Glaciers cover 15 million square kilometers area of the earth.
Most of these glaciers are in Antarctica.
People who cannot go there ask where you can find the biggest glacier outside Antarctica.
We have arranged a guide to help people who love glacier tourism.
Where Can You Find the Biggest Glacier Outside of Antarctica?
You can find the biggest glaciers outside Antarctica in Alaska, Tajikistan, India, Greenland, China, and Norway because these areas have some of the largest glaciers outside Antarctica.
The second-largest glacier is in Alaska. The third-largest glacier is in Tajikistan. Most of the world’s population receives drinking water due to the glaciers.
There are some glaciers in Africa also.
Most of the glaciers in Africa are smaller.
As glaciers cover almost 10 percent of the earth’s surface, it is the largest reservoir of fresh water in the world.
Which Is the Second Largest Glacier in the World?
Hubbard Glacier, North America’s largest tidewater glacier, is the biggest glacier outside of Antarctica. It has a length of 122 kilometers. It is 11 km wide and flows into Disenchantment Bay, where it goes into the North Pacific Ocean.
There are glaciers in many areas of the world because there are glaciers in Alaska, Greenland, Asia, the Arctic, and many other parts of the world.
Most of the world’s glaciers are shrinking due to global warming. Hubbard Glacier is one of the few glaciers growing in this condition. It is also known as the tidewater glacier.
The glacier moves with the tides. It can go up and down based on the situation of the sea. The tidewater glaciers are the only glaciers not affected by global warming.
The impacts of glaciers meeting the sea are significant, as the ice meets the water, it can create dramatic calving events where chunks of ice break off and fall into the water.
This can lead to changes in the sea level and the surrounding ecosystems, affecting wildlife and ocean currents. Understanding and monitoring these impacts is crucial for studying the effects of climate change on glaciers and the environment.
What Is the Biggest Glacier in Antarctica?
Lambert Fisher Glacier is the biggest glacier in Antarctica. It is two hundred fifty miles long and 2500 meters deep.
If you measure the width of this glacier, you will get a value of fifty miles. Most scientists estimate the age of this glacier as thirty-four million years. They calculate it using radiocarbon.
They check the age of the carbon in the glacier by checking its radioactivity. It is an excellent way to estimate the age of the glaciers.
Which Is the Largest and Fastest-Moving Glacier in the World?
Lambert Fisher Glacier is the largest and fastest-moving glacier in the world. You can calculate the speed of the glacier by checking different layers.
There are different layers of the glaciers that move at different rates. The lower layers can have a high speed and show ductile properties.
If you are looking for a smaller glacier that moves faster, you can check the Jakobshavn Isbrae Glacier in Greenland.
It is a forty miles long and one-mile-thick glacier moving at a speed of 10 miles per year.
The Top 10 Largest Glaciers in the World to Hike
Hiking the glaciers can give you unimaginable experiences because it is different from the other parts of the world. It is dangerous to walk on the glaciers that do not have a map.
It is crucial to find the glaciers that are best for hiking. It is crucial to find bigger glaciers to get the best hiking experience. We have compiled a guide to help you choose the best glacier to hike.
You can find a list of the top ten glaciers to hike here. It is safer to hike these glaciers because many hikers go there every year.
They mark the safe trails near the glacier. It is better for people with some mountain climbing experience. You need to stay careful in the glacier hiking as it is different than the mountains.
- Vatnajokull Glacier National Park
- Aletsch Glacier
- Columbia Icefield
- Perito Moreno Glacier
- Myrdalsjokull Glacier
- Jostedal Glacier
- Baltoro Glacier
- Mendenhall Glacier
- Pasterze Glacier
- Franz Josef Glacier
1. Vatnajokull Glacier National Park
Location: Iceland
Area: 7900 square kilometers
Difficulty: Easy
If you are a beginner, it is better to start from this glacier because of the facilities. This glacier covers 10 percent of the Iceland area. As it is a major part of the county, they provide many facilities along the glacier.
Hikers also use these facilities during hiking. If you want to go on a long hike, this park is suitable. It will take many weeks to visit all areas of the park. The national park was formed on this glacier in 2008.
It is an attraction for hikers all around the world after this time. One can only imagine the thrill of walking on a mile think ice for days. You can also take a boat ride in this park and make your way to the sea. You may see seals in the wild along your way to the sea.
2. Aletsch Glacier
Location: Switzerland
Area: 81.7 square kilometers
Difficulty: Medium
This glacier is a tourist attraction for the people of Europe. Massa River formed from this glacier. It helps in hydroelectric power production. Many come here for hiking because they want to see the river source.
It is the largest glacier in the Alps of Switzerland. You can reach there by taking a route through the Alps. It is crucial that you hire an expert if you are a beginner hiker.
People with mountain hiking experience should also get help as this glacier has hidden holes. It is better to hike with someone who has experience in the area. You can visit this glacier from June to October.
It is closed after that because heavy snowfall can lead to accidents and road blockage. You can hike there on different trails as hikers have marked different trails.
You can also find guidance for the specific trails online. There is a beautiful lake at the end of the trails. It is a gift for the people who put effort into hiking on this glacier.
