Ice Keen Cones: The World’s 7 Most Amazing Pingos

Pingo Parking Only

(images via: Panoramio/OEBarker, AIP Publishing and Groenland-Disko)

Pingos grow slowly over a period of decades or in some cases, centuries, adding height at the rate of 1-2 centimeters (about a half-inch) per year. The Ibyuk Pingo above is one of the fastest growing pingos, adding around 2 centimeters (0.79 inches) a year to its current 49 m (161 ft) height on a 300 m (984 ft) wide base.

(image via: Government of Canada)

The second-highest pingo in the world, Ibyuk Pingo can be found in the Pingo Canadian Landmark, a protected area on the shore of the Beaufort Sea located 5 km west of Tuktoyaktuk and 137 km (82 miles) north of Inuvik. Other notable pingos in the Pingo Canadian Landmark include Porsild Pingo, named for Alf Erling Porsild. The Danish-Canadian botanist is credited with borrowing the name “pingo” from the local Inuvialuit dialect in 1938.