The Great Aletsch Glacier
The Great Aletsch Glacier is a sight of archaic beauty. High up, at the Hohfluh, Moosfluh, Bettmerhorn and Eggishorn view points, the size and uniqueness of the Great Aletsch Glacier is most impressive. It is impossible not to be fascinated by the huge ice flow, which stretches over a length of 20 km from its catchment area in the Jungfrau region (4000 m) down to the Massa Gorge some 2500 m below.
A few figures about the ice giant:
Interesting facts about the Great Aletsch Glacier:
A few figures about the ice giant:
- 20 kilometers long
- 10 billion tons in weight
- 800 meters deep is the thickest ice on the glacier at Konkordiaplatz
- The area of the Great Aletsch Glacier measures 79 square kilometers
Interesting facts about the Great Aletsch Glacier:
If the ice giant were to melt, each person on earth could be supplied with one liter of water a day for 3.5 years.
The Great Aletsch Glacier has its origins in the Jungfrau region near Konkordiaplatz
The Great Aletsch Glacier is formed by the confluence of three mighty firn streams. The Great Aletschfirn, the Jungfraufirn and the Ewigschneefeld.
The Great Aletsch Glacier has two medial moraines. These are visible as dark lines along the entire length of the ice flow.
The medial moraine to the right in the direction of glacier flow is called the Kranzberg medial moraine.
The medial moraine on the left in the direction of glacier flow is called the Trugberg medial moraine.