# Colorado glacier and snowfield recession

> Developing situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/colorado-glacier-and-snowfield-recession
> Updated: 2026-10-27T13:01:44.000Z. Sources: 4. Developments: 2.

Colorado’s glaciers and perennial snowfields have experienced significant loss due to record-low snowfall and extreme summer heat. In September 2026, the St. Mary’s Glacier snowfield, which had functioned as a perennial snowfield for a century, melted completely for the first time in recorded history. This disappearance prompted mourning ceremonies hosted by climate activists from Glacier Nation and The Green House Connection Center to highlight the urgency of global warming.

Research from glaciologist Dan McGrath of Colorado State University indicates that the rate of ice loss in the region has doubled compared to the previous five years. Specific findings show the Andrews Glacier thinned by more than 3.7 meters, the Arapaho Glacier lost nearly 3 meters, and the Isabelle Glacier shrank by approximately 2 meters. These patterns of rapid ice loss are reportedly being observed globally, including in the European Alps.

## Claims

- Colorado glaciers thinned significantly during 2026 due to extreme heat and low snowfall. (reported by 3 sources)
- The Andrews Glacier thinned by more than 3.7 meters (12 feet) in 2026. (reported by 3 sources)
- The Arapaho Glacier lost nearly 3 meters (10 feet) of ice in 2026. (reported by 3 sources)
- The Isabelle Glacier shrank by approximately 2 meters (6.5 feet) in 2026. (reported by 3 sources)
- St. Mary’s Glacier melted away completely by September 2026. (reported by 3 sources)
- The rate of glacier thinning in 2026 was double the rate of the preceding five years. (reported by 3 sources)
- More than 6.5 trillion metric tons of ice have been lost worldwide since 2000. (reported by 3 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-10-27: Colorado glaciers experience dramatic thinning due to extreme weather

Colorado glaciers are thinning at double their previous rate due to record heat and low snowfall, with St. Mary’s Glacier melting entirely in 2026.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/colorado-faces-extreme-weather-as-flooding-and-glacier-loss-intensify

### 2026-10-12: St. Mary’s Glacier snowfield melts completely for the first time in recorded history

Climate activists held a ceremony in Colorado to mourn the complete melting of St. Mary’s Glacier, a perennial snowfield that disappeared this September due to warming temperatures.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/st-marys-glacier-snowfield-melts-completely-for-the-first-time-in-recorded-history

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Cite as: Colorado glacier and snowfield recession. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/colorado-glacier-and-snowfield-recession