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Deep in California’s Sierra Nevada, massive ice formations are disappearing and expected to melt away entirely by the start of the next century, leaving summits without glaciers for the first time in human history, recent studies has found.

Ancient Origins of Sierra Range Glaciers

The range's ice sheets are older than previously known, dating back many thousands of years, with a few as old as the most recent glacial period, according to an article published last week.

“Our reconstructed glacial history indicates that a coming ice-free Sierra Nevada is unprecedented in the history of humankind since documented peopling of the Americas ~20,000 years ago,” the study states.

Global Risk to Ice Formations

Ice masses globally are at risk amid the climate crisis. A research released in May of the current year found that almost forty percent of ice sheets are destined to thaw because of climate warming. If this warming increases by 2.7C, which the world is presently on course for, as many as 75% will vanish, leading to ocean level increase and mass displacement.

Throughout the Western United States, ice formations have shrunk significantly since they were initially recorded in the late 19th century, according to the report.

Focus on Key Ice Bodies

The recent study centers on several Sierra Nevada glacial masses – the Conness, Maclure, Lyell and Palisade glaciers – that are among the largest and likely most ancient in the mountain chain. Their durability amid global heating makes them “bellwethers” for examining glacier disappearance in the western region, the article notes.

Study Techniques and Results

Scientists looked at newly uncovered base rock around the glaciers and took samples to ascertain how long the area was blanketed by glacial ice. They determined that the ice masses have enveloped large areas of the mountain system for far longer than earlier believed – since before humans inhabited North America.

The state's glacial sheets reached their peak extents as long ago as 30,000 years ago, the article’s authors stated, and one of the glaciers experts studied is believed to have expanded 7,000 years ago, earlier than once thought. The loss of glaciers, for the first time in human history, shows the profound effects of the climate crisis, a researcher of the study said.

Ecological and Representational Consequences

“We’ll be the first to witness the glacier-less summits,” said the study's lead researcher, the principal investigator. “This has environmental ramifications for flora and fauna. And it’s a symbolic loss. Climate change is highly intangible, but these ice masses are tangible. They’re symbolic elements of the Western U.S..”