Amalia

The Strait of Magellan is a navigable sea route immediately south of mainland Chile, South America and north of Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego. The strait is the most important natural passage between the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans, but it is considered a difficult route to navigate because of the inhospitable climate and the narrowness of the passage. It is about 4 km (2½ miles) wide at its narrowest point.

 

Following along the Peel Inlet, the Amalia Glacier is situated in the central section of the Ice Fields, its long silhouette appears to be hanging between the peaks of the mountains. The glacier is one of 48 glaciers that compose the Southern Ice Fields, which are considered to be the third largest reserve of fresh water in the world.

 

The Amalia Glacier has a width of 1 kilometer and a height of 40 meters. Its mass of ice is supplied for the major part, by the intense snowstorms that occur almost throughout the entire year. The length of time necessary for the creation of a glacier depends mainly on the temperature and the rate of snowfall. In Chile, where snowfall is heavy, and summertime temperatures are high enough to produce plenty of meltwater, glacial ice may come into being in a relatively short time, perhaps 10 years. In parts of Antarctica, where there is a little snowfall, and the ice remains well below freezing temperature throughout the year, the process may require hundreds of years.

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