HostelBloggers

Ten Amazing Glaciers

What is a glacier? Well, to scientists they’re large, slow-moving rivers of ice formed high up in the mountains where more snow falls than melts.

And for the rest of us, they’re an amazing phenomenon to behold across the globe, from Alaska to Austria to Antarctica.

But while there are many other stunning natural sights in this world, there’s something unique and intriguing about glaciers because of their fragility in our environment.

1. Fox and Franz Josef, New Zealand. These sibling glaciers on the west coast of New Zealand’s South Island descend unusually close to the coast and even further down into a temperate rainforest. Accessible both by helicopter and on foot, they’ve proved to be a popular attraction.

2. Pasterze, Austria. The largest of Austria’s glaciers, Pasterze lies at the foot of the country’s largest mountain and although it currently has a large visitor center along the Grossglocknerstrasse mountain road, it’s expected to lose a huge 60 % of its mass by 2010.

3. Perito Moreno, Argentina. One of the most important sights in Argentine Patagonia, Perito Moreno is fed by the South Patagonian ice field in the Andes and is, unlike most of the other glaciers in this region, actually advancing. It’s also one of the most accessible in Patagonia - there are three viewing areas allowing travelers some stunning close-ups.

4. Hubbard, Alaska. The longest tidewater glacier in Alaska, it extends for a massive 76 miles from its source on Mt. Logan. As it’s also advancing, it’s an actively ‘calving’ glacier - meaning chunks of it continually break off and fall into the sea. Reached by boat or on foot, this makes for an exciting spectacle as well as an intriguing creaking noise which the indigenous Tlingit people have called ‘white thunder.’

5. Athabasca, Canada. Straddling the continental divide, this glacier is part of the Rocky Mountains’ Columbia ice field. It’s already receded to under half its original size but remains one of the most difficult and dangerous to reach.

6. Vatnajokull, Iceland. Iceland’s largest glacier covers 8% of the country and lies in a doubly fascinating landscape surrounded by active volcanoes, ice caves and hot springs - the latter of which are open to visitors.

7. Yulong, China. Situated in the Yunnan Province of China, this receding glacier is similarly inaccessible to visitors as the high altitude climb to the final observation desk often requires the use of oxygen.

8. Antarctica. Home to countless glaciers, Antarctica is now becoming a popular destination for responsible tourism and, when you take a look at the range of amazing sights it has to offer, it’s easy to see why.

9. Biafo, Pakistan. This remote glacier in the Karakoram Mountain Range is just about accessible via a lengthy hike along the edge of Snow Lake. But if you can make it, it’s a truly unforgettable journey.

10. Furtwangler, Mt. Kilimanjaro. And finally, one of the most iconic glaciers in the world: the snows of Kilimanjaro were made famous years ago by Hemmingway, but here, too, the ice is receding rapidly and some reports even predict it to have disappeared by as early as 2015.

HostelBloggers say - grab your backpack and see them while you still can!