Record Turnout for 3rd Glacier Clean-Up Day at Diavolezza near St. Moritz, Switzerland

On Wednesday, July 24, the third Bernina Glacier Clean-Up Day took place at Diavolezza near St. Moritz, Switzerland. A group of 90 volunteers collected around 552 pounds or 250 kilograms of garbage on the Pers Glacier and Morteratsch Glacier under the guidance of experienced mountain guides from the Mountaineering School Pontresina (‘Bergsteigerschule Pontresina’) and the Go Vertical Mountaineering School. The Bernina Glacier Clean-Up Day 2024 was organized and carried out by the Mountaineering School Pontresina and Go Vertical in cooperation with MortAlive, Heli Bernina, and Diavolezza Lagalb AG.

• Related: Second Glacier Clean-Up Day at Pers Glacier Near Diavolezza, Switzerland

This was the third Glacier Clean-Up Day and has seen the largest turnout since the first initiative in 2022, when 60 volunteers turned up. In 2022, 1,631 pounds or 740 kilograms of garbage was collected, and in 2023, 552 pounds or 250 kilograms were collected, showing just how much these initiatives are needed. Switzerland has a staggering 1,400 glaciers, but they have been shrinking at an increasing rate, worrying scientists and the general population alike. The Pers Glacier is located about 10 miles southeast of St. Moritz and used to flow into the Morteratsch Glacier. Due to glacial melt, it is now separated by rocks and debris. The Morteratsch Glacier is the most voluminous glacier in the eastern Alps, but is melting at an enormous speed. In the last 150 years, the glacier has lost two-thirds of its volume.

• Related: ‘Glacier Clean-Up’ and State-of-the-Art Snowmelt Recycling Technology: Efforts are Underway in Switzerland to Preserver Melting Glaciers

Compared to last year, the glacier clean-up at the foot of the Piz Palü took place almost a whole month earlier. The hot summer and many thunderstorms had caused the snow layer on the glacier to melt, making it the “perfect time to go in search of plastic and other traces,” according to Caroline Dwenger from the Mountaineering School Pontresina.

Equipped with gloves and garbage bags, the volunteers started at the Diavolezza mountain station and made their way towards Morteratsch. In groups of roughly 20 people, volunteers were guided by an experienced mountain guide over the Pers Glacier and Morteratsch Glacier to the Morteratsch Valley. Most items found were objects that athletes appear to have lost, such as old crampons or skis. Unfortunately, some carelessly discarded cigarettes and candy wrappers were also found on the ice. “This garbage doesn’t just disappear like that,” Dwenger said. “If the waste is not disposed of, it ends up in nature and becomes a problem for animals and humans.”

Following the Bernina Glacier Clean-Up Day, the garbage collected serves a new purpose: it is transformed into works of art, which are auctioned off to raise funds for glacier maintenance projects. Local wood sculptor Nora Engels creates these sculptures which will be put up for auction at the Diavolezza Glacier Race on March 15, 2025. Last year, around CHF 9,000 ($10,400) were raised this way.

“The cleaning operation does not only serve to rid the glacier of garbage. We would also like to point out the effects of climate change on the glaciers and the water balance. In the past two years, we have been able to reduce the amount of garbage at the top of the glacier and, at the same time, increase the number of volunteers. We are extremely pleased about this, and we would like to thank everyone who was involved in this important action.”
— Nicolà Michael, Head of Marketing & Sales, Diavolezza Lagalb AG

The date of the next Clean-Up Day 2025 will be announced on the Go Vertical website about a month before the promotion. If you want to do your share for Switzerland’s glaciers sooner, you can participate in the re-introduced Diavolezza Glacier Race. 25% of the participation fees are donated in favor of glacier protection.

Diavolezza is part of the Engadin St. Moritz ski area which joined the IKON pass, giving Ikon Pass holders between five and seven days of access to the resorts in this mountain cooperative from the 2024/2025 season.

• Related: Introducing the Resorts Added to IKON with Addition of St. Moritz Switzerland