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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.[1]

All 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.[2]

List

Name Canton Range Area
1973 (km²)[3] 		Start of
measurement
(year)[3] 		Max length
(km)[3] 		1973
length
(km)[3] 		2016
length
(km)[3] 		length change
(m)[3] 		Highest point in drainage basin[4] Altitude
(m) 		Front alt.
(m) 		Outflow Basin
Grand Aletsch VS Bernese Alps 86.63 1870 25.6 23.95 22.47 -3132 Aletschhorn 4,193 1,600 Massa Rhône
Gorner VS Pennine Alps 59.37 1882 14.99 13.50 12.32 -2672 Dufourspitze (Monte Rosa) 4,634 2,140 Gornera Rhône
Fiesch VS Bernese Alps 34.21 1891 15.92 15.35 14.51 -1405 Finsteraarhorn 4,273 1,700 Wysswasser Rhône
Unteraar BE Bernese Alps 29.48 1876 14.41 12.95 11.85 -2561 Finsteraarhorn 4,274 1,960 Aare Rhine
Lower Grindelwald BE Bernese Alps 20.84 1879 9.46 8.30 5.95 -3504 Mönch 4,107 1,300 Weisse Lütschine Rhine
Upper Aletsch VS Bernese Alps 22.81 1870 10.28 9.05 8.82 -1461 Aletschhorn 4193 2,140 Massa Rhône
Corbassière VS Pennine Alps 18.31 1889 10.64 10.15 9.47 -1168 Grand Combin 4,314 2,200 Dyure de Corbassière Rhône
Rhone VS Urner Alps 17.60 1879 9.09 8.00 7.65 -1439 Dammastock 3,630 2,200 Rhône Rhône
Otemma VS Pennine Alps 17.51 1881 9.51 8.70 7.22 -2291 Pigne d'Arolla 3,790 2,450 Dranse de Bagnes Rhône
Findel VS Pennine Alps 17.36 1885 9.24 7.80 6.63 -2618 Rimpfischhorn 4,199 2,500 Findelbach Rhône
Gauli BE Bernese Alps 17.70 1958 6.71 6.55 5.4 -1306 Bärglistock 3,656 2,150 Gaulisee/Ürbachwasser Rhine
Morteratsch GR Bernina Range 16.40 1878 8.63 7.00 5.85 -2784 Piz Bernina 4049 2,040 Ova da Morteratsch Danube
Trift BE Urner Alps 16.55 1861 7.6 5.75 3.66 -3938 West of Eggstock 3,485 1,660 Triftwasser Rhine
Zmutt VS Pennine Alps 16.89 1892 7.49 6.70 6.3 -1182 Matterhorn 4,478 2,240 Zmuttbach Rhône
Zinal VS Pennine Alps 15.42 1891 8.6 7.50 6.9 -1700 Dent Blanche 4,357 2,060 Navisence Rhône
Hüfi Uri Glarus Alps 13.64 1882 8.04 7.10 6.74 -1300 Schärhorn 3,295 1,800 Chärstelenbach Rhine
Arolla VS Pennine Alps 13.17 1856 6.23 4.80 4.34 -1893 Pigne d'Arolla 3,790 2,160 Borgne d'Arolla Rhône
Mont Miné VS Pennine Alps 10.97 1956 8.48 8.35 7.71 -769 Bouquetins 3,838 1,980 Borgne de Ferpècle Rhône
Long VS Bernese Alps 10.09 1888 7.23 6.90 6.45 -780 Mittaghorn 3,892 2,080 Lonza Rhône
Brenay VS Pennine Alps 9.96 1881 6.32 5.95 4.92 -1399 La Ruinette 3,875 2,580 Dyure du Brenay Rhône
Allalin VS Pennine Alps 9.87 1881 7.07 6.50 5.91 -1159 Rimpfischhorn 4,199 2,600 Saaser Vispa Rhône
Ferpècle VS Pennine Alps 9.77 1891 7.69 6.60 6.23 -1463 Dent Blanche 4,357 2,160 Borgne de Ferpècle Rhône
Upper Grindelwald BE Bernese Alps 9.52 1879 6.96 6.65 4.02 -2938 North of Schreckhorn 3,750 1,380 Schwarze Lütschine Rhine
