Glacier Melt Is Set to Ice-Free Summits in the Golden State for First Instance in Human History

Far in the state of Sierra mountain range, massive glaciers are vanishing and projected to dissolve completely by the start of the coming hundred years, resulting in ice-free peaks for the initial occasion in human history, new research has discovered.

Ancient Beginnings of Sierra Nevada Glaciers

The mountain range’s glaciers are more ancient than previously known, dating back tens of thousands of years, with a few as old as the last ice age, according to an article released recently.

“Our reconstructed ice age record indicates that a future glacier-free Sierra Nevada is without precedent in the history of humankind since documented peopling of the Americas ~20,000 years ago,” the article states.

Global Risk to Ice Formations

Glaciers around the world are at risk during the climate emergency. A research published in May of the current year determined that almost forty percent of glaciers are doomed to thaw because of global heating. If such heating increases by 2.7 degrees Celsius, which the planet is currently on course for, as up to 75% will vanish, causing ocean level increase and large-scale relocation.

Across the Western United States, glaciers have diminished significantly since they were first documented in the late 19th century, according to the report.

Concentration on Major Glaciers

The new research focuses on several Sierra Nevada glacial masses – the Conness, Maclure, Lyell and Palisade glaciers – that are some of the largest and probably most ancient in the mountain chain. Their durability amid climate warming makes them “bellwethers” for studying glacier disappearance in the western region, the study notes.

Study Techniques and Findings

Researchers examined recently exposed base rock around the ice formations and took samples to determine how long the area was blanketed by ice. They determined that the ice masses have covered large areas of the range for much longer than earlier believed – since before people inhabited North America.

The state's glaciers reached their peak extents as long ago as 30,000 years ago, the study's researchers stated, and one of the ice bodies experts looked at is thought to have expanded seven thousand years ago, earlier than previously believed. The disappearance of glaciers, for the initial time in human history, demonstrates the dramatic impacts of the climate crisis, a researcher of the investigation said.

Environmental and Representational Impact

“We’ll be the initial ones to see the ice-free peaks,” said the study's lead researcher, the study’s lead author. “This has ecological implications for flora and fauna. And it’s a symbolic loss. Climate change is highly intangible, but these glaciers are concrete. They’re iconic features of the Western U.S..”