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Ober Aletsch - extreme glaciation on display

Ober Aletsch - extreme glaciation on display


Postby past my sell by date » Mon Nov 12, 2018 5:25 pm

Date walked: 28/08/2018

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The Ober Aletsch glacier which many years ago joined the Aletsch faces SE and the effects of global warming are being felt more dramatically here I think, than in any other place I have ever visited. I have made the spectacular walk from Belalp to the Ober Aletsch hut at least five times starting in 2009 and the changes over those nine years are quite unbelievable.
Photos are taken from different years
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Map of route
Starting from Blatten just a few km from Brig you take a lift to the new ski village of Belalp
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Monte Leone (3553m) from Blatten - the shape of the mountain bears some resemblance to the lions in Trafalgar Square

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Belalp from the lift - you walk thru the village for about 1 km to the Belalp hotel where you look straight up the Aletsch glacier
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The glacier once reached right down into the Rhone valley
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Zoomed view
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Belalp church
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From the hotel grounds - the Ober Aletsch is the obvious gash on the L: the walk really starts from here with a short flat section and then a steep descent to the path traversing across to it
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This type of descent path to move stock up and down is quite common all over the mountainous areas of Europe
Various views along the track and back towards the hotel
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The lake is called the Stausee Gibidum :roll:
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The glacier occupies the obvious gap
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You start to leave the pastoral scene and enter an area of white granite boulders - part of an old terminal moraine
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looking back from a point where the track reaches a ridge. beyond this point there is a sudden quite dramatic change in the scenery :shock: :shock:
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The path turns NW and ...
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...descends to a suspension bridge above the torrent
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The "old" route to the hut ascended the moraine-covered glacier from here, but became much too difficult for most travellers
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Views of the bridge
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And of the water below - in different years
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Looking up
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Looking back - a track cut into the rock gets you down and up the other side
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A nice specimen of Saxifraga paniculata - white mountain saxifrage growing in the shade
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Once out of the gorge, the path heads up and R to an old lateral moraine: Looking up from near the foot of this
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climbing the lateral moraine
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A path heads off R - I guess it would take you eventually to Bettmeralp but you would need to cross the dry Aletsch glacier
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2009: Looking down the lateral moraine; Donna and daughter Rachel accompanied me on that occasion
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Eventually the moraine finishes at a relatively flat green area; looking South I am not familiar with the peaks in the distance
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Looking on up the glacier from around the same point in 2009 and in 2018
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Where on earth to now :o
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Another view up from a bit higher
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There just seem to be rocks above ... but
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The eagle eye detects a signpost high above :shock:
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Looking back down to the top of the moraine: from here it's a steep zig-zag climb up to the signpost.
When you reach it you are at the start of the "Panorama weg" and about level with the hut - but still well over an hour and a half from it. Depending upon your fitness and altitude acclimatisation what follows is either a pleasant undulating track with stunning views - or a gruelling series of ups and downs :lol: :lol: :lol: There are no difficulties but you need a good "head for heights"


Views on the Panorama weg - some looking forward some back
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2009 - The glacier branches just beyond the hut: the peak on the L is the 3822m Nesthorn and at the back of the LH branch the Beich pass leads over into the Lötchental: The RH branch heads up to the foot of the Aletschhorn
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2018 was a particularly heavy snow winter and this stream stems from a snowfield high above: I'm not sure there is always water available anywhere on this section this late in the Summer
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These granite towers are the Fusshorngrat: there is a lot of rock-clmbing here and a bivouac hut that I've never visited
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finally one arrives at the Ober Aletsch hut. The standard time from Belalp is 4 hours, but these days I take a lot longer :(

2009
The Ober Aletsch is the starting point for the "standard" route on the Aletschhorn - one that is getting steadily longer and more difficult, but the first time I stayed here in July 2009 was to climb some of the excellent granite
peaks with my guide Steve and these next photos are all taken on that trip
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Looking across the RH arm of the glacier. The peak on the L is the 3023m Torberg, and on the R the 3127m Distelberg
We started on an easy route up the Torberg reached up a very unstable boulder field and later did a much longer and better route on the Distelberg, which we reached by descending to the glacier, crossing it, climbing a rather "iffy" via ferrata opposite and traversing R to the start of our climb. I'm told that this approach is no longer possible :lol:
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Looking down the glacier from the summit of the Torberg
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Early morning sun on the Distelberg - the route goes just R of the sun/shade line
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Looking up the climb from the start - it was about HVS, very well equipped and with a good abseil descent
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Ranunculs montanus - Mountain buttercup - amongst the boulders
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From the foot of the Distelberg looking back across the glacier to the hut
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The Aletschhorn from the same point

