Near Grants New Mexico, in the broiling desert along the line of the Atlantic-Pacific Railroad there are lava tube caves that contained massive ice deposits. In the mid-1800s it was common for the locals to mine ice from these caves. A military fort sprang up nearby, and soldiers also mined ice from these caves.
There is plenty of archeological evidence, dating back 1,000 years, that the local Native Americans had built fires in the caves to melt ice and collect water.
The area is high desert, around 8,000 feet. Cold winter air and water settle in these low caves, and freezes. The thick lava insulates the caves from the summer heat. The most spectacular ice caves have constricted entrances that help block summer heat from getting into the caves.
The Candelaria family owned the largest ice cave, but they were unable to interest the state or federal government to protect the caves. So they built a tourist attraction. As far as I know, it is still in private hands. In 1987 the surrounding area was finally protected as a national monument and national conservation area. The Continental Divide Trail passes right through this cave area.
Reviewing historical records, almost all of the ice has melted in the last 40 years. Historical photos from the Candelaria ice cave show how dramatic the loss of ice has been since the invention of photography.
Ice loss. Same cave, 60 years apart. All of this ice is gone today.