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# Gornergletscher
- URL: https://www.ivarhagendoorn.com/photos/gornergletscher/
- Published: 2015-07-27T18:18:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-01-04T15:58:24.000Z
- Description: The Gorner Glacier or Gornergletscher in German is one of the largest glaciers in the Alps and a sight to behold.
- Author: Ivar Hagendoorn
- Tags: Photography

The Gorner Glacier (German: Gornergletscher) is one of the largest glaciers in the Alps. It is about 12 km long and 1 to 1.5 km wide (depending on when you read this, as it is rapidly retreating). The Gornergletscher is situated on the west side of the Monte Rosa massif close to Zermatt and is easily reached with the Gornergrat Bahn from Zermatt. The Gornergletscher is actually the name of a system of smaller glaciers. Its main tributary is now the Grenzgletscher. The upper part of the Gornergletscher is now disconnected from the lower part, as are the Breithorngletscher, Triftjigletscher, and the Unterer Theodulgletscher. I first visited Zermatt and the Gornergrat summer 2014\. The following year I took a guided tour across the Gornergletscher, or rather the Grenzgletscher to be precise, to the Monte Rosa hut.

![Gornergletscher](https://storage.ghost.io/c/f7/c4/f7c4338c-1a69-4369-8416-8d74c9880bb6/content/images/2019/09/gornergletscher-2.jpg)

The Gornergletscher on a glorious day

![Gornergletscher](https://storage.ghost.io/c/f7/c4/f7c4338c-1a69-4369-8416-8d74c9880bb6/content/images/2019/09/gornergletscher-3.jpg)

One of the tributaries of the Gorner glacier (in fact this one is called Gornergletscher)

![Gornergletscher](https://storage.ghost.io/c/f7/c4/f7c4338c-1a69-4369-8416-8d74c9880bb6/content/images/2019/09/gornergletscher-4.jpg)

On the left the Gornergletscher proper on the right the Grenzgletscher

![Gornergletscher](https://storage.ghost.io/c/f7/c4/f7c4338c-1a69-4369-8416-8d74c9880bb6/content/images/2019/09/gornergletscher-5.jpg)

A former tributary of the Gornergletscher, which has receded too far to contribute much or anything

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/f7/c4/f7c4338c-1a69-4369-8416-8d74c9880bb6/content/images/2019/09/gornergletscher-7.jpg)

The ladder down to the glacier

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/f7/c4/f7c4338c-1a69-4369-8416-8d74c9880bb6/content/images/2019/09/gornergletscher-8.jpg)

In the top right corner the destination: the Monte Rosa hut

![Deep crevasses in the Gornergletscher](https://storage.ghost.io/c/f7/c4/f7c4338c-1a69-4369-8416-8d74c9880bb6/content/images/2019/09/gornergletscher-10.jpg)

The Gorner glacier from up close

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/f7/c4/f7c4338c-1a69-4369-8416-8d74c9880bb6/content/images/2019/09/gornergletscher-11.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/f7/c4/f7c4338c-1a69-4369-8416-8d74c9880bb6/content/images/2019/09/gornergletscher-12.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/f7/c4/f7c4338c-1a69-4369-8416-8d74c9880bb6/content/images/2019/09/gornergletscher-14.jpg)

A world of ice

![Gornergletscher](https://storage.ghost.io/c/f7/c4/f7c4338c-1a69-4369-8416-8d74c9880bb6/content/images/2019/09/gornergletscher-13.jpg)

The Gornergletscher and the Matterhorn as seen from the Monte Rosa hut

![Gornergletscher](https://storage.ghost.io/c/f7/c4/f7c4338c-1a69-4369-8416-8d74c9880bb6/content/images/2019/09/gornergletscher-15.jpg)

The Gornergletscher as seen from the Gornergletscher

The Gornergletscher as seen from the Gornergletscher...

![Gornergletscher](https://storage.ghost.io/c/f7/c4/f7c4338c-1a69-4369-8416-8d74c9880bb6/content/images/2019/09/gornergletscher-16.jpg)

The Gornergletscher as seen from the Gornergletscher

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/f7/c4/f7c4338c-1a69-4369-8416-8d74c9880bb6/content/images/2019/09/gornergletscher-17.jpg)

Don't be mistaken: there's ice underneath the rocks

![Deep crevasses in the Gornergletscher](https://storage.ghost.io/c/f7/c4/f7c4338c-1a69-4369-8416-8d74c9880bb6/content/images/2019/09/gornergletscher-19.jpg)

![Deep crevasses in the Gornergletscher](https://storage.ghost.io/c/f7/c4/f7c4338c-1a69-4369-8416-8d74c9880bb6/content/images/2019/09/gornergletscher-20.jpg)

To cross the glacier you have to step over the crevasses and follow the ridges

### Related Posts

In 2022 I [revisited the Gornergletscher](https://www.ivarhagendoorn.com/photos/gornergletscher-revisited/) and took some more amazing photos.

**More glaciers!** The Glacier Trail Felskinn Mattmark and the [Aletschgletscher](https://www.ivarhagendoorn.com/photos/aletschgletscher-tour/) in Switzerland, [Svellnossbreen](https://www.ivarhagendoorn.com/photos/svellnosbreen-glacier/) and [Nigardsbreen](https://www.ivarhagendoorn.com/photos/nigardsbreen-glacier/) in Norway, [Falljökull](https://www.ivarhagendoorn.com/photos/falljokull/) in Iceland and the [Russell Glacier](https://www.ivarhagendoorn.com/photos/russell-glacier/) and [Eqi Glacier](https://www.ivarhagendoorn.com/photos/eqi-glacier/) in Greenland.