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Deep in the state of Sierra Nevada, massive glaciers are vanishing and projected to dissolve entirely by the beginning of the coming hundred years, leaving ice-free peaks for the first time in recorded human existence, recent studies has found.

Ancient Origins of Sierra Nevada Ice Masses

The mountain range’s glaciers are older than previously known, tracing back tens of thousands of years, with some as ancient as the last ice age, according to an article published last week.

“Our reconstructed ice age record shows that a coming ice-free Sierra Nevada is unprecedented in the history of humankind since known peopling of the Americas ~20,000 years ago,” the article declares.

Worldwide Risk to Glaciers

Ice masses around the world are under threat during the climate emergency. A study published in the month of May of the current year determined that nearly 40% of ice sheets are doomed to thaw because of climate warming. If such heating rises by 2.7 degrees Celsius, which the planet is presently on course for, as up to 75% will vanish, leading to ocean level increase and large-scale relocation.

Throughout the Western United States, glaciers have diminished significantly since they were first documented in the late 19th century, according to the report.

Focus on Key Glaciers

The recent study focuses on several Sierra Nevada glacial masses – the Conness, Maclure, Lyell and Palisade ice sheets – that are among the biggest and likely most ancient in the range. Their durability amid global heating makes them “indicators” for studying ice loss in the west, the study states.

Study Techniques and Results

Scientists examined recently exposed bedrock around the glaciers and took samples to ascertain how long the region was covered by glacial ice. They found that the glaciers have enveloped large areas of the mountain system for much longer than earlier believed – since prior to people occupied North America.

The state's glacial sheets attained their peak extents as long ago as thirty thousand years ago, the study's researchers stated, and one of the glaciers experts looked at is thought to have expanded seven thousand years ago, earlier than previously believed. The loss of glaciers, for the initial time in human history, shows the profound effects of the climate change, a researcher of the study said.

Environmental and Symbolic Impact

“We’ll be the initial ones to witness the glacier-less summits,” said Andrew Jones, the study’s lead author. “This has ecological implications for flora and fauna. And it’s a symbolic loss. Global warming is highly intangible, but these ice masses are concrete. They’re iconic features of the Western U.S..”