Southern Andes Glaciers

April 18, 2002

Lagogrey

Provided by: Desi Robertson
Summary authors & editors: Desi Robertson; Jim Foster

This photograph shows Lago (Lake) Grey and the Lago Grey Glacier in the Parque Nacional Torres del Paine, near Puerto Natales, Chile (about 52 degrees south latitude). In this portion of the Andes near the border between Chile and Argentina, nearly every glacier has been in recession since about 1985. Because few meteorological stations are located in this very remote area, it's not known for sure yet whether the glaciers are receding because of decreased precipitation or because of increasing temperatures. The peaks in the background are about 2,050 m or approximately 6,350 feet high. Torres del Paine possesses some of the world's most spectacular hiking trails.

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