2018
The weather was clear and sunny when I arrived .
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Evening sun on the Aletschhorn - note the difference in the amount of snow compared to the picture above
In 2009 there was a sign on the rocks well above the glacier saying "the glacier was here in 2004" and in the morning I wanted to go down the long series of ladders - at least five more than then - and photograph it. I took photos both on the way down and back up. There is a continuous wire leading down and wearing a harness in the dark of the early morning I guess you would clip to it - but ladders are easy if you take your time, the only difficulty being getting on to the top when descending.
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Distelberg from the start of the descent
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There is a good path to start with
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The sun is not quite up at 8.00am in August
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But it's shining on the Nesthorn
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4 down, but still 5 ladders to go: however, the state of the glacier below didn't look at all inviting and as I would have had to traverse 300-500m L to see my "notice" - (the descent had been completely changed since 2009) I decided to give it a miss :(
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Sun just coming up - but the vertical sides above the glacier floor have nearly doubled since our climb
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someone has a sense of humour :lol:
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more sections of the path on the way up
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Back at the hut
Panorama weg photos on the way back - in different light
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Up to the Beich pass
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Zoomed view - it does look possible to descend from it
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A 2009 photo of the the Fusshorngrat
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Another 2009 photo
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The Belalp hotel comes into sight and mountains which were not visible the day before: on the L the Saas peaks are all behind each other: on the R the Zermatt peaks
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Zoomed - Monte Rosa on the L the Michabel on the R
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Finally the Matterhorn and the Weisshorn come briefly into sight: but as you descend, they soon drop down below the horizon
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There is a spectacular hanging bridge over the main Aletsch gorge: I wandered down pleasant grassy slopes but lost my way and eventually took a path down thru the woods back to Blatten and the car
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Hangbrucke - stock photo: I have been over it in the past but without a camera
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A final photo from a viewpoint beside the path
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Re: Ober Aletsch - extreme glaciation on display

Postby Alteknacker » Wed Nov 14, 2018 9:07 pm

Fantastic real mountain porn! A real pity about the retreating snow line though.

The "Thistle Mountain" looks absolutely superb!
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Re: Ober Aletsch - extreme glaciation on display

Postby dav2930 » Fri Nov 16, 2018 9:49 pm

Cracking photos of some wonderful alpine scenery; looked a great trip you had this year, Tony. :clap:

A stark illustration of how the glaciers are retreating. I noticed the same thing happening around Chamonix after just a few years between trips, particularly the Bossons glacier. Clear evidence of global warming. Climate change deniers like Trump need to get out more! :lol:
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Re: Ober Aletsch - extreme glaciation on display

Postby past my sell by date » Mon Nov 19, 2018 7:08 pm

Alteknacker wrote:Fantastic real mountain porn! A real pity about the retreating snow line though.

The "Thistle Mountain" looks absolutely superb!

Thistle mountain was really great - all pale grey granite - but getting harder and harder to get to. The guardian in August told me that two (guides I think) had managed it this year - but it's completely different from 2009
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Re: Ober Aletsch - extreme glaciation on display

Postby past my sell by date » Mon Nov 19, 2018 7:16 pm

dav2930 wrote:Cracking photos of some wonderful alpine scenery; looked a great trip you had this year, Tony. :clap:

A stark illustration of how the glaciers are retreating. I noticed the same thing happening around Chamonix after just a few years between trips, particularly the Bossons glacier. Clear evidence of global warming. Climate change deniers like Trump need to get out more! :lol:

Hi Dave
Yes I had a brilliant trip there this year. Very glad of that spring though - as I hadn't bought enough water, and I was still 30 min or more from the hut., and well knackered.
I think Mr T now believes in Global warming but not that mankind is necessarily responsible: I suppose he could conceivably be right - it's still nothing like as warm as it was in Roman times - but we shouldn't take the risk - even if it's very small.
How did you get on this summer: - do any of the climbs we discussed? I'm told the weather was very good in Scotland
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Re: Ober Aletsch - extreme glaciation on display

Postby dav2930 » Wed Nov 21, 2018 9:41 pm

past my sell by date wrote:
dav2930 wrote:A stark illustration of how the glaciers are retreating. I noticed the same thing happening around Chamonix after just a few years between trips, particularly the Bossons glacier. Clear evidence of global warming. Climate change deniers like Trump need to get out more! :lol:


I think Mr T now believes in Global warming but not that mankind is necessarily responsible: I suppose he could conceivably be right - it's still nothing like as warm as it was in Roman times - but we shouldn't take the risk - even if it's very small.
How did you get on this summer: - do any of the climbs we discussed? I'm told the weather was very good in Scotland


Hi Tony

It's true that global warming occurred during Roman times (and in the Middle Ages). But the fact the these occurrences were caused by increases in Solar activity rather than human-generated pollution is not a reason to believe that current global warming might have the same cause. Over the last millennium there's been a steady decline in Solar activity which has actually been cooling the climate. This means that the sharp rise in global average temperature of recent decades has to have a cause other than increased Solar activity - a cause sufficient to defeat the cooling effect of reduced Solar activity. The vast majority of climate scientists believe there is overwhelming evidence to suggest that the relevant cause is the increase of greenhouse gases pumped into the atmosphere by humans (the tiny percentage of those who claim not to are all on the payroll of Exon-Mobil). The worry is that this human-caused warming will continue to increase beyond the offsetting infuence of the gradual decline in Solar activity. And the biggest worry of all is that Solar activity could start to increase, as in Roman times. For then we'd have a double whammy of global warming, which would be catastrophic. Even as it is, the Antarctic and Greenland icecaps are melting at an alarming rate, which, if it continues, will cause sea levels to rise significantly enough to flood major coastal cities and plains around the world. This isn't a small risk; if we do nothing it's a virtual certainty.

