28 May 2021, Aletschgletscher (VS)
Our journey started at 03:30, as we woke up. Then we prepared us for our trip to the "Aletschgletscher". Firstly took the train from Winterthur at 04:30 to arrive to Zurich. There we took the train to arrive to Bern. After that, we took another train to arrive to Interlaken Ost. Lastly, we took an interregional train from Interlaken Ost to arrive to Grindelwald "Terminal".
When we arrived at the «Terminal» of the Jungfraujoch, we saluted our team. There was Prof. Dr. Daniel Farinotti, his student Jane, Mrs. Suter, two camerca guys and a women as well as a guy that where there as investors from the market agency "La Prairie". Then we organized the material. We received a harness, some snow shoes and our ticket as "researchers".
Diverse Material
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At 08:45 we took the gondola from "Jungfraujoch". On the gondola, we smalltalked with each other. Jane, that was from Washington, told us that she loved her study of glaciology at the ETH Zurich.
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Jane, Daniel, Tiziano and Frau Suter from left to right
After having taken the gondola, we had to wait 30 minutes. We used this time to organize us.
Two cameras from the camera team
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Then we took the "Jungfraujoch-Bahn" and made a stopeover. Then the "Jungfraujoch-Bahn" brought us to the «Aletschgletscher».
Stopover in Eismeer
Cave in the glacier
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After a short walk we entered a special door that is only for the personal. There we had the possibility to organize the material. That means that we were given from Daniel Farinotti a harness, snow shoes and something for the researchers to put in the backpack.
Finally we arrived on the «Aletschgletscher». The first impression was quite positive. The glacier was immense, the weather was hot and also the tourists were impressed. The weather was quite fantastic, the temperature was 20 grades. The light shone very strongly. UV-Index was 11 (extreme). We had to put sunglasses on and use our cap. We also used a lot of sun creme. Then we started to walk.
The glacier was on 3'600 meters. For the team, it was not so easy no breathe. Sometimes we needed a short pause to calm you down.
On the first stop the Daniel Farinotti and her student made themselves ready to go on the not passable side of the glacier. They used the harness, the snowshoes and connected each other with a rope. Then the camerateam got ready to take pictures and do a video by a drone. We also took pictures and videos of the research team. The researchers used a pole for controlling the heigh of the snow and valuated the status of the glacier.
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We had also a brief opportunity to eat and drink something. By the way, we found a research base on a mountain.
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Research base
After that we went up to the last passable point of the glacier. There Daniel Farinotti took the rope to connect himself with the camera team and the guy of "La Priarie". Everybody used their harness and the snow shoes.
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Snow is melting
At 15:45 Genti and Tiziano went back to the "Terminal" in Grindelwald. But the team continued to work on the glacier, as they could reach a deep point on the glacier.
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At 17:30 the team reached us at the "Terminal" in Grindelwald. There we gave back our material. Then we saluted each other only sporadicly, because the train from Grindelwald came already at 17:52. We arrived home at 21:00 with a tanned face.
Our impression of the day was generally positive. But I wished to having seen and understand a little bit more how the health status of the glacier is, understand how you have to treat a glacier and some other particularities. Maybe we needed more time and a fitter preparation.
Genti and Tiziano