Summer in the Mountains

Climate change is making adventure tourism more challenging and sometimes riskier. That’s the claim from travel industry bodies, tour operators and mountain experts.

Switzerland has nearly half the total number of glaciers in the Alps. The melt rate is accelerating and they may all have disappeared by the end of the 21st century according to a new report. The latest concerns centre on the impact on the water reserves of Europe with glaciers referred to as the ‘water towers of Europe’.

Two bodies have been found in separate sites in Switzerland as the glaciers recede under high summer temperatures.  It follows the discovery of wreckage from a plane crash in 1968.

The Major of Saint-Gervais, Jean-Marc Peillex, says it is needed to cover possible rescue and funeral expenses. Saint-Gervais sits at the base Western Europe’s highest mountain. UPDATED

It is the worst drought in 70 years and follows poor levels of winter snow and precious little rain since. The alpine areas are badly affected and it will impact on summer glacier skiing. UPDATED

There has been no rain for almost 4-months in places. It follows a winter that saw snowfall levels down 70%, so there has also been precious little meltwater filling the rivers and reservoirs.

Scientists say the glaciers are melting at ‘worrying rates’. The temperature at 3,000m is 6 degrees above average with large amounts of ice melting. Glaciers are melting at alarming rates across the world. UPDATED