Morteratsch Glacier
Encyclopedia
The Morteratsch Glacier (romansh: Vadret da Morteratsch) is the largest glacier
by area in the Bernina Range
of the Bündner Alps in Switzerland.
It is, just after the Pasterze Glacier
and Gepatschferner, the third largest and by volume (1.2 km³) the most massive glacier in the eastern alps
. The Morteratsch Glacier is a typical valley glacier with a pronounced ice front
. The accumulation zone
lies between the peaks of Piz Morteratsch
, Piz Bernina
, Crast' Agüzza
, Piz Argient
, Piz Zupò
and Bellavista
. From Piz Argient to the ice front in the Val Morteratsch, its horizontal extent is about ~7 km (4.3 mi), with an altitude difference of up to 2000 m (6,561.7 ft).
Together with the Pers Glacier, originating at Piz Palü
, which joins the Morteratsch just below the rock formation Isla Persa ("Lost Isle"), it covers an area of about 16 km² (6.2 sq mi). The volume of the ice is estimated to be about 1.2 km³. The Morteratsch Glacier drains through Inn River
and Danube
into the Black Sea
.
In spring, depending on the snow conditions, a 10-km-long ski-run accessible to skilled skiers is marked on the glacier. It leads from the Diavolezza
aerial tramway terminus
to the Morteratsch inn and has an altitude difference of 1100 m (3,608.9 ft). The RhB
Station Morteratsch used to be situated directly at the ice front of the glacier. The ice front has receded over 1800 m (5,905.5 ft) in the meantime, and cannot be seen from the station today.
Yearly length change measurements have been recorded since 1878. For the period to 1998, the overall retreat was over 1.8 km (1.1 mi) with a mean annual retreat rate of approximately 17.2 m (56.4 ft) per year. This long-term average has markedly increased in recent years, receding 30 m (98.4 ft) per year from 1999–2005. Substantial retreat was ongoing through 2006 as well.
During the time that measurements have been taken, the glacier has advanced a few meters in only four years. Since the large glaciers react slowly to short-term climate changes, these advances cannot be accounted for by increased precipitation in the accumulation zone. On the high moraine
s to the left and right of the ice front, which are still nearly free of overgrowth, the enormous quantities of ice which were still being pushed down here at the end of the "Little Ice Age
" in the middle of the 19th century can be seen.
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
by area in the Bernina Range
Bernina Range
The Bernina Range is a mountain range in the Alps of eastern Switzerland and northern Italy. It is considered to be part of the Central Eastern Alps. It is one of the highest ranges of the Alps, covered with many glaciers. Piz Bernina , its highest peak, is the most easterly four thousand-metre...
of the Bündner Alps in Switzerland.
It is, just after the Pasterze Glacier
Pasterze Glacier
The Pasterze, at approximately 8.4 kilometers in length, is the longest glacier in Austria and in the Eastern Alps reaching from the Johannisberg to above sea level. It lies within the Hohe Tauern mountain range in Carinthia, directly beneath Austria's highest mountain, the Grossglockner...
and Gepatschferner, the third largest and by volume (1.2 km³) the most massive glacier in the eastern alps
Eastern Alps
Eastern Alps is the name given to the eastern half of the Alps, usually defined as the area east of the Splügen Pass in eastern Switzerland. North of the Splügen Pass, the Posterior Rhine forms the border, and south of the pass, the Liro river and Lake Como form the boundary line.-Geography:The...
. The Morteratsch Glacier is a typical valley glacier with a pronounced ice front
Ice front
An ice front is the place where a glacier thins and ends. The ice front's position changes as the glacier moves or melts....
. The accumulation zone
Accumulation zone
On a glacier, the accumulation zone is the area above the firn line, where snowfall accumulates and exceeds the losses from ablation, . The annual Glacier equilibrium line separates the accumulation and ablation zone annually...
lies between the peaks of Piz Morteratsch
Piz Morteratsch
Piz Morteratsch is a mountain in the Bernina Range in Switzerland. It is bordered on the east by the Morteratsch Glacier and on the south-west by the Tschierva Glacier....
, Piz Bernina
Piz Bernina
Piz Bernina is the highest mountain of the Eastern Alps and the highest point of the Bernina Range the highest peak in south Rhetic Alps. It is also the farthest easterly mountain higher than 4,000 m in the Alps, the highest point of the Swiss canton of Graubünden, and the fifth-most prominent...
, Crast' Agüzza
Crast' Agüzza
Crast' Agüzza is a mountain in the Bernina Range in Italy and Switzerland.The peak is bounded to the north by the Morteratsch Glacier and to the south by the Upper Scerscen Glacier...
