Nunataks and valley glaciers: Over the mountains and through the ice

Models of the first peopling of the Americas characterize arrival routes either along the coast or through the ice-free corridor following the Last Glacial Maximum. While the pendulum has currently swung somewhat towards the coastal route, archaeological evidence for either entry is lacking. In this paper we introduce a third option, an icy corridors entry route. We argue that the traditionally envisioned corridor is an unnecessary feature for the terrestrial arrival of Clovis or Clovis predecessors below the ice sheets. The recent genomic data is fully compatible with a re-envisioned peopling route.