The Death of a Tropical Glacier

 Tropical glaciers seems to  be a fluke of nature. The glaciers exist on the equatorial line, and despite the dense jungles that lie below, the ice formations surviving due to high elevations and high precipitation levels. In Colombia, 7 still remain, but are melting so rapidly, scientists say the glaciers are "on the front line of climate change." Nevado Santa Isabel, near Manizales, Colombia, is worse off than most, losing three meters of depth a month. In less than 30 years, all seven of the glaciers will be gone. 

Story for Atlas Obscura: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/what-is-a-tropical-glacier

Researcher Andres Cruz Mendoza and a guide unload scientific gear from the backs of mules in front of the Santa Isabel glacier.   ···  
Nevada del Ruiz towards over Colombia's paramo and the country's rare fraileljon plant. The glacier and volcano is one of Colombia's six endangered "tropical glaciers."   ···  
Colombian glaciologist Jorge L. Ceballos looks at a red graffiti marker he made in 2003 where the Santa Isabel glacier once was. It has since melted exponentially.   ···  
Hikers walk on a path leading to the Santa Isabel glacier coated and ice and water flowing below.   ···  
A guide and mules carrying scientific gear walk past a marker from 2013 documenting the Santa Isabel glacier's melt.   ···  
Colombian glaciologist Jorge L. Ceballos and assistant Andres Cruz Mendoza climb the highest peak of the Santa Isabel glacier.   ···  
The Santa Isabel glacier is lined with deep grooves and black ash which has accelerated its melt in recent years.   ···  
Colombian glaciologist Jorge L. Ceballos and assistant Andres Cruz Mendoza holds a measuring stick above the Santa Isabel glacier to show where the ice was just a month before.   ···  
Colombian glaciologist Jorge L. Ceballos reads his field notes documenting the melt of the Santa Isabel glacier.   ···  
Colombian glaciologist Jorge L. Ceballos looks out at the glacier he has studied for 15 years.   ···  
Colombian glaciologist Jorge L. Ceballos and assistant Andres Cruz Mendoza study the Santa Isabel glacier on January 28, 2020. Santa Isabel is one of Colombia's six remaining "tropical glaciers" melting at a more rapid pace than others around the world.   ···  
Using Format