There are more than 3000 km² of glaciers and firn in Switzerland. Most of the glaciers are decreasing.
A glacier is a large, slow moving river of ice, formed from compacted layers of snow, that slowly deforms and flows in response to gravity. The process of glacier growth and establishment is called glaciation.
The word glacier comes from French via the Vulgar Latin glacia, and ultimately from Latin glacies meaning ice.
Glacier ice is the largest reservoir of fresh water on Earth, and second only to oceans as the largest reservoir of total water. Glaciers cover vast areas of polar regions but are restricted to the highest mountains in the tropics.
Aletsch Glacier Besides Brig, there is a northwestern ridge belonging to the Aletsch area including the spas Riederalp, Bettmeralp and Fiesch. Moreover,... read more
The Morteratsch Glacier (romansh: Vadret da Morteratsch) is the largest glacier by area in the Bernina... read more
Rhône Glacier The Rhône Glacier is the source of the Rhone River and one of the primary contributors to Lake Geneva in the far eastern end of the... read more
