Colorado’s prominent glaciers lost substantial ice in 2026, after record-low snowpack and record summer heat exposed them to melting. Andrews Glacier thinned by more than 12 feet, while Arapaho and Isabelle glaciers lost nearly 10 feet and about 6.5 feet. St. Mary’s Glacier melted completely in September. Researchers say the losses fit a global pattern and could affect water supplies, ecosystems, mountain hazards and drought vulnerability. The report describes research measurements and ongoing glacier surveys, but no new government rules, fees, forms or compliance deadlines. Colorado State University glaciologist Dan McGrath says the remaining glaciers could disappear within 20 years at current thinning rates.
TLDR: Colorado’s 2026 record-low snowpack and summer heat coincided with major ice losses, including more than 12 feet of thinning at Andrews Glacier. Researchers say the changes threaten water-dependent ecosystems and could leave remaining Colorado glaciers at risk of disappearing within 20 years.
Colorado’s best-known glaciers thinned sharply in 2026 after the state recorded its lowest snowpack and a summer of record heat, according to new research. Andrews Glacier lost more than 12 feet of ice in a year, while Arapaho Glacier lost nearly 10 feet and Isabelle Glacier about 6.5 feet. The three glaciers’ thinning rate was twice as fast as during the previous five years, glaciologist Dan McGrath said.
The reported rationale for examining the glaciers over a single year was that 2026 was exceptional. Glaciologists generally measure changes across longer periods, but McGrath, of Colorado State University, sought to document what happened during the unusually low-snow, warm year. The measurements show how little snow cover was available to replenish the ice and how exposed the glaciers were to summer heat.
St. Mary’s Glacier, a perennial snowfield popular with hikers and skiers, melted completely in September. McGrath said Andrews Glacier has lost half its ice since 2017. He estimated that Colorado’s remaining glaciers could disappear soon, and said their recent rate of thinning could lead to their loss within 20 years.
The sharp one-year losses differ from the longer-term pace described by researchers. In the decade before the recent acceleration, Colorado glacier thinning measured a foot or less per year. The latest figures therefore offer a striking account of how the state’s record-low snowpack and record summer temperatures affected high-elevation ice.
The effects extend beyond the appearance of mountain landscapes. Glacier meltwater supplies high-alpine and downstream ecosystems across the western United States. Brian Menounos, an earth sciences professor at the University of Northern British Columbia and co-author of a new study, said those areas may become more vulnerable to extreme drought as glaciers disappear.
Researchers also link shrinking glaciers with mountain hazards and rising sea levels. The article describes a deadly collapse near Nepal’s border with China in August, when more than 1,300 people were killed after a large section of rock and overlying glacier fell. That event illustrates the potential for changes in mountain ice and rock to bring sudden harm, though the Colorado measurements themselves do not describe a comparable incident.
Colorado’s losses fit a wider pattern. Research cited in the report estimates that more than 7 trillion tons of ice have been lost worldwide since 2000. In Switzerland, glaciers lost 5.5% of their ice volume this year, the second-largest percentage drop on record, amid heat waves and low winter snowfall. Switzerland’s GLAMOS glacier monitoring service and Swiss Academy of Sciences said alpine glaciers have no chance of surviving long-term under those conditions.
In Washington state, the North Cascade Glacier Climate Project surveys six glaciers on Mount Baker during an annual summer trip. Director Mauri Pelto said this year’s survey showed the fastest average retreat since 1950, along with the collapse of several large ice caves. Those caves form as warm air circulates through retreating glaciers.
Across the contiguous United States, mountain glaciers average about 0.16 square miles, or roughly 100 acres, and are spread across high elevations. A new study says about one-quarter have disappeared since the mid-1900s. The remaining glaciers have lost a third of their area and volume, according to the study co-authored by Menounos.
Wildfires can add to the pressure, Menounos said. Soot and dust darken glacier surfaces, making them more likely to absorb sunlight and melt. The report also says glaciers could form again if carbon pollution declines substantially and temperatures fall enough for snow to build up throughout the year. Even under those conditions, rebuilding glacier ice could take several hundred years.
The practical impact described in the research is environmental rather than a new government requirement. The findings identify reduced glacier runoff, greater potential drought vulnerability, mountain hazards and contributions to sea-level rise. The report specifies no fees, forms, enforcement rules or deadlines for residents, businesses or local governments. It describes McGrath’s 2026 measurement effort and annual glacier surveys elsewhere, but does not announce a new monitoring mandate or public compliance process.
For Colorado, the next step identified in the reporting is continued observation of glaciers already changing quickly. Harlan Ulmer, a Colorado State University student who has photographed the ice each year since 2022, volunteers with McGrath’s research project. The article names no upcoming deadline or formal oversight schedule; future monitoring is part of the research described, and the reported measurements provide the current record for comparison.
Deborah Cole serves as a Senior Correspondent for Just Right News, where she spearheads the network’s coverage of Housing, Infrastructure, and Mobility. With a career defined by a commitment to rigorous reporting and a focus on the fundamental pillars of American community life, Deborah brings a principled perspective to the complex issues that dictate how and where we live. Her work is grounded in the belief that sound policy, fiscal responsibility, and respect for private property are the essential foundations of a prosperous society.
Originally from Boston, Massachusetts, Deborah’s upbringing in one of the nation’s oldest and most historically significant cities deeply influenced her professional trajectory. Growing up amidst the architectural legacy and dense urban planning of New England, she developed an early appreciation for the importance of durable infrastructure and the role of local tradition in shaping neighborhoods. Her perspective is informed by the classic American values of her hometown—hard work, community cohesion, and a healthy skepticism of top-down bureaucratic mandates that often overlook the unique needs of individual citizens.
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