glacier

There are similar stories for many glaciers all over the planet, because these frozen rivers of ice are retreating - fast.

The remnants of these glaciers, which have already shrunk dramatically since the late 1800s, are retreating year after year, and are projected to melt completely this century as global temperatures continue to rise.

In addition to climbing the challenging peaks, mountaineers also often have to navigate the Palisades Glacier, one of the last true glaciers remaining in California.

Shasta has claimed another victim — a 45-year-old Argentinian hiker who lost track of the trail and slid around 2,000 feet down the face of a steep glacier.

In addition to the melting of glaciers and ice caps, many regions are getting drier and depleting their groundwater.