The Aletsch Glacier, the largest in the Alps at 23 kilometers long, is retreating at an accelerating pace. Visiting now means witnessing a landscape that will look dramatically different within decades.
The Aletsch Glacier is the largest glacier in the Alps. Stretching 23 kilometers through the heart of the Bernese Oberland, it contains roughly 11 billion tons of ice. From the Jungfraujoch viewing platform at 3,454 meters, it appears eternal, a vast river of white and blue ice flowing between dark mountain walls. But it is not eternal. The Aletsch has lost over 3 kilometers of length and 1 billion tons of ice since systematic measurements began in the 19th century, and the rate of loss is accelerating. Visiting now means seeing something your grandchildren will not.
A River of Ice
The glacier begins where three smaller ice streams merge at a point called Konkordiaplatz, a vast ice basin 900 meters deep at its thickest point. From there, the combined glacier flows south at a rate of roughly 200 meters per year, its surface cracked into deep crevasses by the stresses of flowing over uneven bedrock. Dark stripes called medial moraines run along its length, marking the boundaries where the tributary glaciers joined. These stripes of crushed rock are like tree rings in a cross-section of wood, recording the glacier's history in stone.
A River of Ice
The ice at the glacier's terminus is hundreds of years old. Snow that fell during the Renaissance compressed into ice that is only now reaching the lower elevations where it melts. This time delay means the glacier's current retreat reflects warming that began decades ago, and the accelerated warming of recent years is still working its way through the system. Scientists project the Aletsch will lose half its volume by 2050 and potentially disappear entirely by the end of the century.
Period
Length (km)
Volume Lost
Rate of Retreat
1860
26.5
Baseline
-
1960
24.7
~15%
18 m/year
2000
23.6
~25%
30 m/year
2024
22.6
~35%
50+ m/year
Experiencing the Glacier
The most accessible viewpoint is the Eggishorn, reached by cable car from the village of Fiesch. From the summit at 2,927 meters, the entire glacier spreads below in a panorama that UNESCO has designated a World Heritage Site. The Jungfraujoch, accessible by a remarkable railway tunneled through the Eiger, offers a higher vantage point and the chance to walk on the glacier itself at Konkordiaplatz.
For closer encounters, guided glacier hikes cross sections of the ice, navigating between crevasses and meltwater streams. These require crampons and ropes but no technical climbing experience. The blue-white ice beneath your feet, the crunch of crampons biting into the surface, and the deep groaning sounds the glacier makes as it shifts create an immersive experience that photographs cannot capture.
The Aletsch Forest
On the glacier's southern flank, the Aletsch Forest is the highest pine forest in Europe. These ancient Arolla pines, some over 1,000 years old, have witnessed centuries of the glacier's advance and retreat. Today, as the glacier retreats, new vegetation is colonizing the exposed rock, providing a real-time illustration of ecological succession following glacial retreat. The contrast between ancient forest, raw rock, and retreating ice makes the area a living textbook of climate change.
The Aletsch Forest
When to Visit
The glacier is accessible from June through October, with July and August offering the warmest conditions and longest days. September provides clearer skies and fewer crowds. Winter visits are possible at the Jungfraujoch but offer limited glacier access. The town of Brig in the Rhône Valley serves as the main gateway. Check alpine weather conditions on the Hyperion Map before planning your visit to this vanishing giant.
