Zmutt
Zmutt Glacier with Matterhorn and Dent d' Hérens
The Zmutt glacier is a valley glacier in the Valais Alps southwest of Zermatt, near the southern border of Switzerland. In 1997, the length was 6.5 km. In 1995 covered including its Tributärgletscher an area of nearly 20:24 km ².
Its name the southwest of the summer settlement Zmutt above Zermatt.
The Zmutt Glacier arises below the Stockji ( 3092 m above sea level. M. ) from the union of three glacier arms. The main glacier is the Tiefmatt glacier, on the one hand on the western foot of the Matterhorn, on the other hand, takes its starting point on the north and north-west flank of the Hérens. The second arm is the Schönbiel glacier, which has its origin on the southern flank of the Dent Blanche and then flows along the ridge of the Wandfluh south. The third Tributärgletscher is the Stockjigletscher, which begins on the fissured hanging Tête de Valpelline ( 3799 m above sea level. M. ), flows to the northeast, divides into two branches at Stockji and is consistent both with the low mats as well as with the Schönbiel glacier in conjunction. The Stockji is therefore a Nunatak, a completely surrounded by ice streams mountain. Following the unification of the three glaciers in the Zmutt Glacier flows eastward, flanked by the Matterhorn in the south and the Obergabelhorn in the north. In this last part of the ice surface is covered by side and Mittelmoränenmaterial of boulders and debris, which has become detached from the steep lateral slopes. The glacier is situated at an altitude of about 2250 m. The Zmutt Glacier drains into the Zmuttbach, which joins the valley of Zermatt with the Gornera and Findelbach the Matter Vispa, which flows through the Matter of Rhone. However, the by far most of the water, after it has passed through several properties located below the glacier tongue settling tank, where it is cleaned of silt, underground derived in the Lac des Dix, where it serves the power generation.
Since the High Stadium during the Little Ice Age in the mid- 19th century, the Zmutt Glacier has retreated 2 km. To the north above the confluence of Tiefmatten and Schönbiel glacier is located on 2694 m above sea level. M., which starting point for climbs and sweeping glacier tours is the Schönbielhütte of the Swiss Alpine Club.