Great Penck Glacier, Extinct glacier on Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.
Description
The Great Penck Glacier was an ice formation on Mount Kilimanjaro that flowed down the western slope from a higher ice field above. The frozen mass extended to roughly 4,750 meters in elevation before vanishing entirely in the 1970s.
History
The glacier existed as a separate ice formation until it detached from the Northern Ice Field in the early 1960s. After that separation, the frozen mass shrank rapidly and vanished completely within roughly 15 years.
Culture
The glacier served as an essential research site for scientists studying climate patterns and environmental changes in East African mountain ecosystems.
Practical
Today it is impossible to visit this glacier since it has completely disappeared, leaving only bare rock where it once existed. Visitors interested in learning about this vanished ice can ask Kilimanjaro guides who can share the mountain's glacial history.
Did you know?
The exact location of this former glacier can be pinpointed using coordinates that scientists recorded while tracking its ice loss. These records demonstrate how rapidly mountain glaciers worldwide have been retreating under changing climate conditions.
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