February is my birthday month, and it seems like lots of people have been raising money for charities and other great causes for their birthdays. I’ve decided to do something a little different.
Instead of fundraising, I’m raising vertical gain!
For 2019, I’ve taken on the goal of reaching 400,000 vertical feet of human-powered ascent, and a few dozen folks have jumped onboard — I’m just past 45,000 so far, and it’s great to see and hear about everyone’s vertical adventures! Check out the Facebook & Strava groups.
For my birthday, though, I’d love to get as many people involved as possible — whether you do a daily walk with your dog or climb laps on frozen waterfalls, this is a challenge for you (& a great present for me)!!
So…
For the month of February, I challenge you to:
- Choose a glacier from the list below.
- Use the 2018 projected glacial melt data as a goal for your weekly vertical ascent.
- Use your watch or phone (or math!) to keep track of your ascent.
- Share it far and wide & let people know the glacier in whose name you’re pushing your limits and why! Use the hashtag #VN400K and tag Climate Run and Velocity North where you can.
- Have fun!
What’s with all these glaciers?
This list is taken from The World Glacier Monitoring Service and represents glaciers from around the world in the greatest jeopardy from warming climates. The melt for each of the years 2016-2018 is given in millimeters of water equivalent (mm w.e.), which means that the ice loss is measured as the depth of water spread across the surface of the entire glacier.
For example, a glacier with a 2018 mass balance of -1697 mm w.e., for example, like the Goldbergkees Glacier in Austria, lost 1.7 meters, or 5.5 feet of water equivalent over that one year.
For example:
I’m choosing Ålfotbreen, the ‘westernmost and most maritime glacier in Norway,’ which lost 2 meters of water equivalent, or 2040 mm w.e. in 2018. Throughout February, I’ll learn more about the glacier, its surroundings, and the impact the melt may have on the region’s ecology and social systems. I’ll try to maintain my upward pace to meet 2,040 vertical feet each week, and share what happens along the way.
That simple 🙂
See you up there!
| Glacier and Location | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 (EST) |
| AUSTRIA | |||
| Goldbergkees | -860 | -1806 | -1697 |
| Hintereisferner | -1263 | -1826 | -1963 |
| Jamtalferner | -800 | -1825 | -2277 |
| Kesselwandferner | -500 | -1054 | -1619 |
| Kleinfleisskees | -432 | -1791 | -1377 |
| Obersulzbachkees | -467 | -655 | |
| Pasterze | -1163 | -1593 | -1400 |
| Stubacher Sonnblickkees | -828 | -1850 | |
| Vernagtferner | -781 | -1335 | -1550 |
| Wurtenkees | -1250 | -1706 | |
| Zettalunitz/Mullwitz | -858 | -1340 | -1239 |
| CANADA | |||
| Devon Ice Cap NW | -483 | -153 | |
| Helm | -1280 | -907 | |
| Peyto | -1844 | -819 | |
| Place | -1330 | -1605 | |
| CHILE | |||
| Echaurren Norte | -2284 | -353 | |
| CHINA | |||
| Urumqi Glacier No.1 | -780 | -682 | -711 |
| COLOMBIA | |||
| Conejeras | -5545 | -4265 | |
| FRANCE | |||
| Argentìere | -680 | -1500 | |
| Gebroulaz | -410 | -1180 | |
| Ossoue | -1370 | -5010 | |
| Saint Sorlin | -1140 | -2640 | |
| Sarennes | -1510 | -3001 | -1960 |
| ICELAND | |||
| Hofsjökull E | -1330 | -650 | |
| Hofsjökull N | -1130 | -610 | |
| Langjökull Ice Cap | -1677 | -959 | |
| Tungnarjökull | -1415 | -449 | |
| ITALY | |||
| Calderone | -1041 | -594 | |
| Campo Settentrionale | -840 | -1856 | -1325 |
| Careser | -1748 | -2747 | -1981 |
| Ciardoney | -1800 | -1390 | |
| Fontana Bianca/Weissbrunnferner | -1312 | -1880 | |
| La Mare (southern branch) | -654 | -1904 | |
| Lunga/Langenferner | -1010 | -2066 | |
| Lupo | -973 | -1347 | -1751 |
| Malavalle / Übeltalferner | -871 | -1207 | |
| Pendente / Hangender Ferner | -1195 | -1589 | |
| Suretta Meridionale | -1336 | -2283 | -2441 |
| Vedretta Occ. di Ries/Westlicher Rieserferner | -793 | -1239 | |
| KYRGYZSTAN | |||
| Bordu | -450 | -1480 | -870 |
| Karabatkak | -390 | -1120 | -810 |
| Sary-Tor | -790 | -1340 | -540 |
| NEPAL | |||
| Changri Nup | -750 | -2560 | -2100 |
| Mera | -200 | -560 | -730 |
| Pokalde | -460 | -890 | -1290 |
| NORWAY | |||
| Ålfotbreen | -635 | -750 | -2040 |
| Engabreen | -226 | 1249 | -1260 |
| Graasubreen | -415 | -708 | -1900 |
| Hansebreen | -1304 | -1179 | |
| Hellstugubreen | -339 | -591 | -1600 |
| Storbreen | -804 | -517 | -770 |
| PERU | |||
| Artesonraju | -1598 | -736 | |
| Yanamarey | -2505 | -1032 | |
| SVALBARD | |||
| Austre Broeggerbreen | -1450 | -790 | -880 |
| Austre Lovenbreen | |||
| Hansbreen | -1078 | -697 | |
| Irenebreen | -1468 | -1420 | |
| Midtre Lovenbreen | -1200 | -640 | -760 |
| Waldemarbreen | -1773 | -1425 | |
| SWITZERLAND | |||
| Allalin | -269 | -1778 | -801 |
| Basodino | -979 | -963 | |
| Clariden | -424 | -1196 | |
| Corbassiere | -450 | -1336 | |
| Corvatsch-S | -751 | -1976 | |
| Findelen | -723 | -944 | |
| Gietro | -414 | -1666 | -664 |
| Gries | -1191 | -2437 | -2045 |
| Hohlaub | -437 | -1791 | |
| Murtel | -462 | -1408 | |
| Pizol | -699 | -1652 | |
| Plaine Morte | -248 | -2277 | |
| Rhone | -454 | -1248 | |
| Sankt Anna | -926 | -1123 | |
| Schwarzbach | -1083 | -1554 | |
| Schwarzberg | -164 | -1768 | |
| Sex Rouge | -144 | -2541 | |
| Silvretta | -606 | -1513 | -1744 |
| Tsanfleuron | -226 | -2242 | |
| USA | |||
| Columbia (2057) | -1180 | -750 | -630 |
| Daniels | -640 | -540 | -680 |
| Easton | -820 | -260 | -500 |
| Gulkana | -1400 | -1510 | |
| Ice Worm | -780 | -570 | -750 |
| Lemon Creek | -1200 | -1480 | -2310 |
| Lower Curtis | -1550 | -650 | -820 |
| Lynch | -1420 | -320 | -640 |
| Taku | -780 | -950 | -1380 |
| Wolverine | -400 | -1160 | |
| Yawning | -960 | -640 | -480 |
