Giétro Glacier

Glacier in July 2006

The Giétrozgletscher (French Glacier du Giétro, sometimes written Giétroz ) is located in the south-western Pennine Alps in Switzerland. It is about 4.2 km long, 1.5 km wide in the upper part and covers an area of ​​5.5 km ².

The origins of the Giétrozgletscher on the northern slope of the Felsenkrete between the Ruinette ( 3,875 m above sea level. M. ) and Mont Blanc de Cheilon ( 3'870 m above sea level. M. ). In its upper part glaciers has only a slight tendency. It flows first to the north, flanked by Montrouge you Giétroz in the west, (M. 3'704 m above sea level. ) Turns at the foot of Pleureur but gradually westward. On the last kilometer of the Giétrozgletscher falls with a slope of 40 % from steep and is very rugged. The glacier is currently at an altitude of around 2,600 m. A small portion of the glacier flows over the Col de Cheilon ( 3'243 m above sea level. M. ) for Cheilongletscher in the rear of the Val d' Hérémence.

The water of the Giétrozgletschers flows into the Lac de Mauvoisin and from there take the Dranse de Bagnes through the Val de Bagnes the Rhone.

During the Little Ice Age of the Giétrozgletscher was made the steep slope in the area of ​​the present glacier tongue down and had in this area, especially a much larger volume. Therefore, it came from the 16th to the 19th century and over again to spectacular Eisstürzen ( called Canonnades you Giétroz ) which zuschütteten the valley floor of the Dranse de Bagnes in the area of ​​present-day dam of Lac de Mauvoisin. Behind this wall of ice is accumulated in each case on a lake. The outbreaks of the lake caused flood damage often throughout Bagnes. The most disastrous flood occurred in 1595 and called 140 lives. After a Eissturz in 1818 a tunnel was driven through the ice dam, headed by Ignaz Venetz that should drain the pent-up water. After the lake was drained to one-third, but broke the ice dam and the subsequent tidal wave in turn pulled 44 people to their deaths (34 of them in the town of Martigny ). A reduction in the dangerous lower part of the glacier tongue, the risk situation has eased considerably in the 20th century. Since the Lac de Mauvoisin was dammed, any ice falls would be in the lake. The situation at the glacier tongue is monitored by measurements. In a forthcoming major demolition part of the lake could be drained so that the Eissturz would not lead to spill over into the lake over the dam.