Vedretta di Scais, Alpine glacier in Orobie Alps, Lombardy, Italy
Vedretta di Scais is an Alpine glacier situated between 2450 and 2900 meters in altitude, lying between the peaks of Pizzo Redorta and Punta Scais in the eastern Italian Alps. The glacier flows across steep mountain terrain and maintains its position through narrow valleys and exposed rock faces that characterize this part of the Orobie range.
During the early 1800s, this glacier covered the full Scais valley and was connected to the Vedretta di Porola in a continuous ice mass during the Little Ice Age. The subsequent retreat of the ice left the valley transformed, with the two glaciers becoming separated as conditions changed.
The name vedretta comes from Lombard and Romansh language roots and shows how Alpine communities in this region have always named their glaciers. These words reflect the deep connection between local people and the ice formations that shape their landscape.
Reaching this glacier requires specialized mountaineering gear and experience with ice travel, as the terrain is steep and exposed. The warmest months provide the most stable and safest conditions for anyone planning to visit the glacier.
This glacier preserves its ice despite receiving relatively little snowfall throughout the year, staying protected by its northern exposure and local weather patterns. This survival under dry conditions makes it an unusual example of persistence in a precipitation-poor mountain zone.
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