Third of Swiss Alpine Huts Threatened by Melting Permafrost

1st December 2024

Last modified on December 10th, 2024

Permafrost is the frozen rocks and water at altitude that many structures are built into and rely on for stability. As well high-altitude mountain huts some ski lifts may also…
Read more >

Permafrost is the frozen rocks and water at altitude that many structures are built into and rely on for stability.

As well high-altitude mountain huts some ski lifts may also be affected with pylons and lift stations built into the permafrost.

The Swiss Alpine Club, SAC, in a new study says the mountain huts could be unstable in the future due to thawing permafrost.

In addition, 42 huts are endangered by landslides from permafrost zones.

The supply of water to mountain huts is also set to reduce.

29 huts close to glaciers may lose the water supply from glaciers by 2030.

By 2050 a further 25 will lose access to water supplies.

See more on Swiss Info

A fund set up by SAC will not be sufficient to finance construction projects it says.

The Club is asking for partnerships and donations.

“While the retreat of glaciers in the 21st century has been widely recognised, permafrost changes in cold regions worldwide are far less visible despite being similarly important,” says a recent pan-European study published in Nature.com.

“This permafrost warming and degradation has implications for the stability of steep, perennially frozen mountain slopes with potentially far-reaching impacts and risks to both human safety and infrastructure, as well as effects on ecosystems and hydrological processes.”