Spanning 5,170 to 5,750 metres above sea level within the Langtang National Park, Yala Glacier is one of the two benchmark glaciers being monitored seasonally since 2011 by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and partners.
Yala Glacier continues to play an instrumental role in the training of glaciologists from across the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH)HKH countries. Over 100 early career researchers, students, and representatives from partner agencies have attended field-based glacier monitoring training on this glacier since 2011.
Yala Glacier has decreased extensively in area and volume since it was first monitored, making. it It is an ideal glacier example to highlight of how rapidly the cryosphere is changing, and underscores the importance of the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation (IYGP).
About the tribute
As we join the global community in marking 2025 as the International Year of Glacier’s Preservation (IYGP), Yala Glacier stands out as the glacier that has contributed immensely to bridging the gaps: Data, Capacity, and Collaboration in the region.
We are spotlighting Yala Glacier to bring the focus on issues concerning HKH glaciers, while also paying tribute to the glacier for the knowledge it has generated, the people it has empowered, and the decisions it has helped inform, which have all contributed to the overall wellbeing of the people and livelihood downstream and in the region.
The tribute to Yala Glacier resonates with the beliefs of mountain communities where mountain and cryosphere areas are revered as spiritual places and often the abode of gods. The objectives are two-fold, (i) It will focus on IYGP celebration objectives and (ii) Cryosphere monitoring capacity building in addition to carrying out regular data collection and maintenance of the existing stations.
Join the global community in observing 2025 as the International Year of Glacier Preservation.
Bring the global spotlight on the issue of HKH glaciers in the context of escalating climate change.
Draw attention to specific ‘call to action’ for the regional governments, scientific communities, and donors:
Regional governments: Invest in regional collaboration, research, and development for adaptation and mitigation of declining cryosphere landscape impact.
Scientific communities: Intensify research on glacier health and collaborate on solutions to conserve glaciers.
Donors: Partner with organisations to support crucial research, capacity building, and glacier preservation initiatives.
The tribute event will include:
Unfurl messages of tribute for Yala Glacier (plaquette) set up at base camp.
Flagpole marking glacier extent to showcase the retreat till date.
The tribute event will be attended by representatives from our partners in Nepal (Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu University, Department of Hydrology and Meteorology).
Tribute to Yala Glacier will be organised coinciding with the spring fieldwork to the glacier, where participants from our partner Institutions: Tribhuvan University, and Kathmandu University in Nepal, National Center for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM) in Bhutan, Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), and Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) from Pakistan will be trained on in-situ cryosphere monitoring applying ICIMOD’s standardised approach.
November 2011
June 2024
Tribute to Yala Glacier is initiated by Action Area on Cryosphere and Water, within the Strategic Group Environmental and climate risk. ICIMOD’s cryosphere research and initiatives are made possible by the sustained and generous support of the Government of Norway and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
