SFU research suggests Whistler glaciers could vanish in decades as melt accelerates

The Story

Three glaciers long associated with Whistler Blackcomb could disappear within the next few decades, according to new research led by a Simon Fraser University (SFU) master’s student in glaciology who examined how the ice has shrunk since the early 1970s. The study focuses on the Whistler Glacier, Horstman Glacier and the Blackcomb Glacier, each of which dates back roughly 8,000 years and has become a prominent part of the local landscape.

Chloé Monty, currently an SFU master’s student, analysed aerial and satellite imagery spanning 1973 to 2024 to track glacier retreat over the past 50 years. Using a model to predict timelines for complete disappearance, Monty’s work estimates that the glaciers are already far advanced in their decline. In an SFU release summarizing the research, Monty described the findings as “shocking.”

The projections show dramatic losses already underway: the Whistler Glacier has shrunk by about 95 per cent, the Horstman Glacier by about 75 per cent, and the Blackcomb Glacier by about 60 per cent. Monty attributed the speed of the melt primarily to human-caused climate change, noting that greenhouse-gas emissions have contributed to warming across the region. Since 1948, B.C.’s average annual temperature has increased by about 2°C, which Monty linked to a warming rate of roughly 0.26°C per decade.

In addition to broader temperature trends, the research points to conditions specific to western Canadian glaciers. Monty identified surface darkening from wildfire ash as a key factor that can make glaciers melt faster, because darker surfaces absorb more radiation. In a region where wildfire smoke and ash can blanket mountain snow and ice, that additional absorption can intensify summer melt and further reduce the glaciers’ ability to recover during colder seasons.

The study also places the Whistler Blackcomb glaciers in context of their size and elevation. Monty said the well-known glaciers on the resort mountains are smaller and sit at lower elevations than many other glaciers in British Columbia. As a result, they are among the first to “fully disappear” when the freezing level rises. She said the snow line and the elevation of the freezing level are moving upward as temperatures increase, which puts glaciers at lower altitudes at greater risk.

While the research centres on long-term disappearance, it also describes near- and medium-term consequences already visible as the ice retreats. Monty said melting glaciers can lead to rock falls around ridges associated with glacier terrain, and that the hazard is expected to continue as warming continues and unstable rock exposure increases. The shift can alter how quickly terrain changes from year to year, particularly around steep, glacier-fed slopes.

For a ski area, the most practical implications involve how runs and bowl terrain evolve as the ice mass diminishes. Monty said the resort’s ski terrain has been getting steeper over time, with changes that affect entrances and route character. She explained that areas that once offered a gentler roll can become steeper sections or even cliffs, requiring different approaches for navigating the terrain.

Monty said adaptation—alongside efforts to curb emissions—is necessary to manage the changing landscape. She noted that Whistler Blackcomb is already taking steps, including replacing a showcase T-bar with a chairlift as part of adapting to evolving conditions. She also pointed to potential physical interventions that might slow melt, such as the use of geotextile blankets, while emphasizing that long-term planning will likely require using the landscape differently rather than trying to hold back glacier loss indefinitely.

The research also frames its findings as an urgent call to action for the public, particularly because the loss of glaciers is both visible and tied directly to climate change. Monty said the discovery should prompt people to “go see your local glaciers,” describing them as a visual symbol of climate impacts. She said glaciers also represent a long-standing part of mountain landscapes—existing for thousands of years—making their rapid shrinkage a striking signal of how quickly conditions are changing.

Beyond personal observation, Monty argued that the information points to reducing carbon emissions. She described lower emissions as a pathway to preserving larger glaciers and ice sheets by reducing the amount of additional melting driven by warming. At the same time, she cautioned that for the smaller Whistler Blackcomb glaciers, the loss may already be unavoidable despite potential efforts to slow impacts.

Using the modelling outcomes, Monty’s estimates suggest a range of disappearance timelines. Whistler Glacier is expected to disappear entirely within 10 years. Horstman Glacier is projected to vanish within 10 to 30 years, and Blackcomb Glacier is expected to disappear within 20 to 70 years. The wide range for the later glaciers reflects how uncertainty can increase as projections extend further into the future, particularly when melt rates depend on ongoing climate and surface conditions such as wildfire-related darkening.

Taken together, the SFU research links the rapid retreat of three historic glaciers to a combination of warming trends, wildfire-ash effects, and the specific vulnerability of lower-elevation, smaller ice bodies. For residents and visitors in the Whistler region, the implications extend beyond environmental change, affecting terrain stability, the character of ski runs and the kinds of adaptations the resort may continue to implement as the glaciers decline further.