This is a non-exhaustive list of the major glaciers in Switzerland. It contains their surface area, their lengths since the start of measurement and the most current year, their height and their outflow. Most of them are retreating and many will vanish.
All of these glaciers are located within the Swiss Alps. Most of them are situated in the Pennine and Bernese Alps. The Jungfrau-Aletsch protected area includes the largest glaciers of the Alps.
There are glaciers in the four major drainage basins of Switzerland. The Rhine and Rhône basins are located on the northern side of the Alps while the Po basin is located on the south side of the Alps. The Danube basin is located on the east side of the Alps. There are no glaciers in the Swiss portion of the Adige basin.
There are approximately 1,800 glaciers in the Swiss Alps.
List NameCanton RangeArea1973 (km²)Start ofmeasurement(year)Max length(km)1973length(km)2016length(km)Length change(m)Highest point in drainage basinAltitude(m)Front alt.(m)OutflowBasinGrand Aletsch VS Bernese Alps86.63187023.95 -3132Aletschhorn4,1931,600MassaRhôneGorner VS Pennine Alps59.37 188213.50 -2672Dufourspitze (Monte Rosa)4,6342,140GorneraRhôneFiesch VS Bernese Alps34.21189115.35 -1405Finsteraarhorn4,2731,700WysswasserRhôneUnteraar BE Bernese Alps 29.48187612.95 -2561Finsteraarhorn4,2741,960AareRhineLower Grindelwald BE Bernese Alps20.8418798.30 -3504Mönch4,1071,300Weisse LütschineRhineUpper Aletsch VS Bernese Alps22.8118709.05 -1461Aletschhorn41932,140MassaRhôneCorbassièreVSPennine Alps 18.31188910.15 -1168Grand Combin4,3142,200Dyure de CorbassièreRhôneRhone VS Urner Alps 17.6018798.00 -1439Dammastock3,6302,200RhôneRhôneOtemmaVSPennine Alps 17.5118818.70 -2291Pigne d'Arolla3,7902,450Dranse de BagnesRhôneFindel VS Pennine Alps 17.3618857.80 Rimpfischhorn4,1992,500FindelbachRhôneGauli BE Bernese Alps 17.7019586.55 -1306Bärglistock3,6562,150Gaulisee/ÜrbachwasserRhineMorteratsch GRBernina Range16.4018787.00 -2784Piz Bernina40492,040Ova da MorteratschDanubeTrift BE Urner Alps16.5518615.75 -3938West of Eggstock3,4851,660TriftwasserRhineZmutt VSPennine Alps 16.8918926.70 -1182Matterhorn4,4782,240ZmuttbachRhôneZinal VS Pennine Alps15.4218917.50 -1700Dent Blanche4,3572,060NavisenceRhôneHüfi Uri Glarus Alps13.6418827.10 -1300Schärhorn3,2951,800ChärstelenbachRhineArolla VS Pennine Alps 13.1718564.80 -1893Pigne d'Arolla3,7902,160Borgne d'ArollaRhôneMont Miné VS Pennine Alps 10.9719568.35 -769Bouquetins 3,8381,980Borgne de FerpècleRhôneLanggletscher VS Bernese Alps10.0918886.90 -780Mittaghorn3,8922,080LonzaRhôneBrenay VS Pennine Alps 9.9618815.95 -1399La Ruinette3,8752,580Dyure du BrenayRhôneAllalin VS Pennine Alps9.8718816.50 -1159Rimpfischhorn4,1992,600Saaser VispaRhôneFerpècleVS Pennine Alps9.7718916.60 -1463Dent Blanche4,3572,160Borgne de FerpècleRhôneUpper Grindelwald BE Bernese Alps 9.5218796.65 North of Schreckhorn 3,7501,380Schwarze LütschineRhineRätzli / Plaine Morte BE/VSBernese Alps 9.0919255.20 -1048Wildstrubel 3,2442,470Trüebbach, La TiècheRhine, RhôneForno GR Bregaglia Alps8.7218576.15 -2324Cima di Castello3,3792,220OrlegnaPoSaleinaVSMont Blanc massif 8.5718786.45 -1087Aiguille d'Argentière 3,9011,760Reuse de SaleinaRhôneRoseg GR Bernina Range8.5218554.90 -4288Piz Roseg3,9372,160Ova da RosegDanubeFee Glacier VS Pennine Alps 7.4618835.00 Dom4,5452,100FeevispaRhônePalü GR Bernina Range6.4718943.80 Piz Palü3,9012,580Acqua da PalüPoTrient VS Mont Blanc massif6.4018794.90 Aiguille du Tour3,5401,880TrientRhôneMoming VS Pennine Alps6.3918793.60 Weisshorn4,5062,500NavisenceRhôneGries VS Lepontine Alps6.2318475.70 -2959Blinnenhorn3,3742,420ÄgeneRhôneTschierva GR Bernina Range6.2019344.75 -1665Piz Bernina4,0492,260Ova da RosegDanubeTschingel BE Bernese Alps6.1918933.65 -343Tschingelhorn3,5622,160Tschingel-LitschinaRhineRosenlaui BE Bernese Alps6.1418805.15 Mittelhorn3,7042,000RosenlauibachRhineDamma UR Urner Alps5.0919212.35 Dammastock3,6302,060DammareussRhineWildstrubel VS Bernese Alps4.81 19172.65 -535Wildstrubel3,2442,560LämmerendaluRhineTsanfleuron VS/VD Bernese Alps3.8118843.70 -1907Oldenhorn3,1232,460Le LachonRhôneAlbigna GR Bregaglia Alps3.5319063.70 -1386Cima di Castello3,3792,200AlbignaPoSilvretta GR Silvretta Alps3.3519563.30 -390Silvrettahorn3,2442,480VerstanclabachRhineBiferten GL Glarus Alps2.8118834.40 Tödi3,6141,960BifertenbachRhineBasòdino TI Lepontine Alps2.3118991.50 -733Basòdino3,2722,500BavonaPoVadret Tiatscha (La Cudera)GR Silvretta Alps2.0718502.05 -1792East of Verstanclahorn3,2202,680LavinuozDanube
Climate change
There has been a Retreat of glaciers in the Alps since 1850, when level of CO2 emissions accelerated due to industrialisation and growing world population.
In 2000, the glacier ice volume in Switzerland was 76.5 cubic kilometers. In 2021, it was 52.5 cubic kilometers.source: GLAMOS https://www.srf.ch/news/schweiz/alpenregionen-unter-druck-die-gletscher-schmelzen-heuer-schon-besonders-frueh Die Gletscher schmelzen heuer schon besonders früh
2002 −1.0 %, 2003 −3.8 %, 2004 −1.2 %, 2005 −1.9 %, 2006 −2.3 %, 2007 −1.1 %, 2008 −1.8 %,
2009 −1.7 %, 2010 −1.3 %, 2011 −3.1 %, 2012 −2.0 %, 2013 −0.6 %, 2014 −0.8 %, 2015 −2.7 %,
2016 −1.1 %, 2017 −3.2 %, 2018 −2.9 %, 2019 −2.2 %, 2020 −2.0 %, 2021 −0.8 %, 2022 −5.9 %,
2023 −4.4 %, 2024 -2.3 %.
See also List of mountains in Switzerland Switzerland#Climate
References
External links
List of dangerous glaciers in Switzerland Swiss glacier monitoring network (GLAMOS): glacier length variations in 2016