Marinelli Glacier, Tidewater glacier in Alberto de Agostini National Park, Chile

Marinelli Glacier is a large ice field flowing from the Cordillera Darwin down to Ainsworth Bay, where it meets the ocean in Tierra del Fuego. The glacier features deep crevasses and broken ice formations where it approaches the water, creating a dramatic meeting point between mountain ice and seawater.

The glacier formed during past ice ages that shaped the region thousands of years ago and has been shrinking steadily since scientific measurements began. The ice retreat reflects broader climate shifts affecting the southernmost reaches of South America.

The glacier is named after Giovanni Marinelli, an Italian geographer. Its meltwater feeds Marinelli Creek, and the ice calves into Ainsworth Bay in Almirantazgo Fjord, within Alberto de Agostini National Park on Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego.

The glacier calves into Ainsworth Bay, an embayment of the Almirantazgo Fjord, so it is seen from the water rather than on foot. Approach is by boat in the fjord; the face and floating ice are watched from a safe distance. Weather in the Cordillera Darwin changes quickly, so build spare time into any outing.

The glacier's meltwater forms the headwaters of Marinelli Creek, which drains into Ainsworth Bay. The glacier was named after Giovanni Marinelli, an Italian geographer. Its front has been retreating since at least 1960, so the position of the ice face changes from year to year.