Washington's Hinman Glacier nearly VANISHES after thousands of years

The largest glacier in Washington's Mount Rainier and Glacier Peak mountain ranges is almost gone as glaciologists warn that half of the planets' ice caps are next.

The Hinman Glacier, which lies on the Cascade Mountains, has shrunk to 0.01 square-miles, just 4 percent of what it was in 1958, Nichols College glaciologist Mauri Pelto reported. 

'It's completely disappeared,' Pelto told CNN of the melting glacier. 'This was the biggest glacier in this part of the mountain range — it was exceptional.' 

He noted that while it could reform a bit, 'as we continue to warm into the future, that will be even less hospitable' for the Hinman and glaciers around the world. 

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The Hinman Glacier has shrunk to 0.01 square miles, just 4 percent of what it was in 1958 when scientists began tracking its decline. Pictured: The glacier area as it is (left) and the glacier area as it was in 1985 (right)

Nichols College glaciologist Mauri Pelto (pictured) said, 'It's completely disappeared,' when he led an expedition to the glacier last year

The melting glacier has also caused the unofficial Hinman Lake to form (above)

In his report published late last year, Pelto said scientists have been tracking the Hinman Glacier's demise for decades, as evident by the unofficial Hinman Lake forming where the glacier is melting. 

The disappearing Hinman Glacier and accumulation in the lake spells trouble for the local environment as the glacier typically feeds nearby rivers. 

Along with the Hinman losing nearly 95 percent of its size, Pelto said the nearby Columbia Glacier declined by 25 percent, the Foss Glacier by 70 percent, and the Lynch Glacier by 40 percent. 

Overall, it has led to a steep decline in freshwater for the Skykomish River basin, a critical part of the Pacific Northwest's salmon population, CNN reports. 

Pelto said the Skykomish River basin has lost 55 percent of its surface area since the 1950s. 

The glacier, pictured in 1988, will likely not reform to its original size in the winter as experts doubt whether it can actually be called a glacier in its current state

The decreasing glaciers in the Pacific Northwest is likely to impact local rivers and wildlife. Pictured, the Skykomish River basin which has lost 55 percent of its surface area

David Shean, a professor of civil and environmental engineering and glacial expert at the University of Washington, noted that in its current state, the Hinman Glacier might no longer be classified as an actual glacier. 

He told CNN that even if the glacier gains more mass during the winter, it'll likely keep losing more than it gains and 'disappear completely in the coming decade or more.'

The bleak outlook was also predicted for up to half of the Earth's glaciers, which experts said could be lost by the end of the century due to climate change even if mankind makes traumatic changes to try and curb the outcome. 

A UNESCO report last year said the Dolomites in Italy, the Yosemite and Yellowstone parks in the United States and Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania will disappear as soon as 2050. 

UNESCO monitors some 18,600 glaciers across 50 of its World Heritage sites and said that a third of those are set to disappear by 2050

UNESCO monitors some 18,600 glaciers across 50 of its World Heritage sites and said that a third of those are set to disappear by 2050.

While the rest can be saved by keeping global temperature rise below 2.7°F relative to pre-industrial levels, in a business-as-usual emissions scenario, about 50 percent of these World Heritage glaciers could almost entirely disappear by 2100.

The 50 World Heritage sites in the report are home to about 10 percent of the Earth's glaciers. 

But the report warns that these glaciers have been retreating at an accelerated rate since 2000 due to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, which are warming temperatures. 

Together, the glaciers are losing 58 billion tons of ice every year - the equivalent of the combined annual water use of France and Spain. 

What's more, they are responsible for nearly 5 percent of observed global sea-level rise. 

Worryingly, the report concludes that glaciers in a third of the 50 sites will disappear by 2050 - regardless of efforts to limit temperature increases. 

In Africa, this includes all glaciers in World Heritage sites, including Kilimanjaro National Park and Mount Kenya. 

In Asia, glaciers in Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas and those in Western Tian-Shan are at risk. 

And in Europe, glaciers in Pyrenees Mont Perdu and The Dolomites are very likely to disappear by 2050. 

But there is hope. 

UNESCO says it's still possible to save the glaciers in the remaining two thirds of sites, if global temperature rise is kept below 2.7°F.

Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO's Director-General, said: 'This report is a call to action. 

'Only a rapid reduction in our CO2 emissions levels can save glaciers and the exceptional biodiversity that depends on them. 

'COP27 will have a crucial role to help find solutions to this issue. UNESCO is determined to support states in pursuing this goal.'