From Snowferner to no ferner: The deglaciation of Zugspitzplatt

The Zugspitzplatt represents a key high-alpine reference landscape in German geography. Located below the Zugspitze, Germany’s highest peak, it still hosts some of the country’s small remaining glacier ice reserves. Owing to its long history of scientific observation, high accessibility, and pronounced sensitivity to climatic change, the Zugspitzplatt has acquired emblematic significance as a national reference site for alpine geomorphological and glaciological research. The observation of the Schneeferner glaciers follows a long-standing tradition of glacier monitoring in this region. As of 2022, one of the two glaciers has completely disappeared, and the remaining one is critically endangered. Here, we present geodetic mass balances since 1892 based on historical maps and own surveys. Measurements of ice thicknesses allow the determination of absolute ice masses and their change. From 52 megatons of ice in 1892, less than one megaton was left in 2023 and its disappearance is inevitable. While this deglaciation will have negligible effects on humankind, it represents a potent visual and emotional indicator of climate change. Given the presence of a touristic hotspot and an environmental research station, the Zugspitzplatt has the potential to serve as a focal point for climate education.