Fee Glacier, Alpine glacier in Valais, Switzerland
Fee Glacier is a glacier in Valais, Switzerland, sitting above the village of Saas-Fee and covering a wide portion of the surrounding high-altitude terrain. Its surface is marked by deep crevasses, ice walls, and a rough, uneven texture that changes throughout the year.
In the 19th century, the Fee Glacier reached much further down into the valley and directly shaped where the settlement of Saas-Fee could grow. Since then, the ice has pulled back considerably, a change that is easy to trace in old photographs and maps of the area.
The Fee Glacier is visible from the streets and terraces of Saas-Fee village, making it a constant presence in daily life there. The name "Fee" comes from an old word meaning fairy or spirit, reflecting how people in the valley once described the pale, glowing ice above them.
The glacier is reached by cable cars from the car-free village of Saas-Fee, with upper stations giving direct access to the glacial area throughout the year. Warm, wind- and waterproof clothing and sturdy shoes are important, as temperatures on the glacier can be much lower than in the valley below, even on a clear day.
Deep inside the Fee Glacier there is an ice grotto that visitors can enter to see the blue, translucent ice from within. This cave is carved by hand each year, because the glacier moves constantly and the previous year's tunnel shifts and closes over time.
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