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The increased volcanic activity during mountain formation also contributes to atmospheric cooling. Once the land is covered with snow and ice, much of the sun light is reflected back into space, which in turn speeds up the cooling and accumulation of ice.
Since the oceans do not freeze, the evaporated water is moved in clouds over the continents where it is deposited as snow, which then compacts into ice. Thus, water is not returned to the oceans in rivers, and therefore, the ocean level drops during an ice age.
Notice that the volume of mountain material is globally the same in all directions, which confirms the shrinking hypothesis. As the stressed crust relaxed, it had to do so evenly in all directions, leading to the equal mountain volume. Thus, the east-west Himalayas, Alps, and associated ranges, are as massive as the north-south Rockies, Andes, and the far-eastern ranges.
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