Yala Glacier
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| Yala Glacier | |
|---|---|
  Yala Glacier | |
| Location | Rasuwa District, Nepal |
| Coordinates | 28°13′N 85°39′E / 28.22°N 85.65°E |
| Area | 1.61 square kilometres (0.62 sq mi) |
| Length | 1.4 mi (2.3 km) |
| Highest elevation | 5,750 metres (18,860 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 5,170 metres (16,960 ft) |
Yala Glacier is a glacier in Rasuwa District, Nepal.[1] 'Yala' means 'high peak' in the local Langtang valley language.[2]
It was described in 2006 as a 2,566 square kilometres (991 sq mi) plateau-shaped polythermal glacier.[1][3] In 2021, the length was 1.4 km (0.87 mi) with a surface area of 1.61 km2 (0.62 sq mi).[1]
Due to its relative accessibility, the glacier is one of the most studied in Nepal, starting with Japanese glaciologists.[2] Researchers have found that the glacier rapidly retreated since the 1990s.[5] Since 1974 the surface area of the glacier dropped 66% and the glacier retreated 784 meters.[6]
In 2025, during a 'glacier funeral' ceremony, a memorial for the glacier was unveiled to acknowledge it rapid disappearance. It consists of a granite plaque with inscription by Icelandic writer Andri Snær Magnason.[6]
