Explore the Sólheimajökull Glacier in Iceland with geologist Shawn Willsey

[@Mchelle021]

What spectacular fun to get to walk on that glacier. Another great adventure. The Ablation Cones are so interesting! Didn’t see that explanation coming…great drawings once again. Thanks Professor ~

[@Lutefisk_lover]

Another fantastic video! Thanks for taking us along. The enthusiasm you have is infectious.

[@josephmartin1540]

Incredible! Your videos are comforting and so great that you show places I likely wouldn't see other wise! Thank you. Geology has always fascinated me, but, learning disabilities... I don't remember it very well. Thank you though. Cam watch and rewatch later! And wow! Glad you guys were able to see it while it is there. Makes one wish to have seen several thousand years in person...

[@shawnwillsey]

You can support my field videos by clicking on the "Thanks" button just above (right of Like button) or by going here: www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=EWUSLG3GBS5W8

[@loisrossi841]

Everyone should have your energy.!!

[@LisaBelleBC]

Incredible as usual! Thanks for sharing!

[@hunt4redoctober628]

Wow I never heard of Ablation cones before. Makes complete sense. I thought by having the darker rock / ash debris layer on the ice surface it would actually accelerate ice melt, but clearly the thickness of this layer is critical in insulating the ice from the sun giving rise to these cones. Back in the day I only ever learnt about lateral and terminal moraines, Eskers, Kames, outwash plains and drummlins, so this is totally new to me. Fascinating stuff and an awesome video again Shawn.

[@davidk7324]

That's the way my thinking went as well. I learn so much on Shawn's channel.

[@hunt4redoctober628]

@@davidk7324 He's a fantastic teacher.

[@Anne5440_]

Very interesting location. It is much different from the glaciers I have been on in Washington state and Canada. The cones I have not heard of before. Thanks for this video.

[@valoriel4464]

Thx Prof for the fun geo-adventure. Well done Sir. ✌🏻

[@kevindorland738]

Thank you for the education and taking us on this trip too......

[@MountainFisher]

It has been my experience that dark dust tend to make glaciers melt faster. When climbing Lyell Glacier in Yosemite the snow cups (dips in the snow) would all have a speck of dust at the bottom. It would have to be a thick layer of dust to insulate from sunlight. Soot from burning coal melted a lot of Swiss glaciers. edit; sun cups, my mistake.

[@shawnwillsey]

Yes, the thickness of the material is key to losing/preserving ice.

[@7inrain]

I love how the meltwater stream at @3:40 is meandering through the ice, just like common rivers do within their bed. Even with the small meltwater stream near the end of the video you could spot first signs of meandering.

[@rainman7992]

the song " hi ho, hi ho, it's off to work we go.. " popped into my head 1:54

[@Steviepinhead]

The ice axes are a little like miners' pick axes.

[@ericclayton6287]

In Washington state between Olympia and Centralia at what would be the terminus of the Puget Lobe during the last ice age, we have the Mima mounds, hummocky structures 3-6 feet tall. I’ve often thought they could have formed in a way similar to the ablation cones through deposition in the sun cups.

[@Steviepinhead]

Always fun when Shawn takes us along on a somewhat more challenging adventure. (And good to see the guide insisting on the safer arrest grip...!)

[@Rachel.4644]

What a neat video, completely new to me this glacier trek.😊 You're generous to share these special experiences. 👌🏼❤️

[@jackgreen9722]

Thanks!

[@shawnwillsey]

Much appreciated.

[@dietergraser3640]

Thank you for your excellent explanation of the naure of the ablation cones as a relief inversion (is this the correct english expression?). It should be emphasized that the fact that ablation cones are much more frequent and distinct in Iceland than in other regions. The big ice shields of Iceland are related to active volcanoes so frequently series of tephra layers are embedded in the snow amd subsequently ice melting out in the ablation zoone of the glaciers. You find gigantic and dense fields of ablation cones (often more than 10 m high) on Skeiðarárjökull. They are nearly impssible to cross and moutaineers call them the "Black Forest". There it is obvious that they are not composed of normal dust and glacial debris but just of pich black volcanic ash. Check this out on goole earth.

[@patrickkillilea5225]

So Cool. Thanks for posting!

[@robbirobin9657]

Thank you for using your "photo time" to teach us about the glacier. Please could you tell, are glaciers basically frozen spring water and streams/rivers? So that if the glacier melted completely, then a stream/river/cascade would be left in it's place?

[@PlayNowWorkLater]

Iceland is amazingly! The Original Fire and ice

[@HenryMulligan]

What a wakeup call to go and see a glacier before they are gone.

[@alexbradmckay]

Thank you for all these great videos. I look forward to each new one. Can you share with us your gear? Thanks

[@shawnwillsey]

Thanks for watching and learning with me. Are you asking about clothing and such? Guides provided crampons and ice axe. I’m wearing my OR rain jacket and pants (insert sponsorship here), Scarpa waterproof leather hiking boots, Native eyewear sunglasses, Mountain Hardware puffy coat, PrAna stretch Zoon pants (under rain pants), and smart wool socks.

[@dunnkruger8825]

Process seems similar to Kame, Drumlin, and Esker mechanics or formations

[@daleolson3506]

Do they ever find anything that melted out of the glacier that’s interesting?

[@shawnwillsey]

Hmm not sure.

[@chrissatterwhite8706]

Glaciers are more my thing!

[@KellyBoyko-i2z]

when did you take this hike? we're booked for this trip in July and I'm not sure what to wear. I don't want to overdress thinking it's colder than it is.

[@shawnwillsey]

May 2023

[@danduzenski3597]

👍👍🌋😎

[@allanfromm]

Can you safely drink the water in the streams on the glacier?

[@shawnwillsey]

The clear ones yes. Ok this trip, we did drink meltwater from the glacier. Delicious!

[@Steviepinhead]

Algae can bloom in snow, with potential toxins. Probably a minor risk, though safer to filter even freshly melted ice or snow.

[@john-ic5pz]

those are giant droppings preserves by the cold weather. the nephilim are real!!! 😆😋

[@rainman7992]

so inconclusion, in order to stop the glaciers from melting so fast...we need to add a one inch layer of ash ? is this what he is trying to tell us....who wants to get in on an investment opportunity ? LOL

[@rainman7992]

Who'da thunk geology would lead to jet set life...LOL