The Oberaletsch Glacier (German: ''Oberaletschgletscher'', meaning ''Upper Aletsch Glacier'') is a valley
glacier
A glacier (; ) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. It acquires distinguishing features, such as ...
on the south side of the
Bernese Alps
, topo_map= Swiss Federal Office of Topography swisstopo
, photo=BerneseAlps.jpg
, photo_caption=The Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau
, country= Switzerland
, subdivision1_type= Cantons
, subdivision1=
, parent= Western Alps
, borders_on=
, ...
, in the canton of
Valais
Valais ( , , ; frp, Valês; german: Wallis ), more formally the Canton of Valais,; german: Kanton Wallis; in other official Swiss languages outside Valais: it, (Canton) Vallese ; rm, (Chantun) Vallais. is one of the 26 cantons forming the S ...
. It had a length of with an average width of just under and an area of about in 1973.
The Oberaletsch Glacier system consists of two approximately equal arms. The eastern one takes its starting point on the south western flank of the
Aletschhorn
The Aletschhorn () is a mountain in the Alps in Switzerland, lying within the Jungfrau-Aletsch region, which has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The mountain shares part of its name with the Aletsch Glacier lying at its foot.
...
at around , and joins the western arm (Beichgletscher) in the valley at the foot of the
Nesthorn
The Nesthorn is a mountain in the Bernese Alps. It is located in the Swiss canton of Valais north of Brig. The mountain lies between the Oberaletsch Glacier on the north and east side and the Gredetschtal on the south side. It is part of the subr ...
. Then the glacier flows to the south-east towards the
Aletsch Glacier without reaching it. The glacier tongue ends at around . During the
Little Ice Age in the middle of the 19th century the glacier was part of the Aletsch Glacier.
The
Swiss Alpine Club Oberaletschhütte
The Oberaletsch Glacier (German: ''Oberaletschgletscher'', meaning ''Upper Aletsch Glacier'') is a valley glacier on the south side of the Bernese Alps, in the canton of Valais. It had a length of with an average width of just under and an area o ...
() is above the junction of the two glacier arms and has been accessible to hikers since 2005 with a new trail from
Belalp
Belalp is a village and ski resort in the Swiss canton of Valais, situated at approximately above sea level in the municipality of Naters. Because of its altitude, Belalp is a vantage point offering views of the Dom and Fletschhorn mountains a ...
.
The area of the Oberaletsch Glacier, along with the Aletsch Glacier, was declared a
UNESCO World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...
in December 2001.
See also
*
List of glaciers in Switzerland
A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to:
People
* List (surname)
Organizations
* List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
* SC Germania List, German rugby unio ...
*
List of glaciers
*
Retreat of glaciers since 1850
The retreat of glaciers since 1850 affects the availability of fresh water for irrigation and domestic use, mountain recreation, animals and plants that depend on glacier-melt, and, in the longer term, the level of the oceans. Deglaciation occu ...
*
Swiss Alps
External links
Oberaletsch glacier on Glaciers online
Glaciers of Valais
Glaciers of the Alps
{{Valais-glacier-stub