The Hengduan Mountains glaciers are precious because they are rare.

01 What is a glacier?

Glaciers are a type of landform that we are familiar with, but it is difficult for us to get close to. They are mainly distributed in the North and South Poles of the Earth and in high-altitude mountains, which are areas that are difficult for humans to access.

The scientific definition of a glacier is: a natural ice body that exists on the surface of polar or alpine regions for many years and moves along the ground. There are two key words here, one is that it exists for many years, and the other is that it moves along the ground. In geology, a glacier is not just solid water, but a series of natural phenomena that occur during the formation, evolution, movement, and extinction of a glacier. To put it simply, the glacier mentioned in geomorphology includes the glacier body and the movement of the glacier.

▲Greenland Ice Sheet. Image from the Internet

Glaciers can be divided into marine glaciers and continental glaciers according to the climatic conditions in which they are formed. Marine glaciers, also known as warm glaciers, are glaciers that develop in marine climates. They are characterized by glacier temperatures close to zero degrees or the pressure melting point; high glacier recharge and melting; high activity and strong glacial action. Continental glaciers, also known as cold glaciers, are glaciers that develop in continental climates, characterized by low snowfall and high snow lines; ice tongues are generally short and less active.

Glaciers can be divided into continental glaciers and mountain glaciers according to their shapes. Continental glaciers, also known as "ice slopes" or "ice fields", are huge ice bodies covering entire islands and continents, such as Antarctica and Greenland. Mountain glaciers, also known as "alpine glaciers", are mainly developed in high-altitude mountains and are greatly affected by topography. There are mainly hanging glaciers, cirque glaciers, valley glaciers, and foothill glaciers.

▲Mountain glaciers in the northern part of the Himalayas. Photo by Xiang Wenjun

02 How many glaciers are there on Earth?

About 11% of the earth's land is covered by glaciers, and 80% of fresh water is stored in glaciers. In terms of spatial distribution, 60% of the world's glaciers are distributed in Asia, except for the two poles, and 30% of Asia's glaciers are distributed in China. China's glaciers are mainly distributed in the Tianshan Mountains and the huge mountains on the edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the largest distribution area of ​​modern glaciers in the world's mid- and low-latitude regions.

According to the "China Glacier Catalogue", there are 46,377 glaciers in my country's major mountain systems, with a glacier area of ​​about 60,000 square kilometers and an ice reserve of 5,600 cubic kilometers. The top five glacier areas are Kunlun Mountains, Nyainqentanglha Mountains, Tianshan Mountains, Himalayas, and Karakoram Mountains. Since my country's major rivers are all developed on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, almost all of the famous rivers originate from modern glacier meltwater. It can be said that glaciers are the mother of mother rivers.

▲Glacier distribution map of China. Source: Planetary Research Institute

03 Hengduan Mountain Glaciers

The Hengduan Mountains are the main distribution area of ​​modern glaciers. The accumulation area above the snow line has abundant precipitation. In addition, the relatively high altitude provides a place for ice and snow accumulation and certain low temperature conditions. Therefore, mountain glaciers are widely developed.

The Hengduan Mountains run nearly north-south, and are the southernmost and easternmost areas of modern glacier distribution in my country. Moreover, the landforms, climate, flora and fauna in most areas here are also deeply influenced by ancient glaciers. The U-shaped wide valleys and glacial lakes formed by glacial action have become famous tourist destinations, attracting countless travel enthusiasts and intoxicated by them.

According to the "China Glacier Catalogue", there are 1,726 glaciers in the Hengduan Mountains, accounting for 3.72% of the glaciers in major mountain systems in China; the glacier area is 1,579 square kilometers, accounting for 2.66% of the total number in the country; the ice reserve is 97 cubic kilometers, accounting for 1.73% of the total glacier reserve in the country. Moreover, the glaciers in the Hengduan Mountains are generally small in scale, with an average glacier area of ​​only 0.92 square kilometers and a glacier coverage of only 0.44%.

▲Schematic diagram of the distribution of glaciers in Hengduan Mountains. (1 Queer Mountain; 2 Xuebaoding; 3 Siguniang Mountain; 4 Gongga Mountain; 5 Meili Snow Mountain; 6 Yulong Snow Mountain

The spatial distribution of modern glaciers in the Hengduan Mountains is obviously controlled by the north-south tectonic line. The main glaciers are the Meili Snow Mountain glaciers in the west of Yunnan, the Shaluli Mountain glaciers in the north, the Yulong Snow Mountain glaciers in the south of Yunnan, the Gongga Mountain glaciers, the Qionglai Mountain glaciers and the Xuebaoding Glaciers in the east. They are all formed under the monsoon marine climate conditions and are marine glaciers. The main types are valley glaciers, hanging valley glaciers and cirque glaciers, and the landscapes such as granular snow basins, ice tower forests, ice caves and ice mushrooms are widely developed.

