Barranco Glacier, Mountain glacier on Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
Barranco Glacier consists of two separate ice bodies on the southwestern slope of Mount Kilimanjaro, positioned between 4,800 and 5,200 meters in elevation. These frozen masses sit amid rocky terrain and steep slopes that define this section of the mountain.
The glacier was first documented in the late 1800s when it covered a much larger area of the mountainside. Since then, its extent has shrunk noticeably, reflecting decades of change on the peak.
Local guides and researchers monitor the glacier regularly to document changes in its size and structure for scientific studies on climate patterns.
Trekkers can see the glacier while climbing Mount Kilimanjaro via the southwestern route, especially near Barranco Camp. The best views occur during clear morning hours before clouds typically roll in at higher elevations.
The presence of ice near the equator is surprising, made possible only by the mountain's extreme elevation. This ice formation demonstrates how dramatically temperatures shift with altitude.
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