The Whistler Naturalists’ most recent Wedgemount Glacier Monitoring Report (2024) reminds us once again that the glacier is a story of relentless decline. The report provides a detailed analysis of the glacier’s recent behaviour, continuing a monitoring program that began in 1973.
Like a shift in the glacier’s edge, this year’s report marks a shift in the report leadership and the end of an era. After 50 years of monitoring Wedgemount Glacier, Karl Ricker retired at the age of 88 and his service will be forever appreciated. The monitoring effort is now led by Rob Tupper, a professional surveyor, and Dave Lyon, sons of two of the project founders (Bill Tupper and Don Lyon).
Glacier monitoring data was collected using a variety of data sources, including real-time GPS surveys of the glacier terminus and measurements of ice thickness. The report highlights several key findings about the glacier’s state:
Continued recession: The glacier continues to recede, with an average horizontal recession of 13.4 metres between 2023 and 2024. Since 1973, the glacier has receded more than 700 metres.
Significant thinning: The glacier has thinned significantly, with a 14.3-metre decrease in elevation at one point near the toe between 2020 and 2024.
Lake update: Above Wedgemount Lake recession has uncovered Tupper Lake. It began forming in 2006 and now covers approximately four hectares.
Future monitoring efforts include using drone technology to create a surface-to-surface model to compare to past models. In 2020, a 3D model was created of the lower portion of the glacier and Tupper Lake. An updated model will allow a five-year comparison model to be created, providing a more comprehensive understanding of the glacier’s changes over time.
As you can probably guess, the report collaborators predict Wedgemount Glacier will continue to retreat in the coming decades. This will have an impact on the local ecosystem, as the glacier provides water for Wedgemount Lake, and the local ecosystem. In the future, tourism could be affected as the glacier is a popular tourist destination for hikers and climbers for those who can manage the strenuous-but-rewarding hike.
The story of Wedgemount Glacier is a compelling narrative of dedication, scientific inquiry, and the undeniable reality of climate change. The data is shared with the National Hydrology Research Centre as they work to better understand and predict the impacts of climate variability. It is a story that needs to be told and retold, which the Whistler Naturalists do through the yearly report and Naturespeak articles, which we hope serve as both a chronicle of ongoing change and a call to action.
The glacier’s retreat is a stark reminder of the environmental challenges we face. Continued monitoring efforts, now passed to a new generation, offer a glimmer of hope that we can learn from the past and work towards a more positive future for this and our other local glaciers. Hope is not the conviction that glacier recession will slow or reverse in our lifetime, but the certainty that working to reduce our impact on the planet is the right thing to do, regardless of how our glaciers change.
Naturespeak is prepared by the Whistler Naturalists. To learn more about Whistler’s natural world, go to whistlernaturalists.ca.