Although the modern glaciers in Hengduan Mountains do not cover as much area as the Tianshan Mountains, Karakoram Mountains, and the Himalayas, and are mainly small glaciers, they are also unique and have created many national "firsts". For example, the Xuebaoding Glacier is the easternmost glacier in my country, the Hailuogou Glacier has the largest ice waterfall in my country, and the Gongba Glacier in Gongga Mountain has a maximum ice thickness of 263 meters, setting a record for the highest ice thickness of valley glaciers in my country. More importantly, the Hengduan Mountains are located at the junction of my country's first-level geomorphic units and second-level geomorphic units. The glacier distribution area is often high and steep, with a large relative height difference, deep canyons, and prominent landform complexity, hierarchy, and vertical zonation.

In addition, the Hengduan Mountains are located in a low-latitude area, with a warm and humid climate and a significant heat island effect. The vertical zonal distribution of plants, climate, soil and animals is very rich, and modern glaciers even extend to the primeval forests below 3,000 meters above sea level. The glacier landscape in this area is interdependent with snow-capped mountains, forests, grasslands, rivers, lakes, etc., forming a diverse and colorful three-dimensional landscape combination, which is more attractive in terms of viewing.

▲The hanging glacier under Yangmaiyong Snow Mountain. Photo by Ma Chunlin

04 Xuebaoding Glacier

Xuebaoding, the main peak of Minshan Mountain, was called "Xuelan Mountain" by ancient people. It is located in Songpan County, Sichuan Province, with an altitude of 5,588 meters. Xuebaoding is the easternmost snow mountain in my country with modern glaciation. There are 8 glaciers (some sources say 7) with a total area of ​​2.64 square kilometers. The glaciers are relatively small, mainly hanging glaciers. The larger ones are Xiaoxuebaoding Glacier, Daxuebaoding Glacier and Menfengdong Glacier. The largest Daxuebaoding Glacier covers an area of ​​1.2 square kilometers.

▲Xuebaoding. Photo by Yang Jian

05 Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Glacier

Yulong Snow Mountain, located in Lijiang, Yunnan, is the snow mountain closest to the equator in the Northern Hemisphere. Its main peak, Fanzidou, is 5,596 meters above sea level. According to the Glacier Catalog published in 1994, there are 19 modern glaciers distributed on Yulong Snow Mountain, including 15 on the east slope and 4 on the west slope, with a total area of ​​11.6 square kilometers. Baishui No. 1 Glacier is the largest glacier among them, with a length of 2.7 kilometers and an area of ​​1.5 square kilometers.

▲Glacier of Yulong Snow Mountain. Photo by Javed_H (Photo by Tuchong Creative)

06 Gongga Mountain Glacier

Mount Gongga, the main peak of the Hengduan Mountains, is the highest peak in the southwest and the highest peak in the Yangtze River Basin. It is located in the eastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, with an altitude of 7,556 meters and is known as the "King of Shu Mountains".

Mount Gongga has many favorable conditions for the formation of modern glaciers. The tall mountains provide sufficient altitude for the development of glaciers, the block mountain features, the mountains with roughly the same direction and the deep valleys between them create favorable terrain conditions for the development of glaciers, and the abundant precipitation brought by the monsoon provides a rich source of supply for the glaciers.

According to glacier catalog statistics (Pu Jianchen, 1994), there are currently 74 modern glaciers in the Gongga Mountains, with a total area of ​​256.02 square kilometers and a glacier reserve of 24 million cubic meters. Among them, there are 33 glaciers on the east slope with a total area of ​​155.1 square kilometers, and 41 glaciers on the west slope with a total area of ​​100.92 square kilometers.

▲Schematic diagram of the distribution of major glaciers on the eastern slope of Mount Gongga.

Among the numerous glaciers, the larger ones with a length of more than three kilometers include the Yanzigou Glacier, Hailuogou Glacier, Mozigou Glacier, and Nankouguangou Glacier on the eastern slope; the Big and Small Gongba Glaciers on the western slope; the Riwuqie No. 2 Glacier on the northern slope; and the Bawanggou Glacier on the southern slope. All of them are dendritic complex valley glaciers.

In addition, below the permanent snow line, Mount Gongga has developed a type of hanging stone glacier. This form of initial glacier shrinkage due to insufficient snow supply at low altitudes is distributed in rows on the walls of tributary valleys or the source of the river in the main valley. Below it, periglacial landforms such as stone seas, stone rivers, mudslides and swamps often develop.

▲Schematic diagram of glacier distribution in Gongga Mountain.

