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Science Friday, July 26, 2019 Shrinking glaciers and rockfalls point to climate change in

CHAMONIX, France: High in the French summit. On the glacier itself, the once the mountainside and damage routes routes. Half a century later, a team of Alps on the famed mountain immaculate pristine surface is now used by climbers visiting Mont Blanc. researchers analysed snow conditions, ice range, it is not hard to find evidence of depressed and grayish. A grotto visible Most spectacular of these rockfalls and rock state, accessibility and risks on the toll of global warming. Visitors arriv- through the glacier’s blue frozen mass lit affected the Bonatti pillar, a massive rock 95 of Rebuffat’s routes. ing from the last tramstop before the up with festive lights like a nightclub has column named after Italian climber The study published in June by Jacques 4,809-metre summit are forced to take 20 become a popular stop for tourists. Now Walter Bonatti that collapsed into a Mourey, a doctoral student at the steps more each year to reach the workers have drapped white tarpaulins cloud of dust in June 2005. EDYTEM laboratory at the University of retreating “”, or Sea of Ice held in place with large stones over the ice In 2011, smaller collapses also hit the Savoie Mont Blanc, found 93 affected by glacier, France’s largest. At one point, a tunnel in a bid to protect it from the sun. same area and four years later landslides in climate change, 26 of which were severely sign on the edge of the valley says: “Level And mountaineers on the surrounding the Couloir du Gouter prevented hundreds impacted and three no longer existed. of the Glacier: 1990.” Now the ice has peaks follow a new ritual. Over the sound of mountaineers Mont Blanc by Among the changes that made these shrunk far below. of mountain water, they stop more often the usual busiest routes. More falls have routes more complex and technically chal- Older visitors who return can recall a to listen for the clatter of falling rocks on followed. During the 1970s, the famed lenging are the appearance of bedrock, time when they could touch the ice just Europe’s tallest peak. The damage is French alpinist and mountain guide Gaston more fragile snow and ice and widening of outside Montenvers tramstop near the increasingly clear from rockfalls that scar Rebuffat noted Mont Blanc’s hundred finest .—AFP

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