Loso Exit 7/31/2010

Trajectory and fate of crevassed

human waste on Denali’s Kahiltna Glacier

Michael G. Loso, Ph.D.Katelyn Goodwin, MS candidate

Alaska Pacific University

Funded by Denali National Park and Preserve

NP

S p

hoto

Loso Exit 7/31/2010

The ProblemKahiltna Glacier is the busiest “trail” in the Denali National Park

wilderness, and it has the least capacity to degrade human waste19

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0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

Kahiltna Total

Year

Poun

ds

Cumulative waste burial 1970-2007

243,000 lbs

Loso Exit 7/31/2010

The Kahiltna

Basecamp

K Pass

Heartbreak Hill

11,200’ camp

Index Site

Ski Hill

7800’ camp

Loso Exit 7/31/2010

Out of sight, out of mind?

• Trajectory– Where will it emerge?– When?

• Fate– Biologically active after burial?– Present in runoff?– Aesthetics?

Burial

Emergence

Loso Exit 7/31/2010

Trajectory: ice vectors

Alaska Pacific University (2007-2009)National Park Service (1991-2002)CRREL/UNH (2009)

half m

eter per day

• 5-65 cm/day • Mainstem typical 40-50 cm/day (~500’ /

yr)

net balance

accumulation

ablation

ELA

Loso Exit 7/31/2010

Trajectory: model predictions

Burial: 3360 m

Emergence: 1060 m 51 km downstream 405 years later

Loso Exit 7/31/2010

Trajectory: model predictions

Crevasse Location

Elevation (m)

Distance to

meltout (km)

Elevation at meltout

(m)

Years to

meltout

11,200’ Camp

3360 51 1060 405

K Pass curve 3062 46 1174 314Top ski hill 2777 43 1260 247

7800’ camp 2322 37 1415 168Heartbreak 1992 30 1634 55Index Site 1930 28 1690 32

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Fate: biological activity• When in the “life cycle” of crevassed

waste is it a health hazard?• Indicators:

• fecal coliform • E. coli• others?

• Sampling strategies:• Glacier surface• Buried• Emergent• Meltwater runoff

Kat

ie G

oodw

in p

hoto

Loso Exit 7/31/2010

Fate: glacier surface

10 m

• Current disposal practices mostly effective, but…

• fecal coliform and E. coli present in pee holes near camps

• Improper disposal common on summit day

• coliform and E. coli present in year old surface sample from 18,900’

Loso Exit 7/31/2010

Fate: buried waste

Easting (m)

Northing (m

)

Nanoteslas

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Fate: emergent waste

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 110

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

Total coliform

E. coli

Freeze/Thaw cycles

MPN

• Lab results: freeze-thaw cycles kill off microbes• Physical degradation rate?• Field search in August

Loso Exit 7/31/2010

Fate: meltwater runoff• Does buried or emergent waste

contaminate water supply?• Strategy: sample Kahiltna River and

supraglacial ponds• Control: sample tributary (non-glacial)

streams

• Whiteman et al. (2005) found Salmonella and Pseudomonas spp in stream exiting Glacier du Mont Mine, Switzerland. Attributed to mountain hut at head of glacier.

Loso Exit 7/31/2010

Summary• >100 tons of waste buried in the

Kahiltna• Emergence certain within 30-400

years• Biological activity likely after

emergence• Aesthetic impact uncertain

Kat

ie G

oodw

in p

hoto

NEXT STEPS• Search for emergent waste in

August• Improved mass balance model and

lower glacier velocities• Excavate buried waste in spring

2011 • Test for broader suite of pathogens

Loso Exit 7/31/2010

FINANCIAL SUPPORTDenali National Park and PreserveMurie Science and Learning CenterAlaska Pacific University

FIELD ASSISTANCENPS mountaineering rangers and patrol membersJill MichalakDustin English

LAB AND LOGISTICAL SUPPORTRusty MyersJason GeckLouis Sass

Thanks