Brandner Glacier

Brandner Glacier sits on Schesaplana Mountain in the Rätikon range and covers slopes between rock formations at roughly 2600 meters elevation. The ice creates a white landscape broken by dark stone, spreading across several kilometers of steep terrain.

The glacier formed during ice ages and has continually changed shape over thousands of years. In recent decades it has noticeably shrunk due to warming temperatures.

Scientists conduct regular field observations at the glacier to study specialized insects, including the mountain ground beetle that inhabits the ice edges.

The main route climbs from Mannheimer Hütte along marked mountain trails toward the glacier. The terrain is steep and requires mountain experience, so checking conditions before setting out is wise.

Specialized insects live beneath and on the ice, including rare beetle species that survive in this extreme cold. These tiny organisms hide under rocks directly on the glacier itself, showing how adaptable life can be.