About the Glacier
The Great Aletsch Glacier, the longest glacier in the Alps, is located in the canton of Wallis, Switzerland. Measuring nearly 23 kilometers in length and almost 1000 meters deep at its highest point, it is truly a natural phenomenon.
The Great Aletsch Glacier plays an important role to the people of the area. In the past, it was a symbol of the power of nature with many legends created around it. Today, it provides the people with fresh water for drinking and irrigation, electricity through hydro power and brings wealth to the area through tourism.
Sadly, the Great Aletsch Glacier is melting at a rate faster than ever before. In the last 150 years, it has receded more than 3 kilometers.
In 2001, the Great Aletsch Glacier was made into a UNESCO world heritage site.
For more information about the glacier see the following links:
Great Aletsch Glacier on WikipediaUNESCO World Heritage site
Scientific paper about the glacier (PDF)