Climate change is fast melting out the glaciers of Alaska, whose melting is alarming. There are possibilities and challenges for travelers as there is hope to see these natural treasures before they retreat as glaciers are melting more quickly than in the past.
With some 27,000 glaciers, Alaska is one of the favorite destinations of tourists who want to catch a glimpse of these breathtaking natural wonders.
However, many glaciers of Alaska are melting as well as retreating much more rapidly than they have ever done in the past owing to climate change, which is dramatically changing the region.
Louis Sass, a glaciologist at the Alaska Science Center, says it’s getting increasingly hard for people to get up close and personal with glaciers simply because they are melting faster than ever before.
A paper published in Nature Communications showed that, relative to earlier years, the glacier melting rate in Alaska’s Juneau icefield increased fivefold between 2015 and 2019.
For instance, Exit Glacier at Kenai Fjords National Park has retreated visibly annually, while rapid changes are even marked by signs along its trails.
Apart from altering the scenic scene of Alaska, this recession has also made it difficult for visitors to easily reach the glaciers. For example, Sass says, “big cruise ships now have to go further up the inlets to see calving glaciers,” referring to the moment when ice pieces break off and fall into the ocean.
Although some glaciers, for example, Matanuska Glacier, are still accessible, their accessibility is diminished by their considerable thinning.
Still, through such imperatives as Leave No Trace’s Brice Esplin urges people to visit glaciers before it is too late while stressing the need for sustainable travel methods to maintain these marvelous natural resources.
Advance planning, guiding services, and reasonable care for the fragile ecosystem would ensure a safe, environmentally responsible glacier experience.
