Rhône Glacier
| Rhône Glacier | |
|---|---|
| German: Rhonegletscher, French: Glacier du Rhône, Italian: ghiacciaio del Rodano | |
 View towards the Tieralplistock | |
  Rhône Glacier  Rhône Glacier  Rhône Glacier | |
 Interactive map of Rhône Glacier | |
| Type | Valley glacier |
| Location | Furka Pass, Valais, Switzerland |
| Coordinates | 46°34.32′N 8°22.58′E / 46.57200°N 8.37633°E |
| Area | 17.60 km2 (6.80 sq mi) (1973) |
| Length | 9.09 km (5.65 mi) (1879), 8.00 km (4.97 mi) (1973), 7.65 km (4.75 mi) (2016) |
| Highest elevation | 3,630 m (11,910 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 2,200 m (7,200 ft) |
| Terminus | Rotten (local name for Rhône) above Gletsch |
| Status | Retreating |
The Rhône Glacier (German: Rhonegletscher, Walliser German: Rottengletscher, French: glacier du Rhône, Italian: ghiacciaio del Rodano) is a glacier in the Swiss Alps and the source of the river Rhône and one of the primary contributors to Lake Geneva in the far eastern end of the Swiss canton of Valais. While the glacier is accessible via the Furka Pass road, it can only be visited between the summer solstice and the autumnal equinox (roughly 120 days a year).[1]
Geography
[edit]The Rhône Glacier is the largest glacier in the Urner Alps. It lies on the south side of the range at the source of the Rhône. The Undri Triftlimi (3,081 m, 10,108 ft) connects it to the Trift Glacier. The glacier is located on the northernmost part of the canton of Valais, between the Grimsel Pass and the Furka Pass and is part of the Oberwald municipality. The Dammastock (3,630 m, 11,910 ft) is the highest summit above the glacier.
Evolution
[edit]In recent years, the Rhône Glacier has become a prominent example of Alpine glacier retreat. According to a 2025 report by Swissinfo, since 1850, the glacier has lost about 60% of its volume. Between 2023 and 2024, the melt rate was recorded at 2.5%, exceeding the average of the previous decade.[2]
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1870 -
1900 -
2005 -
2008 -
2010 -
2018 -
2021
Vertical axis: length difference in meters
Horizontal axis: years
In thick green: cumulated length difference starting 1879
In thin red: growth during one year
Because of its easy accessibility the evolution of the Rhône Glacier has been observed since the 19th century. During the last 120 years, the glacier has retreated approximately 1,300 m (4,300 ft), leaving behind a track of naked stone.
Slowing the retreat
[edit]For several years, UV-resistant fleecy white blankets have been installed during the warm periods, covering about 2 hectares (5 acres) of the retreating glacier to reduce its melting.[3] It is estimated that this effort reduces the melting by up to 70%.[4][5] In addition to the global implications of increasing climate warming and instability, the local economy is at risk of losing business income from glacier tourists who have flocked to the area since 1870 to walk through "a long and winding ice grotto with glistening blue walls and a leaky ceiling".[6] In 2018, photographers Simon Norfolk and Klaus Thymann created a series of photographs titled "Shroud" displaying the wrapped glacier for the charity organisation Project Pressure to draw attention to the glacial retreat.[7] Of particular concern in recent studies has been the loss of not only ice but of biological heritage in the form of microrganisms contained within the ice and soil.[8]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Abhelakh, Anneke. "Oscillating Spaces". Canadian Centre for Architecture. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
- ^ "Secrets revealed by melting Swiss glaciers could eat plastic and cure disease". Swissinfo. 5 January 2025. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
- ^ Mallonee, Laura. "Switzerland Tries to Save a Glacier... by Covering It in Blankets". WIRED. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
- ^ Harvey, Chelsea. "GEOENGINEERING: Can we refreeze the Arctic? Scientists are beginning to ask". www.eenews.net. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
- ^ Carylsue (14 March 2018). "Switzerland Protects the Alps with a Blanket". National Geographic Education Blog. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
- ^ Larson, Nina. "Blankets cover Swiss glacier in vain effort to halt icemelt". Yahoo. Agence France-Presse/AFP. Archived from the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
- ^ "Artists | Project Pressure". Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
- ^ Jorio, Luigi; Stegmüller, Céline; Andina, Michele (5 January 2025). "Secrets revealed by melting Swiss glaciers could eat plastic and cure disease". SWI swissinfo.ch. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
Further reading
[edit]- Rhône Glacier at Glaciers online
- Rhône Glacier at NASA Earth Observatory
External links
[edit]- Simulation of the shrinking of the glacier Archived 2016-09-07 at the Wayback Machine
- Swiss Glacier Monitoring Network: Rhône Glacier - with length variation measurements since 1879
Media related to Rhône Glacier at Wikimedia Commons- Interactive repeat photo comparisons of the Rhône Glacier
