How do valley glaciers differ from continental ice sheets?

Valley glaciers and continental ice sheets differ primarily in their scale and their relationship to the underlying topography.1

• Valley Glaciers: These are essentially rivers of ice typically found in mountainous regions. Their flow patterns are constrained by the high relief of the surrounding terrain, often resembling the roots of a plant when multiple tributary glaciers join to form a "trunk glacier". They are responsible for carving dramatic features such as U-shaped valleys, cirques, and horns.123
• Continental Ice Sheets: These are vast, pancakelike masses of ice that cover extensive areas, completely burying the underlying landscape beneath hundreds or thousands of meters of ice. Unlike valley glaciers, their flow is generally directed from the center outward. While their borders may form lobate, tonguelike protrusions known as outlet glaciers that resemble valley glaciers, the ice sheets themselves remain continuous over large regions.1

While both types of glaciers produce similar landforms, they often differ significantly in magnitude.1