Fiescher Glacier

Fieschergletscher from south

The Fieschergletscher is a valley glacier on the south side of the Bernese Alps in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. With a length of 14.8 km, it is after the nearby Aletsch glacier is the second longest glacier in the Alps, but is relatively narrow, so that he 37 sq km (1993 ) to Aletsch and Gorner is geographically only the third largest in the Alps.

His starting point takes the Fieschergletscher to about 4,000 m above sea level. M. on the eastern slope of the Grand Fiescherhorns. Having overcome the first two kilometers, an altitude difference of 700 m, it flows only with flatter slope south-east, flanked to the west by Green Horn ( 4'044 m above sea level. M. ) and Gross When Horn ( 3'906 m above sea level. M. ), to the east by Finstaarhorn ( 4'274 m above sea level. M. ). Thereby open from both sides, a small Tributärgletscher. At the southern foot of the Finsteraarrothorns ( 3'530 m above sea level. M. ) opens from the east also the system of 5km of Studer and Galmigletschers that are almost the same width as the Fieschergletscher.

In the lower portion of the Fieschergletscher flows south through a deep valley between the tub horn in the west and the ridge of Wasen horn in the east. In summer, when the snow cover has melted away, he presents himself here as "gray" glacier, covered with the debris of the medial and slid down the steep slopes of the rocks. The glacier is currently slightly below 1,700 meters north of the "castle" (northern end of the lower part also " Titter " said rock bastion ). Here emerges from the glacier creek white water, which flows into the Rhone at Fiesch.

On the southwestern slope of the Finsteraarhorn, about 100 m above the Fieschergletscher that Finsteraarhornhütte of the Swiss Alpine Club SAC is at 3'048 m above sea level. M. It is often used as a stopover of several days of extensive glacier tours from the Jungfraujoch or the Loetschental to the Grimsel Pass.

Do not confuse the Fieschergletscher is located to the north of the Fiescherhörner, flowing in the Lower Grindelwald glacier glacier, the map also called Fieschergletscher and is called to distinguish it from the Valais Fieschergletscher as Grindelwald- Fieschergletscher.

Consumption 100 years later: From the glacier is nothing more to see at this point.

The place Fiesch in 1911. Clearly visible the Fieschergletscher.

99 years later, viewed from the same perspective.