[2] The former glacier, now snowfield, is situated at an elevation range of 9,300 to 6,200 feet (2,800 to 1,900 m), and was named for Joel Palmer, an Oregon pioneer.

Much of the lower section of the snowfield is within the Timberline ski area, and can be accessed by Sno-Cat or chairlift, conditions permitting.

Palmer chairlift, which ascends to an elevation of 8,500 feet (2,590m) provides lift assisted access to the snowfield and runs from spring to early fall when conditions allow.

determined it had reached over 200 feet thick, but by the mid-1980s all measured ice movement had stopped completely and the glacier was declared dead.

It is located near the base of the glacier, about 1,000 feet (300 m) vertically up from Timberline Lodge near the upper terminal of the Magic Mile ski lift.

During the summer ski season (approximately May through September), the upper half of the Palmer Chairlift terrain is divided into lanes.