This is a non-exhaustive list of the major glaciers in Switzerland. It contains their surface area, their lengths since the start of measurement and the most current year, their height and their outflow. Most of them are retreating and many will vanish.[1]
All of these glaciers are located within the Swiss Alps. Most of them are situated in the Pennine and Bernese Alps. The Jungfrau-Aletsch protected area includes the largest glaciers of the Alps.
There are glaciers in the four major drainage basins of Switzerland. The Rhine and Rhône basins are located on the northern side of the Alps while the Po basin is located on the south side of the Alps. The Danube basin is located on the east side of the Alps. There are no glaciers in the Swiss portion of the Adige basin.
There are approximately 1,800 glaciers in the Swiss Alps.[2]
| Name | Range | Area 1973 (km²)[3] | Start of measurement (year) | Max length (km) | 1973 length (km) | 2016 length (km) | length change (m) | Highest point in drainage basin[4] | Altitude (m) | Front alt. (m) | Outflow | Basin | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bernese Alps | 86.63 | 1870 | 23.95 | -3132 | Aletschhorn | 4,193 | 1,600 | Massa | Rhône | |||||
| Pennine Alps | 59.37 | 1882 | 13.50 | -2672 | Dufourspitze (Monte Rosa) | 4,634 | 2,140 | Gornera | Rhône | |||||
| Bernese Alps | 34.21 | 1891 | 15.35 | -1405 | Finsteraarhorn | 4,273 | 1,700 | Wysswasser | Rhône | |||||
| 29.48 | 1876 | 12.95 | -2561 | Finsteraarhorn | 4,274 | 1,960 | Aare | Rhine | ||||||
| Bernese Alps | 20.84 | 1879 | 8.30 | -3504 | Mönch | 4,107 | 1,300 | Weisse Lütschine | Rhine | |||||
| Bernese Alps | 22.81 | 1870 | 9.05 | -1461 | Aletschhorn | 4193 | 2,140 | Massa | Rhône | |||||
| Corbassière | VS | 18.31 | 1889 | 10.15 | -1168 | Grand Combin | 4,314 | 2,200 | Dyure de Corbassière | Rhône | ||||
| 17.60 | 1879 | 8.00 | -1439 | Dammastock | 3,630 | 2,200 | Rhône | Rhône | ||||||
| Otemma | VS | 17.51 | 1881 | 8.70 | -2291 | Pigne d'Arolla | 3,790 | 2,450 | Dranse de Bagnes | Rhône | ||||
| 17.36 | 1885 | 7.80 | Rimpfischhorn | 4,199 | 2,500 | Findelbach | Rhône | |||||||
| 17.70 | 1958 | 6.55 | -1306 | Bärglistock | 3,656 | 2,150 | Gaulisee/Ürbachwasser | Rhine | ||||||
| GR | Bernina Range | 16.40 | 1878 | 7.00 | -2784 | Piz Bernina | 4049 | 2,040 | Ova da Morteratsch | Danube | ||||
| Urner Alps | 16.55 | 1861 | 5.75 | -3938 | West of Eggstock | 3,485 | 1,660 | Triftwasser | Rhine | |||||
| VS | 16.89 | 1892 | 6.70 | -1182 | Matterhorn | 4,478 | 2,240 | Zmuttbach | Rhône | |||||
| Pennine Alps | 15.42 | 1891 | 7.50 | -1700 | Dent Blanche | 4,357 | 2,060 | Navisence | Rhône | |||||
| Glarus Alps | 13.64 | 1882 | 7.10 | -1300 | Schärhorn | 3,295 | 1,800 | Chärstelenbach | Rhine | |||||
