Gurschenfirn

Gurschenfirn
	Gurschenfirn at the top left in front of the Gemsstock, seen ; from Gurschenalp.
location	Canton of Uri Switzerland
Mountains	Gotthard Group
Type	Mountain glacier
Exposure	North
Coordinates	689 696 / 162473 coordinates: 46 ° 36 ' N , 8 ° 37' O ; CH1903: six hundred eighty-nine thousand six hundred ninety-six / 162473
drainage	Gurschenbach → Unteralpreuss → Reuss

The Gurschenfirn (sometimes called Gurschengletscher ) is a small glacier in the Gotthard Group in the Swiss canton of Uri . It is located on the northern slope of the Gemsstock ( 2961 m above sea level ) and west of the Gurschenstock ( 2865 m above sea level ). The glacier, which is of little alpine importance, is located in the Andermatt -Gemsstock ski area . It became known because in 2005 it was one of the first Swiss glaciers to be covered in summer to try to reduce melting . The glacier had previously lost 20 meters of thickness in the upper area below the Gemsstock over 15 years. A phase of retreat of the glacier is also documented in the 19th century: at that time the glacier retreated by 300 meters between the years 1861 and 1875 and the end of the glacier was then at an altitude of 2535 meters, almost 200 meters higher.

The meltwater from the Gurschen Glacier flows over the Gurschenbach into the Unteralpreuss and in Andermatt into the Reuss .

Ski Area

The glacier is located in the Skiarena Andermatt-Sedrun ski area. The so-called “Bernhard Russi Run”, a steep ski run that is named in honor of the Swiss skier Bernhard Russi , the 1972 Olympic champion , leads over the glacier .

The glacier became famous through an action in May 2005. An attempt was made to reduce the melting of the snow ramp leading from the Gemsstock cable car mountain station to the glacier. For this purpose, 2,500 square meters of special nonwoven film was used. The measure was successful and was repeated in the following years and, according to the Swiss Alpine Club (SAC), makes ecological sense. However, this measure does not serve to protect the actual glacier - as has often been shown in the media - but rather reduces the effort required to restore this ramp in early winter when the ski area reopens.