Matterhorn Glacier Melt Accelerates Amid Climate Change

In 1865–66 three Alpine pioneers—guides Melchior and Jacob Blatter of Meiringen (Switzerland) and Joseph Gorret of Valtournenche (Italy)—spent a year in a modest stone‑wood shelter at 3,350 m on the Colle del Teodulo, the foot of the Matterhorn. Under the direction of Swiss chemist and glaciologist Daniel Dollfus‑Ausset, they recorded hourly temperature, pressure, humidity, wind, cloud cover and precipitation, as well as daily glacier melt rates. Their meticulous logs documented extreme conditions, including temperatures down to –21.4 °C and violent snowstorms.

A century later, the same shelter evolved into the modern Rifugio Principe di Piemonte, and the surrounding area became a major ski resort. Contemporary observations now show the Matterhorn’s glacier retreat accelerating, a clear sign of global warming’s impact on high‑altitude ice. The historic data provide a baseline for scientists assessing the rapid deglaciation affecting this iconic Alpine peak.