I am almost afraid to post this, but hiding in a corner will not make it go away..Environment Alert

[Peacetrain]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TRAVEL/02/17/global.warming.travel/index.html

CNN) -- Scientists expect some great travel spots to be altered or ruined by global climate change.
Glaciers in the European Alps may melt as soon as 2050, some scientists say.


Some of the changes are already taking place. Others are expected to be seen in coming decades.

There are two ways to look at this: Either stay home (which might be less depressing and won't add more airline emissions) or get a move on it and see the hot spots you just can't miss.

For those who want to head out, CNN got advice on the best pre-warming travel destinations from Bob Henson, author of "The Rough Guide to Climate Change" and a writer at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado.

[rfranklin]

1. Alps become world's largest water park...

The slide is fantastic!

[Uben]

3. Yeah, but......

...it takes three days to get to the bottom of it!

[T Wolf]

6. What's wrong with that. It is far better than standing in line for an hour for a 30-second

or (in the case of a ski run) five-minute ride.

[BlooInBloo]

2. Why were you afraid to post that?

[Peacetrain]

5. So much on the menu today..

Economics, etc. Lots of stuff needing attention. Sometimes when a person gets hit with just tons of negatives it can be overwhelming.. I usually try and balance out, but my threads have been rather doom and gloom today.

[BlooInBloo]

9. Gotcha.

[grasswire]

4. the glaciers of Montana and Alberta will be gone sooner

The prediction for the disappearance of the alpine flowers and glaciers of Glacier National Park is much sooner than 2050. Next year is the 100th anniversary of the park, and probably the last chance to see our own spectacular (the word is too modest to describe the park) treasure.

[havocmom]

8. Havocdad tromped on many of the glaciers in Glacier National Park

and several in the Alps. Looking at google earth and comparing what he sees with old maps and experience has really shaken him about the amount of melt. And lots of the google earth pics are a year or better old.

[Blue_In_AK]

10. I have photos that my dad took of Portage Glacier

south of Anchorage back in the '70s where the glacier terminus is way out in the middle of the lake. Now it's receded so far, you can't even see it from the visitor center.

Portage Glacier 1914


Portage Glacier 2004

[Fireweed247]

11. ya you can barely see her anymore

I have watched exit glacier shrink drastically just in the last 10 years.


We moved to a 'hot spot' in God's country so we could enjoy it before mankind ruined it. This whole place is just amazing, truly awesome. I highly recommend a trip to Alaska for all DUers interested in seeing a glacier before they all melt. Drove up from Cali after college and never wanted to go back.

[Blue_In_AK]

12. Believe it or not, I'd never even been back to Exit Glacier

until a couple of summers ago, so I don't have a comparison point, but I first visited Portage in 1972. I hadn't been back there in several years -- we usually blow on by on our way to Homer or somewhere -- so I was just shocked when I took my new husband back to see it in 2003 and the glacier was GONE.

Last summer we took a 26-glacier cruise out in Prince William Sound and it was pointed out where one of the tidal glaciers had now receded to the point where you could see the shoreline rocks at the bottom. I guess they change its classification then from "tidal" glacier to "hanging" glacier.

I don't see how people can deny global warming in the face of this evidence. We have a couple of cold winters and all of a sudden everybody wants to ridicule climate change but it's hard to deny what you can see with your own two eyes.

[BurtWorm]

7. Let's all book flights to see them before they melt !

:bounce:

[Lars39]

13. I'm guessing some of my National Geographic books will be folklore

before too long. :(

[countryjake]

14. Travel spots schmavel spots...those glaciers are our water...

up here in WA! Several glaciers have already melted totally away on Mt. Baker and most of the rest are in disequilibrium, with the heads retreating. In the not-too-distant future, visitors here may wonder why it was ever called the Evergreen State!

Our Vanishing Glaciers by Mauri Pelto
http://www.mountaineers.org/NWMJ/07/071_Glaciers.html


(and here's a better pdf. article from a Sept '07 Washington Trails)

Vanishing Glaciers A scientist observes the disappearing glaciers of the Cascades by Mauri Pelto
http://www.wta.org/magazine/1240.pdf


North Cascade Glacier Climate Project
http://www.nichols.edu/departments/glacier/