Destination Magazin Nr.3/2019 EN

THE EVER-CHANGING PATH
The Saas Valley mountains offer a rare
opportunity to get close to glaciers. A guided
mountain tour on the Fee Glacier
is the perfect way to get even closer.
Text: Patrick Gasser
Snow crunches under our snowshoes.
From a distance, we are but specks on the
huge field of white that is the Fee Glacier.
Precipitous walls of ice tower overhead,
shimmering like giant sapphires.
The glaciers have been a big part
of life in the Saas Valley for centuries.
Back in the 1930s, schoolchildren would
hack off chunks of our ice giants to take
back to the village in wicker baskets and
sell to the local hotels to keep things
cool. Eventually, though, electricity
and refrigerators made this practice
redundant. Every summer, shepherds
redirected the glacial meltwater to their
pastures. Such artificial flooding kept
the meadows green and the soil fertile,
thanks to the nutrient-rich sediments
the meltwater transports.
Unending fascination
For the glaciers, winter is a time of rest and recovery. The meltwater
that flows down from the valley via the Vispa and Rhone rivers to
the Mediterranean stops flowing. Meanwhile, the snow builds up,
metres deep under our snowshoes. And just as energy bars keep
us going on a tour of the glacier, snow re-energizes and replenishes
the glacier. Locals and guests alike remain unwaveringly fascinated
with the ice world, year-round. Luckily for many, the ski slopes on
the Fee Glacier remain open almost all year. As a result, Saas-Fee
is one of the most important summer training bases in the world for
winter sports professionals.
A victim of climate change
Our glacier tour takes us to the quieter parts of the glacier, away
from the pistes and the usual hustle and bustle of aprés ski which
is already well underway in the village below. The only sounds we
can hear are our footsteps and the rhythm of our own breathing. It’s
an oasis of calm at the foot of the Mischabel chain. But despite the
silence, the Längfluh mountain restaurant is in sight. There, we’ll
enjoy a generous Walliserteller (a selection of Valais specialities)
and a refreshing glass of white wine.
They’re a way of life, a vital resource, and so much more.
Beyond being the much-loved subject of many a tourist’s photo,
these ice giants are an indicator that our planet is warming, and fast.
In the 1860s the Fee Glacier reached down into the valley, where
the Felskinn cable car station sits today. Since then, the ice sheet
has been disappearing. The worldwide retreat of glaciers has been
accelerating in recent years. In fact, ETH Zurich‘s measurements
show that during just a few weeks of the hot summers of 2017 and
2018, Swiss glaciers lost as much as two to three percent of their
remaining mass.
For a tour please contact one
of the local mountain guide offices.
saas-fee.ch/bergfuehrer
After a short rest, we resume our trek. A thunderous roar in the
distance pierces the silence. An avalanche has been triggered
by the fierce midday sun. The tumbling snow plunges down the
cliffs of the Täschhorn, coming to a halt on the upper slopes of the
glacier. That will nourish the glacier during the draining summer
months.
A formative experience
The ice on the Fee Glacier is still up to 80 metres thick. It’s one
of those places you can truly feel the power of nature. Mountain
guides offer guided tours over the ice year-round. The starting point
for these glacier explorations is at the Längfluh mountain station.
And thanks to the new gondola, it only takes about 20 minutes
to reach the 2,800-metre-high station from the village. Just a few
metres after setting off from that point, you leave the prepared
ski slopes behind. The tour leads between glistening columns of
ice and over crevasses which must be carefully navigated. Many
of these crevasses are more than 20 metres deep, and often, you
need a trained eye to even know they’re there. This route is far too
dangerous to attempt without a mountain guide.
The entire group is roped together via harnesses, with the
guide in the lead. Like a colourful pearl necklace, we navigate the
crevasses as one. Later, at home, we spot ourselves in the images
captured by Längfluh webcam. Thanks to the experience of today’s
mountain guides, this trip over the Fee Glacier is accessible even
for those without any prior experience. Nevertheless, the tour,
which lasts approximately two hours, does require a good level of
physical fitness.
The glacier is constantly moving. It flows slowly but steadily
downwards towards the valley. The friction that results from the
ice’s movement over the rocky mountainside distorts these powerful
rivers of ice, birthing deep crevasses and giant ice towers. Rarely
does one feel as small as when travelling through this bizarre ice
world. One thing is for sure, a journey over the Fee Glacier is an
experience you’ll never forget.
Glacier tours let you experience
the Fee Glacier first-hand. Photo: Adrian Myers
Local mountain guides lead you safely through the
maze of crevasses. Photo: Stefan Kürzi for Bergwelten
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