Latest news with #glaciallake
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Yahoo
This U.S. Lake Is So Clear and Turquoise It's Nicknamed the 'Caribbean of the North'—and You Can Swim, Snorkel, and Scuba in It
With turquoise shallows, hidden coves, and a lively summer sandbar, this lake is a dazzling northern Points Torch Lake in Michigan stuns with its clear turquoise water, deep glacial roots, and iconic summer sandbar scene. Visitors come for boating, snorkeling, fishing, and exploring scenic trails or nearby small towns with great food and local charm. It's considered a hidden Midwest gem thanks to its Caribbean-like beauty and vibrant yet laid-back summer Lake is a place that few outside Michigan have probably heard of, yet its turquoise waters and serene sandbar make it one of the most awe-inspiring and underrated destinations in the Midwest. It's Michigan's longest inland lake and second largest by surface area, with depths reaching an impressive 310 feet. Known as the 'Caribbean of the North,' the 19‑mile-long lake's name comes from the Ojibwe word waaswaaganing, meaning 'place of torches,' a nod to the tradition of using birch torches to attract fish at night. The lake was formed by glaciers during the last Ice Age more than 10,000 years ago. Its striking blue-green hues and clarity—visibility of 20 feet to 30 feet—are due to minimal organic runoff and calcium-rich marl sediment from its glacial origins. Over time, sandbars developed, and at the lake's southern tip lies the iconic Torch Lake Sandbar, a shallow stretch of white sand that turns into a vibrant gathering spot in the summer. Boaters and swimmers flock here for a laid-back, beach-style experience right on the water, with excellent visibility for swimming, snorkeling, or even scuba diving. Fishing enthusiasts will find plenty to love, too, as Torch Lake is home to a wide variety of fish, including lake trout, smallmouth bass, pike, whitefish, and yellow perch. It's also a great place to hop in a boat or kayak and explore the lake's hidden coves and inlets. To explore on foot, there are scenic trails like Glacial Hills and the Grass River Natural Area. The towns around the lake are also worth a visit for their local markets and great spots to grab a bite like Short's Brewing Company in Bellaire or Dockside on Torch River. For overnight stays, several nearby campgrounds welcome RVs, tents, and cabin-goers, while more traditional accommodations include charming inns and bed-and-breakfasts, such as the cozy four-suite Torch Lake Bed & Breakfast. The best time to visit Torch Lake is mid-summer, when water temperatures hover around 70 degrees and the sandbar buzzes with activity. Public access is limited, so arriving early ensures parking and boat launch availability. Read the original article on Travel & Leisure Solve the daily Crossword
Malay Mail
10-07-2025
- Climate
- Malay Mail
‘Completely unprecedented': Glacial lake collapse highlights climate threat in deadly China-Nepal flash floods, say experts
KATHMANDU, July 10 — Flash floods that killed at least nine people in a mountainous region between China and Nepal and swept away a key bridge linking the two countries, were caused by the release of water from a glacial lake, experts said yesterday. About 30 people are still missing after Tuesday's floods, including 19 people in Nepal and 11 in China, according to officials and media reports. 'Our initial assessment shows that the origin of the flood was the draining of a supraglacial lake located on the north side of the Langtang mountain,' geologist Sudan Bikash Maharjan of the Nepal-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (Icimod) told AFP. Supraglacial lakes are formed on the surface of glaciers, often beginning as small meltwater ponds that gradually expand to form larger lakes. The lake in question used to be a small pond, but it grew significantly in size over the past month, Icimod said in a statement yesterday, citing satellite photos. In Nepal, nine bodies have been recovered and 19 others — 13 Nepalis and six Chinese — are listed as missing, according to police. China's state television CCTV reported that a 'mudslide disaster' hit the border area around dawn Tuesday, with 11 people missing on the Chinese side. 'Completely unprecedented' In the 2000s, glacial origin floods in the Hindu Kush Himalaya region typically occurred every five to ten years, according to Icimod, but they have become notably more frequent in recent years. A glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) is the sudden release of water collected in former glacier beds. These lakes are formed by the retreat of glaciers, with the warmer temperatures of human-caused climate change turbocharging the melting of the icy reservoirs. Glacial lakes are often unstable because they are dammed by ice or loose debris. In the last two months, Nepal, Afghanistan and Pakistan have all seen glacial origin floods. In addition to the border disaster on Tuesday, Nepal's Upper Mustang region was also hit by a flood. 'The acceleration of these types of events is completely unprecedented in the region. We need to delve deeper into the triggers that are resulting in cascading impacts,' said Saswata Sanyal, Icimod Disaster Risk Reduction lead. Experts predict that the risk of glacial lake outburst floods is expected to peak this year, as rising temperatures create more lakes. In 2020, more than 2,000 lakes were mapped across Nepal by Icimod, with 21 identified as potentially dangerous for their size and other criteria. But recent floods have been caused by smaller, lesser noticed lakes. 'These events are signals and symptoms of really rising temperatures, and are more destructive than normal floods due to the debris and steep topography,' said Sharad Prashad Joshi, a cryosphere monitoring specialist at Icimod. — AFP
Malay Mail
10-07-2025
- Climate
- Malay Mail
‘Completely unprecedented': Glacial lake collapse highlights climate threat in deadly China-Nepal flash floods
KATHMANDU, July 10 — Flash floods that killed at least nine people in a mountainous region between China and Nepal and swept away a key bridge linking the two countries, were caused by the release of water from a glacial lake, experts said yesterday. About 30 people are still missing after Tuesday's floods, including 19 people in Nepal and 11 in China, according to officials and media reports. 'Our initial assessment shows that the origin of the flood was the draining of a supraglacial lake located on the north side of the Langtang mountain,' geologist Sudan Bikash Maharjan of the Nepal-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (Icimod) told AFP. Supraglacial lakes are formed on the surface of glaciers, often beginning as small meltwater ponds that gradually expand to form larger lakes. The lake in question used to be a small pond, but it grew significantly in size over the past month, Icimod said in a statement yesterday, citing satellite photos. In Nepal, nine bodies have been recovered and 19 others — 13 Nepalis and six Chinese — are listed as missing, according to police. China's state television CCTV reported that a 'mudslide disaster' hit the border area around dawn Tuesday, with 11 people missing on the Chinese side. 'Completely unprecedented' In the 2000s, glacial origin floods in the Hindu Kush Himalaya region typically occurred every five to ten years, according to Icimod, but they have become notably more frequent in recent years. A glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) is the sudden release of water collected in former glacier beds. These lakes are formed by the retreat of glaciers, with the warmer temperatures of human-caused climate change turbocharging the melting of the icy reservoirs. Glacial lakes are often unstable because they are dammed by ice or loose debris. In the last two months, Nepal, Afghanistan and Pakistan have all seen glacial origin floods. In addition to the border disaster on Tuesday, Nepal's Upper Mustang region was also hit by a flood. 'The acceleration of these types of events is completely unprecedented in the region. We need to delve deeper into the triggers that are resulting in cascading impacts,' said Saswata Sanyal, Icimod Disaster Risk Reduction lead. Experts predict that the risk of glacial lake outburst floods is expected to peak this year, as rising temperatures create more lakes. In 2020, more than 2,000 lakes were mapped across Nepal by Icimod, with 21 identified as potentially dangerous for their size and other criteria. But recent floods have been caused by smaller, lesser noticed lakes. 'These events are signals and symptoms of really rising temperatures, and are more destructive than normal floods due to the debris and steep topography,' said Sharad Prashad Joshi, a cryosphere monitoring specialist at Icimod. — AFP
