Trift Glacier, Alpine glacier in Valais, Switzerland

Trift Glacier is a glacier on the right bank of the Saas Valley in the Weissmies group of the eastern Valais Alps. It begins just above 4000 m at the Weissmies summit, drops in an icefall of up to 60% into a cirque basin, then flows west and ends at 2750 m. It is about 2.5 km long and covers roughly 2 km²; its meltwater is carried off by the Triftbach.

The Trift Glacier hangs on the orographic right side of the Saas Valley in the Weissmies group, descending from just above 4000 m at the Weissmies summit to a terminus at 2750 m. In September 2017, 220 residents of Saas-Grund were evacuated because of a feared glacier break-off; the ice did not reach the village. The Hohsaas mountain station north of the glacier was newly built in 2005.

The glacier's meltwater feeds the Triftbach, which joins the Saaser Vispa at Saas-Grund, one of the two arms of the Vispa that reaches the Rhone at Visp. The name Trift is shared with other glaciers, so sources warn against confusing this one with the Trift glaciers near Zermatt and Gadmen or with the Triftji Glacier.

The glacier area is reached from Saas-Grund by a two-section gondola lift; the Hohsaas mountain station, rebuilt in 2005, stands north of the glacier at 3142 m. The lift mainly serves winter ski touring. The Triftbach carries the meltwater down to Saas-Grund, where it joins the Saaser Vispa.

In September 2017, 220 residents of Saas-Grund were evacuated because a section of the glacier threatened to break off. The collapse never reached the village. The glacier's meltwater is carried by the Triftbach stream, which joins the Saaser Vispa at Saas-Grund.