, Piz Argient
Piz Argient
Piz Argient is a mountain in the Bernina Range of the Alps on the border between Italy and the Swiss canton of Graubünden.The peak is bounded to the north by the Morteratsch Glacier, to the west by the Upper Scerscen Glacier, and to the south and east by the Fellaria Glacier...
, Piz Zupò
Piz Zupò
Piz Zupò is a mountain in the Bernina Range in Switzerland and Italy, and is the second highest peak in the range after Piz Bernina.The first ascent of the mountain was made by L. Enderlin and Serardi, with Badrutt on 9 July 1863....
and Bellavista
Bellavista (mountain)
Bellavista is a mountain in the Bernina Range in Switzerland and Italy. The mountain is bounded on the east by the Fuorcla Bellavista and on the west by the Pass dal Zupò...
. From Piz Argient to the ice front in the Val Morteratsch, its horizontal extent is about ~7 km (4.3 mi), with an altitude difference of up to 2000 m (6,561.7 ft).
Together with the Pers Glacier, originating at Piz Palü
Piz Palü
Piz Palü is a mountain in the Bernina Range in Switzerland and Italy. There are three summits on its main ridge, which runs from east to west...
, which joins the Morteratsch just below the rock formation Isla Persa ("Lost Isle"), it covers an area of about 16 km² (6.2 sq mi). The volume of the ice is estimated to be about 1.2 km³. The Morteratsch Glacier drains through Inn River
Inn River
The Inn is a river in Switzerland, Austria and Germany. It is a right tributary of the Danube and is approximately 500km long. The highest point of its drainage basin is the summit of Piz Bernina, at 4,049 metres.- Geography :...
and Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
into the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
.
In spring, depending on the snow conditions, a 10-km-long ski-run accessible to skilled skiers is marked on the glacier. It leads from the Diavolezza
Diavolezza
The Diavolezza is a mountain in the area of Pontresina in Graubünden. It has a height of 2978 m and is located southeast of Munt Pers ....
aerial tramway terminus
Glacier terminus
A glacier terminus, or snout, is the end of a glacier at any given point in time. Although glaciers seem motionless to the observer, in reality glaciers are in endless motion and the glacier terminus is always either advancing or retreating...
to the Morteratsch inn and has an altitude difference of 1100 m (3,608.9 ft). The RhB
RhB
The Rhaetian Railway is a Swiss transport company, owning the largest network of all the private railways in Switzerland. The company operates most of the railways in the Swiss canton of Graubünden as the Swiss federal railway company SBB-CFF-FFS extend only a few kilometres over the cantonal...
Station Morteratsch used to be situated directly at the ice front of the glacier. The ice front has receded over 1800 m (5,905.5 ft) in the meantime, and cannot be seen from the station today.
Yearly length change measurements have been recorded since 1878. For the period to 1998, the overall retreat was over 1.8 km (1.1 mi) with a mean annual retreat rate of approximately 17.2 m (56.4 ft) per year. This long-term average has markedly increased in recent years, receding 30 m (98.4 ft) per year from 1999–2005. Substantial retreat was ongoing through 2006 as well.
During the time that measurements have been taken, the glacier has advanced a few meters in only four years. Since the large glaciers react slowly to short-term climate changes, these advances cannot be accounted for by increased precipitation in the accumulation zone. On the high moraine
Moraine
A moraine is any glacially formed accumulation of unconsolidated glacial debris which can occur in currently glaciated and formerly glaciated regions, such as those areas acted upon by a past glacial maximum. This debris may have been plucked off a valley floor as a glacier advanced or it may have...
s to the left and right of the ice front, which are still nearly free of overgrowth, the enormous quantities of ice which were still being pushed down here at the end of the "Little Ice Age
Little Ice Age
The Little Ice Age was a period of cooling that occurred after the Medieval Warm Period . While not a true ice age, the term was introduced into the scientific literature by François E. Matthes in 1939...
" in the middle of the 19th century can be seen.
External links
- Short documentary of the Schweizer FernsehenSchweizer FernsehenSchweizer Fernsehen is the German language division of SRG SSR, in charge of production and distribution of television programmes in German for German-speaking Switzerland...
(Swiss Television) with fascinating shots of the ice caves within the Morteratsch GlacierGlacierA glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
("Schweiz aktuell" of 23 December 2009)
- Short documentary of the Schweizer FernsehenSchweizer FernsehenSchweizer Fernsehen is the German language division of SRG SSR, in charge of production and distribution of television programmes in German for German-speaking Switzerland...
(Swiss Television) about climate related changes at Morteratsch GlacierGlacierA glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
("Schweiz aktuell" of 15 September 2010)
- Picture gallery with fascinating shots of the ice caves within the Morteratsch GlacierGlacierA glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...