I first visited the Gorner Glacier (German: Gornergletscher) in 2014. A year later I booked a guided tour to the Monte Rosa hut across the Gornergletscher, or rather, the Grenzgletscher, which is currently the main tributary of the Gornergletscher. In 2019 a new route to the Monte Rosa hut was opened, the Panorama Trail, which crosses the upper Gorner Glacier proper. If you start early it is possible to hike to the Monte Rosa hut and back in one day. As I was on my own and didn't want to risk being the last person to walk down, I decided to take my time and just have some fun taking photos on the glacier, which, of course, is one of my main reasons for doing the hike in the first place.

Gornergletscher
The Gornergletscher remains an amazing sight. Technically the upper part is the Grenzgletscher.

The former tributaries Schwärzegletscher (left) and Unterer Theodulgletscher (right) are now disconnected from the Gornergletscher

The upper Gorner glacier
The upper Gornergletscher
Upper Gornergletscher
The upper Gornergletscher. It gets bigger and bigger the closer you get
Panoramaweg Monte Rosa Hut
On the glacier! Just follow the signposts
Panoramaweg Monte Rosa Hut
Gornergletscher
Panoramaweg Monte Rosa Hut across the Gornergletscher
Just follow the poles...
The Monte Rosa as seen from the Gornergletscher
The Monte Rosa as seen from the Gornergletscher
The Monte Rosa as seen from the Gornergletscher
The Monte Rosa as seen from the Gornergletscher
Panoramaweg Monte Rosa Hut across the Gornergletscher

This is where I turned back because I was hiking solo. Safety first!

Panoramaweg Monte Rosa Hut across the Gornergletscher
The Panoramaweg Monte Rosa Hut across the Gornergletscher
Crevasse in the Gornergletscher
It's difficult to get a sense of scale. I guess this crevasse was about 10 meters deep.

Whenever I look at my glacier photos I want to go on another glacier hike

Gornergletscher
The Monte Rosa as seen from the Gornergletscher
The Monte Rosa as seen from the Gornergletscher
Panoramaweg Monte Rosa Hut
One of the advantages of being tall is that I can take a big step where other people have to jump.
The Monte Rosa as seen from the Gornergletscher
As the photos attest I had a great time on the Gornergletscher

It was fascinating to see clouds form and dissolve

One more parting shot

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More glaciers! Aletschgletscher in Switzerland, Glacier Trail Saas-Fee in Switzerland, Russell Glacier in Greenland, Eqi Glacier in Greenland, Svellnosbreen in Norway, Nigardsbreen in Norway, Falljökull in Iceland, Glacier du Tour in France and the Vallée Blanche in France.

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