Abstract

Estimating glacier mass balance, including accumulation and ablation, is challenging due to meteorological complexities and difficult access in mountain regions, which limit the temporal resolution of field data collection. However, in various regions, tourist glaciers provide opportunities to engage visitors in scientific projects, fitting within the concept of Community Science. Exploradores Glacier (46 degrees S), one of the most visited glaciers in Chile since 2001, has hosted ice hiking activities, making it an ideal candidate for participatory monitoring initiatives. This study aims to estimate ablation in its terminus using Community Science. The Community Workers model was adapted, implementing participatory workshops, ablation stake installation, and data collection by volunteers. Data gathered between November 1, 2021, and March 31, 2022, allowed for the estimation of summer ablation, with an average ice loss of 8 to 13 cm per day. This study concludes that Community Science facilitates research in remote areas, extending the temporal and spatial coverage of data collection. Additionally, it highlights the importance of considering potential sources of error that may affect the accuracy of results obtained through participatory methodologies.