Rätzli / Plaine Morte BE(/VS) Bernese Alps 9.09 1925 5.92 5.20 4.87 -1048 Wildstrubel 3,244 2,470 Trüebbach, La Tièche Rhine, Rhône
Forno GR Bregaglia Alps 8.72 1857 7.6 6.15 5.28 -2324 Cima di Castello 3,379 2,220 Orlegna Po
Saleina VS Mont Blanc massif 8.57 1878 7.04 6.45 5.95 -1087 Aiguille d'Argentière 3,901 1,760 Reuse de Saleina Rhône
Roseg GR Bernina Range 8.52 1855 6.71 4.90 2.42 -4288 Piz Roseg 3,937 2,160 Ova da Roseg Danube
Fee Glacier VS Pennine Alps 7.46 1883 5.89 5.00 4.57 -1318 Dom 4,545 2,100 Feevispa Rhône
Palü GR Bernina Range 6.47 1894 4.88 3.80 3.51 -1366 Piz Palü 3,901 2,580 Acqua da Palü Po
Trient VS Mont Blanc massif 6.40 1879 5.29 4.90 3.96 -1328 Aiguille du Tour 3,540 1,880 Trient Rhône
Moming VS Pennine Alps 6.39 1879 4.19 3.60 3.06 -1134 Weisshorn 4,506 2,500 Navisence Rhône
Gries VS Lepontine Alps 6.23 1847 7.84 5.70 4.88 -2959 Blinnenhorn 3,374 2,420 Ägene Rhône
Tschierva GR Bernina Range 6.20 1934 5.56 4.75 3.89 -1665 Piz Bernina 4,049 2,260 Ova da Roseg Danube
Tschingel BE Bernese Alps 6.19 1893 3.87 3.65 3.52 -343 Tschingelhorn 3,562 2,160 Tschingel-Litschina Rhine
Rosenlaui BE Bernese Alps 6.14 1880 5.3 5.15 5.15 -151 Mittelhorn 3,704 2,000 Rosenlauibach Rhine
Damma UR Urner Alps 5.09 1921 2.85 2.35 1.32 -1525 Dammastock 3,630 2,060 Dammareuss Rhine
Wildstrubel VS Bernese Alps 4.81 1917 2.83 2.65 2.29 -535 Wildstrubel 3,244 2,560 Lämmerendalu Rhine
Tsanfleuron VS/VD Bernese Alps 3.81 1884 4.91 3.70 3 -1907 Oldenhorn 3,123 2,460 Le Lachon Rhône
Albigna GR Bregaglia Alps 3.53 1906 4.88 3.70 3.49 -1386 Cima di Castello 3,379 2,200 Albigna Po
Silvretta GR Silvretta Alps 3.35 1956 3.42 3.30 3.03 -390 Silvrettahorn 3,244 2,480 Verstanclabach Rhine
Biferten GL Glarus Alps 2.81 1883 4.55 4.40 4.19 -360 Tödi 3,614 1,960 Bifertenbach Rhine
Basòdino TI Lepontine Alps 2.31 1899 2.02 1.50 1.28 -733 Basòdino 3,272 2,500 Bavona Po
Vadret Tiatscha (La Cudera) GR Silvretta Alps 2.07 1850 3.44 2.05 1.64 -1792 East of Verstanclahorn 3,220 2,680 Lavinuoz Danube

See also

References

  1. ^ Jonathan Amos (19 December 2008). "Swiss Glaciers 'in full retreat'". BBC News. San Francisco.
  2. ^ "Glaciers set to disappear from the Alps". SWI swissinfo.ch, a branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation. December 8, 2006. Retrieved 2019-10-26.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Welcome to the Glacier Monitoring in Switzerland (GLAMOS)" (research site). Zurich, Fribourg, Berne, Switzerland: ETH Zurich, University of Fribourg, University of Zurich. Retrieved 2018-01-16.
  4. ^ "Topographical catchment areas of Swiss waterbodies". Wabern, BE, Switzerland: Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) – via map.geo.admin.ch swisstopo.

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