Magic crystals

We collaborate with the EDYTEM on a study on snow bridges. Every glacier is notched by crevasses. Those crevasses are covered by snow bridges and those bridges often broke when skiers or climbers walk on.

In the Mont Blanc 2 alpinists died each year because of the break of a snow bridge. Edytem decided to study these structures. Nobody knows the mechanic of the snow bridges.

Thanks to the project Interreg Alcotra PrevMountainRisk, Ludovic Ravanel from Edytem, organizes the study. Many sensors where placed in a crevasse at the entrance of Vallée Blanche.

Each month we are going to the crevasse to get the data. The crevasse initially 25 meters depth was filled with snow rapidly, initially 10 meters wide it's now less than 2 meters. Glacier is moving. Inside the roof was decorated by huge crystals. The crystals grow because there is absolutly no wind inside the crevasse and a good rate of humidity.