May the stone you choose help ground you in your journey along the way.