The 10 Largest Glaciers in the World (Length, Location and More)
The ten largest (in length) glaciers in the world are:
56 kilometers (35 miles)
56 kilometers (35 miles)
56 kilometers (35 miles)
56 kilometers (35 miles)
56 kilometers (35 miles)
Glaciers store an incredible 69 percent of all fresh water on the planet, and there are approximately 200,000 unique glaciers found worldwide
Currently, glaciers, along with ice caps and the Greenland/Antarctic ice sheet cover about 10 percent of the Earth’s surface
In this article we will look at the ten most massive glaciers in the world (by length, not area)
1 Lambert Fisher Glacier
1 Lambert Fisher Glacier
1 Lambert Fisher Glacier
Photo by Lutz Fischer-Lamprecht
The largest glacier in the world – Lambert Fisher – is in Antarctica
It’s the iciest place in the world as a whole, so it’s the prime area for some heavy glacier formation
This mammoth glacier comprises about 8% of the Arctic ice sheet, which spans a distance of 400 kilometers (250 miles) in length and 100 kilometers (60 miles) in width
In some places the ice sheet on this is up to 47 kilometers (3 miles) thick
People generally don’t trek on this glacier because it’s super hard to get to, and the Arctic isn’t normally a playground for us humans
2 Hubbard Glacier
2 Hubbard Glacier
2 Hubbard Glacier
Photo by Bernard Spragg
Hubbard is the largest glacier in North America with a length of 122 kilometers (75 miles)
This glacier is unique for two reasons: it is a tidewater glacier and, despite global warming and the fact that most other glaciers are thinning, this one is advancing
This glacier is nicknamed the “galloping glacier” because it runs toward the Gulf of Alaska at breakneck speed (for a glacier, at least)
Glacier calving is when chunks of ice break off from a glacier, a process that also happens on icebergs, ice fronts, ice sheets and crevasses
It’s fantastic to watch from a distance, but potentially disastrous for anyone who gets too close
3 Fedchenko glacier
3 Fedchenko glacier
3 Fedchenko glacier
Photo from http://edcsns17crusgsgov/EarthExplorer/
This one is the largest non-polar glacier in the world and is located in Tajikistan
With a length of 77 kilometers, this is one of the most beautiful sights in the Karakoram Mountain Range
If you are interested in this trek, you should go to the Gorno-Badakshan province and ask for the Pamir Mountains
It is named after the 19th century Russian explorer AP Fedchenko, who first explored it in 1928 as part of a Soviet expedition to the Pamirs
Several meteorological stations were located here over the years, offering a wealth of information about the regional climate
The Fedchenko Glacier originates in the ice field of the Revolution Peak
Here it receives ice from a few dozen tributary glaciers before flowing north
This glacier also moves at a brisk pace, reaching a speed of up to 67 cm (26 inches) per day in the middle route
Meltwater from the Fedchenko Glacier is the headwaters of the Surkhob River and Amu Darya
4 Siachen glacier
4 Siachen glacier
4 Siachen glacier
Photo by Sadia17301
Siachen Glacier is located between India and Pakistan, on the line of control between the two countries
The Siachen Glacier is 75 kilometers (47 miles) long and covers an incredible 700 square kilometers (270 square miles)
If you want to walk this bad boy, be prepared for some serious paperwork
The location is notorious for the power struggle between the Indian and Pakistani governments, and you don’t want to get caught up in the chaos
In fact, the Siachen Glacier is the “highest, deadliest and costliest battlefield,” according to the India Times
The weather conditions on the Siachen Glacier are extreme
Politically, this acts as a bargaining chip, and that is why it is still disputed after all these years
5 Biafo Glacier
5 Biafo Glacier
5 Biafo Glacier
Photo by Yousaf Feroz Gill
Biafo is Fedchenko’s little brother and is also located in the Karakoram Mountain Range – this time in Pakistan
