These Photos Show How Much Chamonix’s Glaciers Have Melted

If there’s one place on the planet where you can literally watch climate change happen live before your eyes, it’s Chamonix. The French Alps, particularly the zone around Mont Blanc, are home to some of Europe’s biggest glaciers, and in the last few decades those glaciers have receded at a truly alarming rate. The starkest visualization are the stairs one needs to escape from the bottom of the Vallee Blanche, which are extended by a few hundred feet every single season. Along the way, signs mark the height of the glacier at certain years dating back nearly a century. These days, however, it’s no longer just an inconvenience for skiers and climbers – it has become a serious safety hazard as the glacial “glue” that holds the mountains together is melting, causing them to literally fall apart. Entire climbing and ski routes are no longer passable due to high rockfall danger, and local guides are simply avoiding certain mountains altogether. To further illustrate the immense melting going on, check out this comparison of photos on La Chamoniarde’s page taken from similar spots in 1985 and last week.