Turtmann Glacier

Turtmann glacier with Bishorn and Taurus mountain.

The glacier is a valley glacier in Turtmann rear Turtmanntal in the Valais Alps. It is located on the region of the Swiss municipality in the canton of Valais Oberems. The ice flow with pronounced tongue was about 5.8 km long in 1973, with an area of ​​about 6 square kilometers. By 2005, its length has shortened to (compared to other large alpine glaciers only ) a good 100 meters. If we add to its related Brunegggletscher, the area was increased by 6.7 to 12.6 km ². The North exposed glacier ranges from 4140 to 2,260 meters above sea level. M. down, its average slope is given as 32 ​​% (18 °).

His starting point takes the Turtmann glacier on the northwest edge of the Bishorns to around 4'140 m above sea level. M.. Initially, the glacier flows to the northwest, where it is separated from the parallel Brunegggletscher on its northeastern side by the ridge of the Taurus mountain ( 3'507 m). At the height of Mount Taurus, the Turtmann glacier turns north and the west by the Diablons flanked ( 3,592 m). In the lower part of the ice stream is still about 600 m wide. Here ends of the east arm of the Brunegggletschers in the Turtmann glacier. The glacier currently ends at about 2,240 m, and dehydrated through which the Turtmanntal migrating Turtmänna in the Rhone.

In his High Stadium during the Little Ice Age in the mid- 19th century, the Turtmann glacier reached around 1 km further down the valley and also sent a short tongue over the Col de Tracuit the catchment area of ​​the Val d' Anniviers above Zinal. As one of the few glaciers in the Swiss Alps the Turtmann glacier had between 1980 and 2000 to a total of a positive change in length. Since then, however, he withdraws rapidly.

At an altitude of 3'256 m is close to the Col de Tracuit that separates the Turtmanntal from Val d' Anniviers, the Cabane de Tracuit, a hut from the Swiss Alpine Club SAC, on the western edge of the glacier. It serves as a starting point for the ascent of Bishorns and the white horn. Experienced mountaineers can Cabane de Tracuit from the Turtmanntal on the Turtmannhütte ( 2,519 m, 3 hours from the pits ), the Brunegggletscher, the rocks of the Adlerflüe and the Turtmann Glacier's Reach.