Eiger Glacier
| Eiger Glacier | |
|---|---|
| Eigergletscher | |
The Eiger Glacier, passing between the Little Eiger and the Mönch | |
Location in Switzerland Eiger Glacier (Alps) | |
Interactive map of Eiger Glacier | |
| Type | Alpine glacier, hanging glacier |
| Location | Lauterbrunnen, Bern, Switzerland |
| Coordinates | 46°34′02″N 7°59′20″E / 46.56722°N 7.98889°E |
| Area | 1.54 km2 (0.59 sq mi) |
| Length | 2.59 km (1.61 mi) |
| Highest elevation | 3,700 m (12,100 ft) above sea level |
| Lowest elevation | 3,200 m (10,500 ft) above sea level |
| Status | Retreating |
The Eiger Glacier (German: Eigergletscher) is a glacier situated on the northwest side of the Eiger in the Bernese Alps of Switzerland, within the municipality of Lauterbrunnen in the canton of Bern. It extends from a height of 3,700 m (12,100 ft) above sea level behind the Little Eiger, a secondary peak to the west of the Eiger, and runs toward the valley in the direction of the Eigergletscher railway station. Another tongue, at 3,200 to 3,500 m (10,500 to 11,500 ft) above sea level, is in the form of a hanging glacier between the Eiger and Little Eiger.
The glacier is 2.59 km (1.61 mi) long, with an area of 1.54 km2 (0.59 sq mi), reduced from an area of 2.13 km2 (0.82 sq mi) recorded in 1973. From 1993 to 2017, it retreated by around 500 m (1,600 ft) as the glacier melted.