View Point: Ritzlihorn

The highest point of the mountain range between the Aare and the Urbach valleys is the Ritzlihorn, 3.282 m high. The village of Guttannen is situated at its north eastern slope. Since 2009, several large rock falls occurred in the summit area. The rock masses reached partly the valley floor. The village was not directly jeopardized; however, the access to and from Innertkirchen was occasionally interrupted during a short time. The rock crashes were due to the decrease of the permafrost zone on the Ritzlihorn. In this zone the soil temperature is throughout the year below the freezing point, therefore loose rock is held together by ice. Due to the climate change, the once frozen soil layer is thawed in the range of the Ritzlihorn summit. In this way rubble come loose, plunge into the deep, tearing other rock material with it.