Hailuogou Glacier is the largest and most beautiful glacier among the dozens of glaciers in Gongga Mountain. Located on the east slope of the snow-capped peak of Gongga Mountain, it is famous for its low-latitude and low-altitude modern glaciers. The lowest point is 2,850 meters above sea level, and the glacier tongue extends 6 kilometers into the primeval forest. The glacier and the forest complement each other, forming a "green sea and silver river" wonder.

Hailuogou Glacier is distributed between 6750 and 2850 meters above sea level, covering an area of ​​16 square kilometers. It is divided into three levels from top to bottom. The top is the snow basin, i.e. the ice bucket, which is the supply area of ​​the glacier, with an altitude of more than 4800 meters. The second level is the big icefall, which is 1080 meters high and 500-1100 meters wide. It is the largest glacier waterfall in my country. There are ice avalanches and snow avalanches all year round, and it is also the best place to watch the magnificent glacier scenery. The lowest level is the glacier tongue, which is below 3700 meters above sea level. The tongue is 5.7 kilometers long and 0.4-0.7 kilometers wide. The thickness of the ice body is 100-130 meters. Due to the movement of glaciers and the melting of glaciers, glacier arc arches, glacier gate caves, ice bridges, ice tables, ice mushrooms, ice lakes, ice rivers and other glacier landscapes have been produced.

Apart from the Hailuogou Glacier, the Gongba Glacier is the largest glacier on the west slope. It is formed by the confluence of the Big Gongba Glacier and the Small Gongba Glacier. The glacier is 11 kilometers long, and the end of the ice tongue extends to the forest at an altitude of 3,640 meters. On the lateral moraine of the glacier at an altitude of 3,700 meters, the Gongga Temple with a history of more than 700 years is located. The Yanzigou Glacier has a glacier area of ​​32.15 square kilometers; the Mozigou Glacier has 5 glaciers with a glacier area of ​​32.7 square kilometers. These glaciers are in harmony with the forests, peaks, warm and cold springs, rare animals and plants, but most of them are undeveloped and difficult for tourists to reach.

▲Schematic diagram of the distribution of glaciers in Gongga Mountain. Photo by Yang Jian

07 Meili Snow Mountain Glacier

Meili Snow Mountain is located in the Nushan Mountains between the Nujiang River and the Lancang River in the middle section of the Hengduan Mountains. There are thirteen peaks with an average altitude of more than 6,000 meters, commonly known as the "Thirteen Peaks of the Prince". The main peak, Kawagebo, is 6,740 meters above sea level, the highest peak in Yunnan and the second highest peak in the Hengduan Mountains.

There are 48 modern glaciers here, with a total area of ​​146 square kilometers. Among them, there are 5 glaciers with an area greater than 10 square kilometers. The largest one is Gongsenlong Glacier, with an area of ​​16 square kilometers, which is the largest glacier in the southern Hengduan Mountains.

Mingyong Glacier is the most famous glacier, with an area of ​​12.5 square kilometers and a length of 11.5 kilometers. Its end extends to 2,700 meters, making it the glacier with the lowest end in the Hengduan Mountains (according to the "Glacier Catalog" published in 1994, some people believe it is the Hailuogou Glacier). The average movement speed of the glacier is 533 meters per year, making it the fastest known glacier.

▲The Sinon Glacier in Meili Snow Mountain is more magnificent than the Mingyong Glacier, but due to its poor accessibility, few people have seen it. Photo by Dengtuzi Outdoor - Leaf (TuChong Creative)

08 Shaluli Mountain Glacier

Shaluli Mountain, lying in the middle of Hengduan Mountain, is the central mountain range of Hengduan Mountain. It consists of a series of north-south mountain ranges, with high terrain, rolling hills, wide valleys and winding rivers between the hills.

The Shaluli Mountains are the longest and widest mountain range in Sichuan Province, and also the widest mountain range in the Hengduan Mountains. During the Quaternary Ice Age about 700,000 years ago, this area was covered with thick ice and snow, forming multiple ice caps, like miniature Antarctica. 10,000 to 20,000 years ago, global temperatures rose, the Ice Age ended, and the ice caps gradually melted and disappeared, forming magnificent and precious ancient ice cap relics, which are the largest ancient ice cap relics on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. A small number of modern glaciers still develop in extremely high mountain areas, such as Queer Mountain, Genyen Mountain, and Nyainqen Risong Gongbu Snow Mountain, mainly hanging glaciers and cirque glaciers. These glaciers are gradually retreating and are facing the risk of extinction every day.

