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You are browsing the archive for France glacier retreat Archives - From a Glacier's Perspective.

August 25, 2017

Record High Mont Blanc, France Glacier August Snow Lines 2017

Landsat image of the transient snow line on Mont Blanc Glaciers, France on 8/19/2017.  The average snow line (Purple dots) is at 3100 m.  Glaciers on Mer de Glace (M), Argentiere (A), Tour Glacier (L), Trient Glacier (T) and Saleina Glacier (S).  This has been a warmer summer in the Alps with reports emerging of various summer ski areas that take advantage of glaciers closing early or adding snow guns …

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September 24, 2015

Bionnassay Glacier Terminus Tongue Detaches, Mont Blanc, France

Bionnassay Glacier drains west from Dôme du Goûter and Aiguille de Bionnassay of the Mont Blanc Massif in France. The glacier has a heavily debris covered terminus and has experienced less retreat from 1980-2010 then other Mont Blance glaciers. Bionnassay retreated 200 m (Moreau et al , 2012), while Mer de Glace retreated 500 m in the interval 1998 to 2008. Gardent et al (2014) observed a 25% decline in …

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June 30, 2015

Disintegration of Pramecou Glacier, France

Pramecou Glacier is on the Dome de Pramecou above the Grande Motte Glacier, which is a key portion of the Tignes Ski area in France. The Grande Motte area is open for summer skiing this year from June 27th to Aug. 9th. The glaciated landscape in this area is changing dramatically, Gardent and Deline, (2011) noted a 33% loss in glacier area since the 1960’s. The Tignes Ski area has responded by …

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January 3, 2013

Glacier de la Girose Retreat, France

Glacier de la Grirose (Girose) is one of the most traveled glaciers in the Alps. It is part of the Les 2 Alpes ski resort, used primarily for summer skiing. The warm summer of 2015 has led to skiing issues at Les2Alpes. The main glacier serviced by a lift is Glacier Mantel just to the west of Girose. In 2017 Les2Alpes they are upgrading snowmaking on the glacier,  utilizing six snow cannons …

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