Switzerland: Ice grotto near Gstaad fascinates visitors (video)

The Glacier 3000 is a popular ski area in Switzerland, between the towns of Gstaad and Les Diablerets. A natural ice grotto has also formed there this year. At around twenty meters long and five meters high, however, it is larger than in previous years. And accessible to visitors for the first time. According to the ski resort operators, the grotto is created as follows: A cavity in the glacier fills with glacier water in the spring and summer months. Debris and melting ice clog the drain, creating a lake. In autumn the plug gives way, the water swirls out and reveals a grotto. A different grotto is created every year, depending on the summer conditions. This grotto visitor is enthusiastic: “It’s amazing to feel the cold air, the fresh air, and to see what nature makes possible, what nature does with the glaciers, what climate change does, and that’s why the cave is there open. It’s amazing to feel how small you are in this cave, in this environment, that’s remarkable. ” This year you can visit the fascinating ice landscape at your own risk. According to the directions, the cave is only a 15-minute walk from the valley station of the “Ice Express” chairlift and is not difficult to find. The path is marked and, according to the ski area operators, safe. Access to the cave is, however, dependent on weather conditions.