Climate change is significantly altering our environment, influencing travel preferences and the destinations themselves. This article is part of a seven-part “Green Travel” series examining how climate change is reshaping travel experiences. 

Many tourists come to Alaska with the goal of witnessing the impressive glaciers.

And Alaska is indeed the perfect destination for this.

The state boasts the highest number of glaciers in the U.S., with approximately 27,000 glaciers spread across an area of around 80,000 square kilometers. Louis Sass, a glaciologist from the Anchorage-based Alaska Science Center, highlights that this coverage is comparable to the size of South Carolina or Lake Superior.

However, this area is shrinking.

Globally, glaciers are melting, thinning, and receding at a notably faster pace than in previous decades. Sass points out that “most glaciers are melting and thinning and retreating much faster now than they were, say, prior to about the year 2000.”

This raises concerns for those eager to see glaciers in Alaska and beyond.

What Contributes to Glacial Melting?

Glacial melting is a natural phenomenon.

“Think of a glacier as a massive conveyor belt transporting snow and ice from high altitudes, where it remains frozen, to lower elevations where it melts due to warmer temperatures,” Sass explained.

However, the rate at which glaciers are melting has drastically increased.

A study published in July in the British journal Nature Communications revealed that glaciers in Alaska’s Juneau icefield are shrinking five times faster from 2015 to 2019 compared to the period from 1948 to 1979.

According to a National Park Service report, glaciers in Alaska’s national parks have diminished by 8% from the 1950s to the early 2000s, and the glacier-covered area throughout Alaska has reduced by 13% between 1985 and 2020.

“These systems face significant threats,” said Brice Esplin, Director of Sustainable Tourism and Partnerships at Leave No Trace. “Climate change is impacting them.”

While Sass refrains from specifically naming climate change, he mentions that glaciers are highly responsive to fluctuations in temperature and precipitation.

“Temperature can have a dual impact, as it influences whether precipitation falls as rain or snow. When precipitation falls as rain, it generally runs off the glacier rather than contributing to its mass,” he added.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Northwest Climate Hub indicates that Alaska is warming at a rate two to three times faster than the global average.

Current State of Alaska’s Glaciers

“While some glaciers are growing, the overwhelming majority are receding, and you can clearly observe this at Kenai Fjords (National Park),” stated Peter Christian, chief spokesperson for Public Affairs for the National.

The Alaska region of the National Park Service highlighted the significance of glaciers during YSL News’s year-long exploration of national parks last year.

At Exit Glacier, this change is particularly noticeable.

“It’s literally changing each year. If you visit one year and then return the next, you can see how far the glacier has receded into the mountains,” he mentioned, adding that the Park Service has set up signs along the trail to indicate the changes.

Matanuska Glacier, located around 100 miles from Anchorage, also serves as a prime example.

“Its retreat has been minimal, remaining quite close to its position from 120 years ago, but it has lost significant mass, making the thinning very visible,” Sass remarked. “The ice appears to be deflating as it melts and loses mass.”

According to Travel Alaska, the state’s official travel organization, Matanuska Glacier is the largest glacier accessible by road. However, Sass noted that access used to be much simpler.

“There are numerous melt puddles forming at the glacier’s edge that are growing larger and harder to navigate, alongside increasing mud that one must traverse to reach the ice,” he explained. “It used to be that you could easily walk from the parking lot directly onto clean, white ice on Matanuska Glacier.”

Sass added that many tidewater glaciers are also feeling the effects of climate change.

“Even large cruise ships that take passengers to view calving glaciers must travel further up the inlet to find one that is calving,” he stated. “Locations that once provided excellent views of glaciers might not offer the same experience anymore, making it increasingly difficult to access areas where glaciers can be observed.”

Where can you see a glacier?

Alaska boasts numerous locations to witness glaciers, from Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, which contains the highest concentration of glaciers in any national park, to Mendenhall Glacier, which is safeguarded by the U.S. Forest Service.

Glaciers are also found in Glacier National Park in Montana, Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, Mount Rainier National Park in Washington, and multiple locations around the West and worldwide.

“Experiencing these magnificent natural formations is crucial as it fosters appreciation, love, and a connection with nature for future generations,” Esplin expressed.

He encourages visitors to experience glaciers that are nearby when possible.

“In my state, Great Basin National Park, there is one glacier that is rapidly disappearing. It might not be around in the next 20 years,” he noted. “Currently, it’s a short drive for me to appreciate a glacier before it vanishes.”

However, he also understands the allure of exploring distant glaciers, having recently traveled to Alaska himself to see several glaciers over a few weeks.

“It’s essential to choose sustainable ways to visit these beautiful places,” he advised. “If we need to use airline fuel to reach these sites, we should at least stay longer.”

What to know before visiting a glacier

“There must be numerous opportunities to see glaciers here in Alaska, possibly hundreds or even thousands,” Sass suggested, urging people to “experience glaciers in a way that suits them.”

This could involve admiring them from a distance, whether from land, sky, or sea, or getting up close with a guided tour.

“We don’t expect individuals to remain suspended above the ground without interacting with their natural environment,” Esplin stated. “It’s all about maintaining a balance—humans being part of nature without causing irreversible destruction.”

For those eager to get close to glaciers, Esplin offered these Leave No Trace-style recommendations:

• Plan ahead and prepare: “Typically, this involves booking a guiding service. It’s never advisable for anyone lacking adequate training or expertise to venture onto glaciers, as they are constantly shifting. They contain crevasses, snow bridges, and moulins, and are often situated in fairly remote locations, so safety is a crucial consideration.”
• Be aware of your steps. “If we don’t stick to trails or robust surfaces while accessing glaciers, we can unintentionally harm the surrounding vegetation and contribute to erosion.”
• Always take your trash with you, including food scraps and human waste. “We need to ensure that nothing is left behind, as it can contaminate those unique water sources.”
• Consider wildlife. “Glaciers serve as paths for animals moving between locations. Even when it seems like you’re in a secluded area, wildlife may still be present.”

Contributed by: Doyle Rice, YSL News