Fiescher Glacier

Fiescher Glacier is a valley glacier in the Bernese Alps that flows downward through a wide corridor bounded by rocky peaks on both sides. The ice surface displays deep crevasses and jagged ridges that reveal the slow movement and deformation of the frozen mass as it descends.

This glacier formed during the ice age and shaped the alpine landscape through erosion over millennia. Its front has retreated noticeably in the past 150 years, a process that accelerated significantly after the mid-1900s.

The Finsteraarhornhütte, managed by the Swiss Alpine Club, stands 100 meters above the glacier and serves mountaineers crossing between Lötschental and Grimsel Pass.

Access is possible via mountain trails from the Grimsel area, though higher portions require mountaineering experience and proper equipment. Clear weather reveals the glacier features best, while changing conditions can create hazardous terrain.

The glacier surface turns grey during summer months because rock fragments from nearby mountain walls accumulate on top of the ice. This discoloration helps reveal the different flow zones and annual layers of frozen material.