Description of the attraction
The Gurshen Glacier (Gurshenfirn) is located in the Swiss canton of Uri and belongs to the Gotthard mountain range. Its northern part slides down the slope of Mount Gemsstock (height 2961 meters above sea level), and in the west it descends from Mount Gurshenstock (2866 meters). From the point of view of mountaineering, the glacier does not represent any high value and is more popular among winter sports enthusiasts. It is here that the Andermatt-Gemsstock ski resort is located.
The Gurshen Glacier is famous for the fact that in 2005 an attempt was made to keep it from melting in the summer by sheltering it from the sun's rays. This step was caused not by the whim of those wishing to go skiing in the summer months, but by the fact that over the previous 15 years the glacier has decreased by 20 meters relative to the nearby mountain peaks. For this purpose, a huge (about 2500 square meters) film, insulated with a fleece backing, was rolled over the ice.
The event was a success, the melting of the glacier slowed down significantly. A similar operation was repeated a year later, since then the glacier continues to remain within its former boundaries. The media constantly covered this event, but some of them were rather skeptical about the situation, writing that environmental thoughts were only a cover, in reality, the municipal authorities did not want to lose the ski slopes that were profitable.
Moreover, in the 19th century, one melting of the Gurshensky glacier was already recorded, then in the period from 1861 to 1875 the glacier sank by as much as 300 meters. The melt waters of the Gurschen are collected in the Gurschenbach brook, which carries them into the Reuss River.
Among alpine skiing enthusiasts, Gurshen is known for its rather steep slope, named after the 1972 Olympic champion Bernard Russi.
