Swiss glaciers

Last week I had the great opportunity to fly with a friend along the Swiss Alps and see some glaciers from the air. Ok, so this is not field work in the strict sense, but the pictures are nice anyway ...

The Claridenfirn is site of one of the longest mass balance series on Earth

Two groups of climbers crossing the Claridenfirn

The retreat of Rhonegletscher is exposing a new lake. In the shadow one can see an area of the glacier that is covered in white tarp to reduce melting of ice and protect an ice cave.

The upper Rhonegletscher still has a fair amount of snow on it, because of a very snow rich winter 2012/13. However, high temperatures in the summer have melted most of this snow.

Unteraargletscher has retreated dramatically, like so many other glaciers in the Alps. The lower glacier is now entirely dirt covered.

Aletschgletscher is the biggest glacier in the Alps and still a magnificent sight.

The tongue of Aletschgletscher

Riedgletscher with Mischabel mountains. My home town is located at the bottom of this glacier

Turtmanngletscher with the magnificent Weisshorn

A rockglacier in the Val d'Anniviers is flowing into a glacier.

Gornergletscher with Monte Rosa

Findelengletscher. This was the field site for my diploma thesis, but most of the study site has melted away in the past 20 years.