▲Aden Snow Mountain. Photo by Tuchong Creative

The Queer Mountain Glacier is located in Derge County in the north of the Shaluli Mountains. The Queer Mountain is called Zhuola Mountain in Tibetan, which means a mountain that birds cannot fly over. The main peak, Rongmai Oza, is 6,168 meters above sea level, which is a natural barrier in northern Kang. There are 28 peaks above 5,000 meters here, and modern glaciers mainly develop in these extremely high mountains. There are more than 30 glaciers of various sizes, with a glacier area of ​​80 square kilometers. The two largest glaciers are distributed in the northwest and northeast, with a length of about 6 kilometers.

▲Qeershan Glacier. Photo by LuoBoTouFan, TuChong Creative

The Genyen Glacier is located in the middle of the Shaluli Mountains. Genyen Mountain, with a maximum altitude of 6,204 meters, is the highest peak in the Shaluli Mountains, the third highest peak in Sichuan Province, and the fifth highest peak in the Hengduan Mountains. It is composed of a series of snow-capped mountains. Looking down from the air, many mountains, snow-capped peaks, and valleys surround a place called the "Heart of Genyen", like a blooming lotus.

Mount Genyen is a place where modern glaciers and ancient glaciers coexist. There are a large number of hanging valley glaciers and cirque glaciers around the main peak and the sacred Xiangba Mountain and Xiaozha Mountain. According to research, the distribution area of ​​glaciers in Mount Genyen is about 28 square kilometers, with at least 12 glaciers. The largest glacier is the Mount Genyen Hanging Glacier, located on the southern slope of the main peak of Genyen, with an area of ​​4.75 square kilometers.

▲Genyen Glacier.

The Yading Snow Mountain Glacier is located at the southern end of the Shaluli Mountains, in the southern part of Daocheng County, at the junction of Muli County and Yunnan. The Yading Snow Mountain, also known as the Nianqing Gonggar Risong Gongbu Snow Mountain, has the highest peak of the Xiannairi Snow Mountain at an altitude of 6,032 meters. There is one 6,000-meter snow mountain and 10 5,000-meter snow mountains. Xiannairi, Xianuoduoji and Yangmaiyong are the most famous snow peaks. They are independent of each other and arranged in a "品" shape, and are called the "Three Sacred Mountains of Yading". With the Nianqing Gonggar Risong Gongbu Snow Mountain as the center, there are 26.73 square kilometers of hanging glaciers, which are small and exquisite, sensitive and fragile.

▲Xanuoduoji Hanging Glacier in Yading. Photo by Li Zhongdong

09 Qionglai Mountain Glacier

Qionglai Mountains, one of the mountain series in the eastern part of Hengduan Mountains, has an average altitude of about 4,000 meters. It runs roughly from north to south, steep in the east and gentle in the west. The highest peak is Yaomei Peak of Siguniang Mountain, which is 6,250 meters above sea level. Qionglai Mountain is the boundary between the first and second steps of China, that is, the geographical boundary between Sichuan Basin and Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The mountains here are high and steep, with endless peaks and snow-capped mountains. Yanggong Snow Mountain and Siguniang Mountain are both concentrated distribution areas of modern glaciers.

Siguniang Mountain Glacier is located in Xiaojin County, Aba Prefecture. Siguniang Mountain, called "Sigu La Rouda" in Tibetan, means guardian god. The mountain is oriented from northeast to southwest. The highest peak is Yaomei Peak, which is 6,250 meters above sea level. It is the second highest peak in Sichuan Province (considering the Gongga Mountain group as a whole) and the highest peak in the Qionglai Mountains. Siguniang Mountain and Gongga Mountain echo each other and together they have become the "king peaks" of Sichuan Mountains. There are 18 glaciers of different sizes distributed near the main peak of Siguniang Mountain, with a glacier area of ​​8.54 square kilometers, mainly cirque glaciers and hanging glaciers.

▲Flag clouds over Siguniang Mountain, and the white glaciers on the mountainside. Photo by Li Zhongdong

Dagu Glacier is located in Heishui County, Aba Prefecture. The large-scale intrusion of Yanshanian granite has led to differences in exfoliation and uplift, which provides conditions for the development of glaciers. Glaciers are mainly developed in Yanggong Snow Mountain and the surrounding valley shoulders and upper valleys. There are 19 modern marine mountain glaciers with a glacier area of ​​6.04 square kilometers and an ice reserve of 173,600 cubic meters. Hanging valley glaciers and cirque glaciers are the most typical. Dagu Glacier is a typical representative of small mountain glaciers on the eastern edge of Hengduan Mountains. It is also the modern glacier closest to the central city and the most accessible. The glacier is in the process of retreat and is very sensitive to climate and environmental changes.

▲Glacier strata. Photo by Tang Huaxiang

Source: Xiake Geography