Based on the study and analysis of ETM images of glacier distribution in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, this paper puts

forward a new method for ascertaining the altitudes of existing snowlines. With this method, the altitudes of existing

snowlines in different ridges of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau as well as the variations of existing snowlines from the middle of

the 1960’s approximately to the 2000’s were detected. The investigation results show that the altitudes of existing

snowlines in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau range between 4 000 m and 6 000 m. The snowlines ascend gradually from the east to the

west of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. There are three ways of the variation of existing snowlines in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau：

rising, lowering and basic stableness, with the rising of the existing snowlines in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau being dominant.

The change of existing snowlines is closely related to the evolution of existing glaciers.