So, yes, it's conceivable that Trump is right, but only in the sense that it's conceivable that a teapot is orbiting Alpha Centauri. The probability that current global warming is not caused by human-generated pollution is vanishingly small.

Anyway, it certainly was a fine summer with a lot of warm, dry weather! We did quite a bit of climbing in the Lakes, Northumberland and the Peak, but missed out on the fine weather in Scotland. I'm kicking myself that we didn't get up to the Ben and do Centurion. Hopefully next season we will, weather permitting. I'm also hoping we'll be able to spend a few days in Wasdale / Eskdale to climb on Pillar Rock, Scafell and Esk Buttress. As well as Trespasser Groove I'd love to do The Red Edge, though that might be a bit much for Karl. We'll have to see how it goes. Thanks for asking, Tony :D
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Re: Ober Aletsch - extreme glaciation on display

Postby past my sell by date » Sat Nov 24, 2018 5:17 pm

dav2930 wrote:
Hi Tony

It's true that global warming occurred during Roman times (and in the Middle Ages). But the fact the these occurrences were caused by increases in Solar activity rather than human-generated pollution is not a reason to believe that current global warming might have the same cause. Over the last millennium there's been a steady decline in Solar activity which has actually been cooling the climate. This means that the sharp rise in global average temperature of recent decades has to have a cause other than increased Solar activity - a cause sufficient to defeat the cooling effect of reduced Solar activity. The vast majority of climate scientists believe there is overwhelming evidence to suggest that the relevant cause is the increase of greenhouse gases pumped into the atmosphere by humans (the tiny percentage of those who claim not to are all on the payroll of Exon-Mobil). The worry is that this human-caused warming will continue to increase beyond the offsetting infuence of the gradual decline in Solar activity. And the biggest worry of all is that Solar activity could start to increase, as in Roman times. For then we'd have a double whammy of global warming, which would be catastrophic. Even as it is, the Antarctic and Greenland icecaps are melting at an alarming rate, which, if it continues, will cause sea levels to rise significantly enough to flood major coastal cities and plains around the world. This isn't a small risk; if we do nothing it's a virtual certainty. :D

Hi dave
I didn't know about the Solar activity - how do they know that?
But the fact is that Europe was very warm in Roman times - Britons just clothed in woad :lol: , and growing red wine grapes - and no glaciers in the Ecrins apparently. So how did it recover? At the moment warming is leading to more warming. The fires in Cal. besides creating huge damage and loss of life also emit vast quantities of CO2 and the warming Tundra is giving off methane leading it seems to an acceleration of the process. i just wonder why that didn't happen then.
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Re: Ober Aletsch - extreme glaciation on display

Postby dav2930 » Sun Nov 25, 2018 1:19 am

Some good questions there Tony. I'm not sure how they know about the Solar activity; in fact that question crossed my mind too. But then I'm not sure how they know a lot of things! :lol: Still, I'd rather go along with the opinions and conclusions of a host of scientists who spend their time studying these things, than the glib opinions of one man who has an obvious political agenda and no scientific knowledge whatsoever. Of course the scientific community could all be party to a huge conspiracy (which I think Trump believes to be the case), but if so then we really are in deep s**t! That would be a very difficult conspiracy to maintain, though, especially given the nature of scientific method itself, which is essentially critical of its own conjectures. So I think it's pretty unlikely.

The Solar activity theory, if we accept it, would explain how the Ecrins glaciation recovered after Roman times - the climate cooled due to the reduction in Solar activity (and would continue to do so were it not for human-generated greenhouse gases). You're right that warming is leading to more warming and that's always been one of the big worries - that we get locked into an irreversible vicious circle of warming. Why didn't the same thing happen in Roman times? Maybe there was enough forestation etc to prevent too much carbon release (also more oxygen being produced), or the warm period didn't last long enough, or a combination of the two? It'd be interesting to do some in-depth research on it. That's surely better than accepting the 'wisdom' of a man who's never read a book in his adult life?
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Re: Ober Aletsch - extreme glaciation on display

Postby past my sell by date » Mon Nov 26, 2018 2:21 pm

Hi Dave
With more forest and no firefighters you would have thought that fires would have been much more extensive, but maybe more vegetation generally to absorb the CO2. There must be ice cores that will record atmospheriic CO2 at that time.
Maybe it's the methane emitted by cows which is the difference but there must have been wild ruminents then - Bison, buffalo etc. I guess there must be scientific papers on this somewhere - just have to look for them
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