| Theodul Glacier | |
|---|---|
| Theodulgletscher, Glacier du Thรฉodule | |
 The Upper Theodul Glacier (left) and the Lower Theodul Glacier (right) from the Klein Matterhorn cable car | |
  Theodul Glacier  Theodul Glacier  Theodul Glacier | |
| Location | Valais, Switzerland |
| Coordinates | 45ยฐ56โฒ40โณN 07ยฐ43โฒ00โณE๏ปฟ / ๏ปฟ45.94444ยฐN 7.71667ยฐE |
| Terminus | 2,500 metres (8,202ย ft) |
| Status | Retreating |
The Theodul Glacier (also spelled Theodule Glacier; German: Theodulgletscher, French: Glacier du Thรฉodule, Italian: Ghiacciaio del Teodulo) is a glacier of the Alps, located south of Zermatt in the canton of Valais. It lies on the Swiss side of the Pennine Alps, although its upper basin touches the Italian region of the Aosta Valley. The glacier descends from the west side of the Breithorn (4,164 metres (13,661ย ft)) and splits into two diverging branches above Gandegg: the Upper Theodul Glacier (Oberer Theodulgletscher), spilling on a high plateau near Trockener Steg, together with the Furgg Glacier, and the Lower Theodul Glacier (Unterer Theodulgletscher), reaching a height of about 2,500 metres (8,202ย ft) above the Gorner Glacier.
Geography
editBoth branches of the Theodul Glacier are part of the Rhone basin, through the rivers Gornera, Mattervispa, and Vispa. Slightly above the glacier splitting is the Theodul Pass, crossing the border between Switzerland and Italy, and connecting Zermatt to Breuil-Cervinia. On the west, the Theodul Glacier is overlooked by the Matterhorn.
Until about 1980s the Lower Theodul Glacier was still connected to the Gorner Glacier and one of its tributaries.
The upper section of the Theodul Glacier consists of a flat plateau at around 3,800 metres (12,500ย ft), named Breithorn Plateau. The plateau lies between the Breithorn, the Gobba di Rollin and the Klein Matterhorn. The Breithorn Pass (3,814 metres (12,513ย ft)) separates the Breithorn from the Gobba di Rollin (French: Bosse de Rollin). A 3,795 metres (12,451ย ft) high saddle lies between the Gobba di Rollin and the Klein Matterhorn. Between the Klein Matterhorn and the Breithorn is a distinct glacier, named Klein Matterhorn Gletscher, which joins the Lower Theodul Glacier at about 3,000 metres (9,800ย ft). The Breithorn Plateau area can be easily accessed by several cable cars connecting Zermatt to the Klein Matterhorn and since July 2023 from the Italian Testa Grigia valley station.[1]
At around 3,500 metres (11,500ย ft) is the Plateau Rosa, whose name derives from the Valdรดtain patois term Rouรฉse, meaning "ice" (as for the nearby Monte Rosa). This area lies between Testa Grigia (French: Tรชte grise) (3,479 metres (11,414ย ft)) and the Klein Matterhorn, south of and slightly above the Theodul Pass. Southeast of Testa Grigia is a saddle named Passo di Ventina Nord (3,445 metres (11,302ย ft)). This area can also be easily accessed by several cable cars connecting Breuil-Cervinia to Testa Grigia.