| 13.17 | 1856 | 4.80 | -1893 | Pigne d'Arolla | 3,790 | 2,160 | Borgne d'Arolla | Rhône | ||||||
| 10.97 | 1956 | 8.35 | -769 | 3,838 | 1,980 | Borgne de Ferpècle | Rhône | |||||||
| Bernese Alps | 10.09 | 1888 | 6.90 | -780 | Mittaghorn | 3,892 | 2,080 | Lonza | Rhône | |||||
| 9.96 | 1881 | 5.95 | -1399 | La Ruinette | 3,875 | 2,580 | Dyure du Brenay | Rhône | ||||||
| Pennine Alps | 9.87 | 1881 | 6.50 | -1159 | Rimpfischhorn | 4,199 | 2,600 | Saaser Vispa | Rhône | |||||
| Ferpècle | Pennine Alps | 9.77 | 1891 | 6.60 | -1463 | Dent Blanche | 4,357 | 2,160 | Borgne de Ferpècle | Rhône | ||||
| 9.52 | 1879 | 6.65 | 3,750 | 1,380 | Schwarze Lütschine | Rhine | ||||||||
| BE(/VS) | 9.09 | 1925 | 5.20 | -1048 | 3,244 | 2,470 | Trüebbach, La Tièche | Rhine, Rhône | ||||||
| Bregaglia Alps | 8.72 | 1857 | 6.15 | -2324 | Cima di Castello | 3,379 | 2,220 | Orlegna | Po | |||||
| Saleina | VS | 8.57 | 1878 | 6.45 | -1087 | 3,901 | 1,760 | Reuse de Saleina | Rhône | |||||
| Bernina Range | 8.52 | 1855 | 4.90 | -4288 | Piz Roseg | 3,937 | 2,160 | Ova da Roseg | Danube | |||||
| 7.46 | 1883 | 5.00 | Dom | 4,545 | 2,100 | Feevispa | Rhône | |||||||
| Bernina Range | 6.47 | 1894 | 3.80 | Piz Palü | 3,901 | 2,580 | Acqua da Palü | Po | ||||||
| Mont Blanc massif | 6.40 | 1879 | 4.90 | Aiguille du Tour | 3,540 | 1,880 | Trient | Rhône | ||||||
| Pennine Alps | 6.39 | 1879 | 3.60 | Weisshorn | 4,506 | 2,500 | Navisence | Rhône | ||||||
| Lepontine Alps | 6.23 | 1847 | 5.70 | -2959 | Blinnenhorn | 3,374 | 2,420 | Ägene | Rhône | |||||
| Bernina Range | 6.20 | 1934 | 4.75 | -1665 | Piz Bernina | 4,049 | 2,260 | Ova da Roseg | Danube | |||||
| Bernese Alps | 6.19 | 1893 | 3.65 | -343 | Tschingelhorn | 3,562 | 2,160 | Tschingel-Litschina | Rhine | |||||
| Bernese Alps | 6.14 | 1880 | 5.15 | Mittelhorn | 3,704 | 2,000 | Rosenlauibach | Rhine | ||||||
| Urner Alps | 5.09 | 1921 | 2.35 | Dammastock | 3,630 | 2,060 | Dammareuss | Rhine | ||||||
| Bernese Alps | 4.81 | 1917 | 2.65 | -535 | Wildstrubel | 3,244 | 2,560 | Lämmerendalu | Rhine | |||||
| Bernese Alps | 3.81 | 1884 | 3.70 | -1907 | Oldenhorn | 3,123 | 2,460 | Le Lachon | Rhône | |||||
| Bregaglia Alps | 3.53 | 1906 | 3.70 | -1386 | Cima di Castello | 3,379 | 2,200 | Albigna | Po | |||||
| Silvretta Alps | 3.35 | 1956 | 3.30 | -390 | Silvrettahorn | 3,244 | 2,480 | Verstanclabach | Rhine | |||||
| Glarus Alps | 2.81 | 1883 | 4.40 | Tödi | 3,614 | 1,960 | Bifertenbach | Rhine | ||||||
| Lepontine Alps | 2.31 | 1899 | 1.50 | -733 | Basòdino | 3,272 | 2,500 | Bavona | Po | |||||
| Vadret Tiatscha (La Cudera) | Silvretta Alps | 2.07 | 1850 | 2.05 | -1792 | East of Verstanclahorn | 3,220 | 2,680 | Lavinuoz | Danube |