Bonus fact: the Karakoram Mountains is one of the largest mountain ranges in Asia, spanning India, Pakistan, China, Afghanistan and Tajikistan
Biafo spans 67 kilometers (42 miles) in length and has a snow basin nearly a kilometer deep
Meltwater from the Biafo Glacier flows into the Indus River, one of the largest and most important rivers in India
At the head of the Biafo Glacier is Snow Lake, a vast expanse of snow that is a dream to trek
That is, it is incredibly difficult and takes an insane amount of planning, but it is a bucket list item for any glacier trekking fanatic
Since it is so challenging to get there, less than 200 people a year have the pleasure of seeing these breathtaking views
6 Bridges Glacier
6 Bridges Glacier
6 Bridges Glacier
Photo by David Stanley from Nanaimo, Canada
This mammoth glacier in Southern Chile covers a whopping 1,260 square kilometers (488 square miles) and is 66 kilometers (41 miles) long
Bruggen, also known as Pio XI, is the sprinter who advanced about 5 kilometers (31 miles) between 1945 and 1976
The Bruggen glacier, named after the German geologist Juan Bruggen Messtorff, flows from the Southern Patagonian ice field
To see the beautiful colors of this glacier, hop on a cruise ship
7 Baltoro glacier
7 Baltoro glacier
7 Baltoro glacier
Photo by Guilhem Vellut from Paris
This one is also in Pakistan, found in the Gilgit-Baltistan region
At 62 kilometers (39 miles) in length, it is an incredible sight
The rocky path on the Baltoro glacier is the way to the K2 base camp
Three other peaks of 8000 meters are also located at the head of the Baltoro Glacier: Broad Peak, Gasherbrum I and Gasherbrum II
8 South Inylchek Glacier
8 South Inylchek Glacier
8 South Inylchek Glacier
Chen Zhao’s photo
The South Inylcheck Glacier is located in the Central Tian Shan Mountains in the Issyk-Kul region
It is 61 kilometers (38 miles) long and covers only 18 square kilometers (7 square miles), making it a long, thin glacier
Trekking the South Inylcheck is gnarly, but there are fixed camps along the way
On this one-way trip, you start at At-Jailoo camp in the valley and hike to the South Inylcheck Base Camp
This lies between the Khan Tengri and Pobeby Peaks, all 7000m and above
9 Jostedal glacier
9 Jostedal glacier
9 Jostedal glacier
Photo by G Lanting
Jostedal is unique because it is the largest glacier in continental Europe
Jostedal is the 9th largest glacier in the world and has a length of 60 kilometers (37 miles), and it is an incredible 600 meters (2000 feet) thick
Located in the Sogn og Fjordane county in Norway, this is one of the few huge glaciers accessible for climbing
Here you make a demanding hike over rough terrain for about 2 – 4 hours, after which you enter the glacier
If you arenew to glacier hiking, this can be an excellent place to start (if you are fit enough to get there)
At Jostedal there are several guided glacier tours available so you have an experienced guide to help you through
Jostedal is enchanting with its blue ice and the possibility to walk in some of the crevasses
You can even hear the ice melting
It is breathtaking and an experience you will remember for years to come
Batura glacier
Batura glacier
Batura glacier
Akbar Khan Niazi’s photo
Also in Pakistan, the Batura Glacier can be found in the Gojal region of Gilgit-Baltistan
The Batura Glacier is 56 kilometers (35 miles) long
Getting to Batura is difficult because it is right in the middle of nowhere
Once there, trekking over the glacier takes about five days, depending on the weather and your level of fitness
The area is breathtakingly beautiful, and the locals are incredibly friendly and welcoming
Glaciers and climate change
The fact remains that our glaciers and ice caps are disappearing as the earth warms
As we go out into nature to appreciate and marvel at these incredible ice formations, let’s keep this in mind
Now that all is said and done, happy climbing in the breathtakingly beautiful world of glaciers
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