Several lakes formed in the 1980s at the bottom of the Upper Theodul Glacier, west of Trockener Steg. The largest, named Theodulgletschersee is 7.76 ha wide and lies at an elevation of 2,851 metres (9,354ย ft) above sea level.[2] It is the highest lake over 4 ha in Switzerland and the largest lake in the Matter Valley (the valley of Zermatt). The second-largest, named Furggsee is 2.57 ha wide and lies at 2,874 metres (9,429ย ft).[3]
Skiing
editMost of the glacier is part of the year-round ski area[4] marketed as Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. It is the highest in Europe and largest summer ski area in the world, with 21 kilometres of prepared pistes.[5]
The culminating point is on the summit of Gobba di Rollin and the lowest is above Trockener Steg. The Matterhorn Glacier Paradise links the ski areas of Zermatt and Breuil-Cervina. Ski lifts connect Trockener Steg, Theodul Pass, Testa Grigia, Klein Matterhorn and Gobba di Rollin. A chair lift also connects Trockener Steg to the Furggsattel (3,349 m), north of the Theodul Pass. The highest cable car was built in 1979.[6]
Climate
editThe Theodul Glacier has an alpine climate (Koppen: ET)
| Climate data for Plateau Rosa (elev. 3488 m), 1981-2010 normals | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high ยฐC (ยฐF) | 6.0 (42.8) |
9.0 (48.2) |
6.3 (43.3) |
8.4 (47.1) |
11.4 (52.5) |
12.6 (54.7) |
18.8 (65.8) |
12.8 (55.0) |
15.3 (59.5) |
9.0 (48.2) |
6.4 (43.5) |
5.4 (41.7) |
18.8 (65.8) |
| Mean daily maximum ยฐC (ยฐF) | โ8.9 (16.0) |
โ8.9 (16.0) |
โ8.1 (17.4) |
โ5.3 (22.5) |
โ1.4 (29.5) |
1.6 (34.9) |
4.9 (40.8) |
3.6 (38.5) |
1.6 (34.9) |
โ1.0 (30.2) |
โ5.9 (21.4) |
โ8.0 (17.6) |
โ3.0 (26.6) |
| Daily mean ยฐC (ยฐF) | โ11.0 (12.2) |
โ11.4 (11.5) |
โ10.8 (12.6) |
โ7.9 (17.8) |
โ4.2 (24.4) |
โ1.0 (30.2) |
2.1 (35.8) |
1.2 (34.2) |
โ0.3 (31.5) |
โ3.0 (26.6) |
โ8.0 (17.6) |
โ10.1 (13.8) |
โ5.4 (22.3) |
| Mean daily minimum ยฐC (ยฐF) | โ13.7 (7.3) |
โ14.1 (6.6) |
โ13.6 (7.5) |
โ10.7 (12.7) |
โ6.9 (19.6) |
โ3.7 (25.3) |
โ0.9 (30.4) |
โ1.1 (30.0) |
โ2.5 (27.5) |
โ5.1 (22.8) |
โ10.4 (13.3) |
โ12.6 (9.3) |
โ7.9 (17.7) |
| Record low ยฐC (ยฐF) | โ29.2 (โ20.6) |
โ30.0 (โ22.0) |
โ35.0 (โ31.0) |
โ25.0 (โ13.0) |
โ19.0 (โ2.2) |
โ15.8 (3.6) |
โ10.0 (14.0) |
โ10.7 (12.7) |
โ13.0 (8.6) |
โ20.0 (โ4.0) |
โ29.1 (โ20.4) |
โ29.0 (โ20.2) |
โ35.0 (โ31.0) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 7.0 (0.28) |
3.0 (0.12) |
7.2 (0.28) |
10.2 (0.40) |
26.7 (1.05) |
18.7 (0.74) |
19.5 (0.77) |
16.6 (0.65) |
15.6 (0.61) |
9.4 (0.37) |
8.4 (0.33) |
7.4 (0.29) |
149.7 (5.89) |
| Average precipitation days (โฅ >=1 mm) | 1.27 | 0.88 | 1.90 | 2.77 | 5.73 | 4.07 | 3.69 | 3.05 | 3.45 | 1.57 | 2.18 | 1.40 | 31.96 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 130.0 | 157.3 | 157.3 | 163.0 | 152.6 | 193.6 | 248.6 | 198.5 | 184.3 | 174.8 | 121.4 | 119.4 | 2,000.8 |
| Source 1: "Meteo Climat (extremes)". Retrieved 18 August 2020. | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: "Meteo Climat (1981-2010 normals)". Retrieved 18 August 2020. | |||||||||||||
References
edit- ^ "Matterhorn Alpine Crossing: border crossing to open from 1 July 2023". Zermatt.ch. 23 February 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
- ^ Mรถlg, Nico; Huggel, Christian; Herold, Thilo; Storck, Florian; Allen, Simon; Haeberli, Wilfried; Schaub, Yvonne; Odermatt, Daniel (July 6, 2021). "Inventory and evolution of glacial lakes since the Little Ice Age: Lessons from the case of Switzerland". Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. 46 (13). Wiley. doi:10.1002/esp.5193. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
In this deglaciated area, a total of 1192 lakes formed over the period of almost 170โyears, 987 of them still in existence in 2016.
- ^ Primary surfaces VECTOR25 (Swisstopo)
- ^ "Summer Skiing on the Glaciers". Ski Zermatt. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
- ^ "Summer Skiing Zermatt Bergbahnen". Archived from the original on 2017-06-05.
- ^ "Matterhorn Glacier Paradise". Matterhorn Zermatt Bergbahnen. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
- Swisstopo topographic maps (1:25,000)
External links
edit
Media related to Theodulgletscher at Wikimedia Commons
