The Morteratsch Glacier (romansh Vadret da Morteratsch) is the largest glacier by area in the Bernina Range of the Bündner Alps in Switzerland. The Bernina Range is a mountain range in the Alps of eastern Switzerland and northern Italy. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ... A glacier is a large, long-lasting river of ice that is formed on land and moves in response to gravity and undergoes internal deformation. ... The Bernina Range is a mountain range in the Alps of eastern Switzerland and northern Italy. ...

It is, just after Pasterze Glacier and Gepatschferner, the third largest and by volume (1,2 km³) the most massive glacier in the eastern alps. The Morteratsch Glacier is a typical valley glacier with a pronounced ice front. The accumulation zone lies between the peaks of Piz Morteratsch, Piz Bernina, Crast' Agüzza, Piz Argient, Piz Zupò and Bellavista. From Piz Argient to the ice front in the Val Morteratsch its horizontal extent is about ca. 7 km, with an altitude difference of up to 2.000 m. Together with the Pers Glacier, originating at Piz Palü, which joins the Morteratsch just below the rock formation Isla Persa (»Lost Isle«), it covers an area of about 16 km². The Morteratsch Glacier drains through Inn River and Danube into the Black Sea. Eastern Alps is the name given to the eastern half of the Alps, usually defined as the area east of the Splügen Pass in eastern Switzerland. ... An ice front is the place where the glacier thins and ends. ... On a glacier, the accumulation zone is the area above the firn line, where snowfall accumulates and exceeds the losses from ablation, (melting, evaporation, and sublimation). ... Piz Bernina is the highest mountain of the eastern Alps with an elevation of 4049 metres. ... Bellavista is Spanish for Beautiful view. It is the name of the following places: Barrio Bellavista, an area of Santiago de Chile. ... Piz Palü (3,905 m) is a mountain in the Bernina Range in Switzerland and Italy. ... The Inn is a river in Switzerland, Austria and Germany. ... The Danube (ancient Danuvius, ancient Greek Istros) is the longest river of the European Union and Europes second-longest[3] (after the Volga). ... NASA satellite image of the Black Sea Map of the Black Sea The Black Sea is an inland sea between southeastern Europe and Anatolia that is actually a distant arm of the Atlantic Ocean by way of the Mediterranean Sea. ...

View on the Morteratsch Glacier from the ski run

In spring, depending on the snow conditions, a 10 km long ski-run accessible to skilled skiers is marked on the glacier. It leads from the Diavolezza aerial tramway terminus to the Morteratsch inn and has an altitude difference of 1100 m. Along the run, which takes about 1-2 hours, spectacular panoramic views of the glacier and the valley arise. The RhB Station Morteratsch used to be situated directly at the ice front of the glacier. Since the beginning of the yearly length change measurements in 1878 till 1998 the overall retreat accounts for a total of over 1.8 km with a mean annual retreat rate of approximately 17.2 m/y. This long-term average was markedly surpassed in recent years receding 30 m/y from 1999-2005. Substantial retreat was ongoing through 2006 as well.^[1] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 218 pixel Image in higher resolution (7975 × 2178 pixel, file size: 4. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 218 pixel Image in higher resolution (7975 × 2178 pixel, file size: 4. ... A glacial terminus Satellite view of changing glacier termini in the Bhutan-Himalaya. ... The RhB (Rhaetian Railway / Rhätische Bahn (German) / Ferrovia Retica (Italian) / Viafier Retica (Rumantsch)) has the largest network of all the private railways in Switzerland. ...

Cited references

2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini (common) era. ... January 18 is the 18th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

• List of glaciers

This is a list of glaciers: Adams Glacier Vatnajokull Iceland Agassiz Icecap - Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada Aletsch Glacier - Swiss Alps, largest in Alps Angel Glacier - Cavell Meadows, Jasper National Park, Canada Antarctica -Continental glacier Athabasca Glacier - Canadian Rockies Aurora Glacier - Glacier Bay, Alaska Austfonna - Nordaustlandet, Svalbard Barnard Glacier - Alaska Beardmore...

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Morteratschgletscher