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Deep in the state of Sierra mountain range, massive ice formations are disappearing and expected to dissolve entirely by the start of the next century, resulting in ice-free peaks for the first time in recorded human existence, recent studies has found.

Age-Old Origins of Sierra Range Glaciers

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

“Our reconstructed ice age record shows that a future glacier-free Sierra Nevada is without precedent in human history since documented peopling of the Americas ~20,000 years ago,” the article declares.

Worldwide Risk to Glaciers

Glaciers globally are at risk amid the climate crisis. A research published in the month of May of this year determined that nearly 40% of glaciers are destined to melt because of climate warming. If this warming rises by 2.7 degrees Celsius, which the planet is currently on track for, as up to 75% will disappear, leading to ocean level increase and large-scale relocation.

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

Concentration on Key Glaciers

The new research centers on several Sierra Nevada glaciers – the Conness, Maclure, Lyell and Palisade ice sheets – that are among the largest and likely oldest in the range. Their longevity during climate warming makes them “bellwethers” for examining ice loss in the western region, the study notes.

Research Methods and Results

Researchers examined newly uncovered base rock around the glaciers and collected specimens to ascertain how long the area was blanketed by glacial ice. They determined that the ice masses have covered swaths of the mountain system for far longer than earlier believed – since prior to people inhabited North America.

The state's glacial sheets attained their maximum positions as early as 30,000 years ago, the study's researchers stated, and a particular of the glaciers experts studied is thought to have grown seven thousand years ago, earlier than previously believed. The loss of glaciers, for the initial time in human history, demonstrates the dramatic impacts of the climate crisis, one author of the study said.

Ecological and Symbolic Consequences

“We’ll be the initial ones to witness the ice-free peaks,” said the study's lead researcher, the study’s lead author. “This has ecological implications for plants and animals. And it’s a representational decline. Global warming is highly intangible, but these glaciers are concrete. They’re symbolic elements of the American West.”