3. Columbia Icefield
Location: Canada
Area: 325 square kilometers
Difficulty: Easy
You should go to the Columbia Icefield hiking if you are a beginner. It is one of the most accessible glaciers in the world. Canada has strict rules to protect the integrity of this icefield.
You can discover places that have been untouched for thousands of years. The appearance of the area is the same as it was in the ice age. It is a perfect place to hike and enjoy the views of the earth’s history.
You need to travel to the north of the Rocky Mountain area to reach this glacier. You can hike in this area to reach the top point of Mount Saskatchewan. You can also visit parts of the Jasper National Park during your visit to the Columbia icefields.
4. Perito Moreno Glacier
Location: Argentina
Area: 250 square kilometers
Difficulty: Easy
You can never miss this glacier when you visit Santa Cruz, Argentina. You can go to the Los Glaciares National Park to visit this glacier. It is one of the glaciers that grow every day.
It does not follow the rules of global warming. You can enjoy the views of the lakes during your visit to the area. The incredible thing about this glacier is the sound of the ice colliding.
The sheer size of the O’Higgins Glacier is awe-inspiring, and it’s a shame that it is slowly diminishing due to the impact of global warming on the O’Higgins Glacier.
As the temperature rises, the glacier melts at an alarming rate, causing concern for the environmental impact of its disappearance.
It serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for action to combat the effects of climate change before more natural wonders are lost.
You can hear massive sounds from the far when you are hiking. This sound is produced by the large chunks of ice falling into the lake. It is a perfect place to make a viral video of the glacier breaking.
It is one of the largest water reserves in the world, as it is third on the list. You can go for a mini-hike for only an hour. You can find companies that offer a five-hour tour of the area to show you the best areas of the glacier. Expert hikers can hike the glacier for many days to explore all areas.
5. Myrdalsjokull Glacier
Location: Iceland
Area: 595 square kilometers
Difficulty: Easy
It is the third-largest glacier in Iceland. You can challenge yourself to reach the top of the glacier as it has a height of more than 1400 meters. It is part of the southern area of Iceland.
It is easy to reach this glacier as you can take route one from Reykjavik. This route will take you to Skogar. You can leave the ring road and take a route on the left. You can continue on route 221 to reach the glacier.
You can go for a walk and explore the caves of the glaciers. Companies are offering one-day hike tours of the area for beginners.
6. Jostedal Glacier
Location: Norway
Area: 487 square kilometers
Difficulty: Medium
It is one of the few glaciers people can visit during summer and winter. This area is famous for the peculiar scenery not found anywhere else in the world. The best time to go there is between May and October.
You can go to the Nigardsbreen viewpoint to enjoy the views of the ice and nature. This area has several lakes for kayaking. You can enjoy kayaking in a lake surrounded by glaciers.
You can also continue your journey towards the Sognefjorden using a raft. It is a perfect place to visit the ice caves because it has one of the biggest blue ice caves.
7. Baltoro Glacier
Location: Pakistan
Area: 660 square kilometers
Difficulty: Hard
It is hard to reach this glacier because the road conditions are not well. You will not find suitable medical facilities on this glacier as there are no populated areas nearby. You can reach the base camp of the K2.
It is the second tallest peak in the world. If an experienced hiker is looking for an unforgettable experience to challenge him physically and mentally, he should visit this glacier. You will visit places that no one else visited before.
If you like glaciers with vast emptiness, you can go there. It is not recommended that beginners go to this place. It is unsuitable for beginners to visit there with a guide also. Reaching the glaciers is also a challenging task.
8. Mendenhall Glacier
Location: Alaska
Area: 95 square kilometers
Difficulty: Medium
You can access this glacier easily by road. Going there is an easy task, but you need the experience to hike this glacier. More than four hundred thousand people visit this place every year.
Most people only see the magnificent glacier from far. Only a few dare to hike on this glacier. We choose this glacier on the list because it is the only glacier accessible by road in Alaska. Going there is a perfect way to escape the busy life and enter the wilderness.
9. Pasterze Glacier
Location: Austria
Area: 19 square kilometers
Difficulty: Easy
It is one of the easier to hike glaciers because of its small size. All the areas of this glacier have a map. You can use the glacier trail of the Hohe National Park. This trail allows you to get close to the glaciers without any dangers.
You can go there with your friends or take a guided tour to go to the difficult-to-reach locations on the glacier. This glacier is present at the base of a mountain. The mountain has a height of more than 12000 feet.
You can enjoy the beauty of the mountain during the hike also. You can also reach the skiing area from this track. The skiing area offers different activities all year long.
10. Franz Josef Glacier
Location: New Zealand
Area: 20 square kilometers
Difficulty: Medium
This glacier is present on the south island of New Zealand. Most people take a helicopter ride to the glacier as it is hard to reach it on foot. The helicopter will drop you at the start of the trail.
This glacier is unsuitable for hikers who cannot spend more money. You may have to assign a big part of your hiking budget to the helicopter ride. You will enjoy the views on the helicopter before it drops you in the middle of the ice.
If you are an expert hiker, you can take the path to the glacier base. There is a trail that can take you there. Only expert mountaineers can reach the glacier without the help of a helicopter.
Once you reach the glacier top, you can hike with ease. People could touch some parts of the glaciers before as it was near the trail. It has gone far now due to glacier melting.
