Cook Glacier

Cook Glacier is an ice cap on the Kerguelen Islands with around 60 glaciers flowing outward from its central plateau. The ice streams shape the landscape through outwash plains, moraines, and glacial lakes that feed the region's freshwater systems.

The ice cap appeared on early 20th-century French navigation charts under the name Glacier Richthofen before receiving its current name. The renaming honored explorer James Cook and his voyages to southern waters.

Scientists at Port-aux-Français research station study the ice cap's patterns to understand climate changes and geological processes in the Southern Hemisphere.

The ice cap sits in a remote location accessible only by specialized expeditions. Visitors should prepare for extreme weather and demanding terrain.

Only one of the roughly 60 ice streams flows directly into the Indian Ocean, where it terminates at Anse des Glaçons on the islands' southeast coast. This direct contact between ice and sea makes it notable in the region.

Location: French Southern and Antarctic Lands

GPS coordinates: -49.31389,69.04139

Latest update: December 12, 2025 09:01