Mont Blanc’s Snowy Crown Grows Nearly 2 Meters Higher in 3 Years
POLEYMIEUX-AU-MONT-D'OR, France (AP) — Mont Blanc 's snowy crown has been measured at nearly two meters higher than in 2023, French surveyors announced Wednesday after an expedition that involved hauling instruments up Western Europe's highest mountain for an appointment at dawn.
Mont Blanc's snowy summit has risen nearly two meters since 2023, French surveyors revealed on Wednesday following a high-altitude expedition. The new altitude stands at 4,807.47 meters (15,773 feet), just 1.9 meters (6 feet) higher than the 2023 reading. However, records from the previous year indicate the summit lost approximately 1.3 meters (4 feet) during that period. These fluctuations primarily result from changes in the snow and ice cap atop the mountain, influenced by factors like snowfall, wind, and temperature.
The measurements were conducted on September 17 at dawn, with surveyors, guides, and scientists spending over two hours on the summit. They carried nearly 30 kilograms (66 pounds) of measurement equipment, along with a drone that captured more than 1,300 images to create a three-dimensional model of the snow cap. Ground-penetrating radar was also used to investigate the ice and rock beneath.
The Haute-Savoie surveyors' association, responsible for these measurements, has been conducting them since 2001, creating a comprehensive record for scientists studying changes at the summit. The latest figure is comparable to the altitude calculated by Joseph and Henri Vallot in the 1890s, who used surveying and triangulation methods.
Research by glaciologists in Grenoble suggests that Mont Blanc's summit is so high and cold that its ice rarely melts, making climate change have a minimal impact on the ice thickness over the 20th century.
Written by urgent.news from The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
