Mountain glaciations provide, as any form of glaciation in the more recent geological history, an invaluable record for past and present climate change. They are vital for any palaeoclimatologic interpretation and many related research questions. The utilization of this potential is, however, far from being trivial because of the wide diversity of formerly and currently glaciated mountain ranges. Alongside complex and interacting geomorphological process-systems such different climatic and glaciological conditions cause any subsequent global or intra-hemispheric correlations becoming quite challenging. This problem is further enhanced by ongoing specialisation within the scientific community leaving working groups primarily focusing on either individual aspects or selected regions often disconnected. Compared with other formerly or currently glaciated regions, mountain glaciations seem occasionally to become sidelined in the context of Quaternary environmental reconstructions as a consequence of the specific challenges they impose. This discrepancy in the treatment of glaciations constitutes an unfortunate consequence that needs to be conquered.

The primary aim of this session is to evaluate the potential of mountain glaciations records and stimulate further research in this important field of research. Contributions on all relevant aspects of the topic are welcomed, for example: (a) glacial landforms and reconstruction of past glaciers, (b) dating techniques and geochronology compilations, (c) glacier dynamics and palaeoclimatic interpretations, or (d) impacts of ecosystems and human evolution/society. Submissions targeting these connections are specifically encouraged. While we encourage submitting abstracts from all above-mentioned topics within the broad field of mountain glaciations and beyond, we would like to invite in particular those highlighting the specific conditions of mountain glaciations or addressing the relationship and connections between different of their aspects. To address the diversity of mountain glaciations, contributions from high-, middle-, and low-latitude mountain ranges as well as from continental to maritime regions are all welcomed. The time scale of the session will cover the whole time range from Early Pleistocene glaciations to the LGM and Holocene/modern glaciers.

During the past few years, this session attracted contributions from a wide range of study areas and with a high diversity of methodological approaches. Their common focus was to lead to a better understanding of how glacial landforms should be interpreted in a (palaeo)climatic and/or chronological context. The session ultimately aims to facilitate a closer connection between different topological, methodological, and regional working groups related to various aspects of mountain glaciations in space and time. It is further designed to give everyone interested in the emerging collaborative research network “The Legacy of Mountain Glaciations” an opportunity to meet and exchange ideas and expertise. To facilitate this, we organised a public splinter meeting related to this session on Wednesday, April 11th 12.15 – 13.15 in room 0.15 (SMP 2) where the future of the research initiative will be discussed.