Fradusta glacier, Mountain glacier in Pale di San Martino, Italy
Fradusta Glacier is an ice mass sitting on a plateau high in the Pale di San Martino mountains at around 2,650 meters elevation. The glacier displays a clear front edge with moraines and a lake of meltwater that forms where the ice meets the ground.
This glacier was once the second largest in the Dolomites during the 20th century, but has shrunk dramatically since then. The ice has lost roughly 90 percent of its mass, marking one of the most visible impacts of warming temperatures in the region.
Today this glacier serves as a study site for researchers tracking climate changes in the mountain environment. Local institutions conduct regular measurements to document how the ice responds to seasonal shifts and warming trends.
You can reach this glacier by taking a cable car from San Martino di Castrozza to Rosetta station, then following a marked trail through the high mountains. The paths are well marked, but be ready for changing weather and steep terrain on the approach.
At the glacier's edge, the ice forms a wall rising about 10 meters above the meltwater lake. The blocks crack and calve due to the karst limestone underneath, which creates an uneven, broken surface.
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