Gries Glacier

Switzerland’s Gries Glacier, a 5.4 km-long ice mass in the southern canton of Valais, is retreating at an alarming pace due to accelerated climate change, according to the Swiss glacier monitoring service (GLAMOS).

Shrinking Glacier

• Between 2000 and 2023, the glacier retreated by 800 metres.
• Compared to 1880, it is now 3.2 km shorter.
• The glacier’s average ice thickness is around 57 metres.

Future Outlook

• At its lower points, the glacier could disappear within five years.
• At higher altitudes (around 3,000 metres), it may take 40–50 years to vanish completely.

Recent Climate Disasters

• In May 2025, a catastrophic glacier collapse in Valais destroyed the village of Blatten, underlining the severity of rapid ice melt.
• Switzerland lost about 100 glaciers between 2016 and 2022, GLAMOS reported.

Global Warning

The retreat of the Gries Glacier reflects the wider climate emergency, with Switzerland’s glaciers melting at record speed, posing risks of floods, landslides, and loss of water reserves critical for ecosystems and communities.