Satopanth Glacier
Satopanth Glacier lies in the Garhwal Himalaya of Uttarakhand, India, near peaks such as Chaukhamba and Nilkantha. It is an important source of headwaters for rivers feeding downstream systems in the Ganges basin; its length is several kilometers, and it occupies a high mountain valley.
Like many Himalayan glaciers, Satopanth has been retreating and thinning; studies and remote-sensing analyses show loss of area and negative mass balance in recent decades, driven by rising temperatures and changing snowfall patterns. The glacier’s shrinkage has implications for seasonal streamflow and potential glacial lake formation.