Using climber's guidebooks to assess rock fall patterns over large spatial and decadal temporal scales: an example from the swiss alps

Abstract

High‐mountain geomorphic processes enjoy increasing scientific and societal interest. This is because these processes are perceived to be changing more than elsewhere and because their effects on infrastructure and tourism are significant. Rock fall is among the processes that receive most attention due to its presumed intimate relation with permafrost, which is widely degrading. However, over decadal temporal scales and for entire mountain ranges, there is very limited information on the changes in frequency and location of rock fall. This hampers our understanding. Here, I assess the value of information contained in a 146‐year record of climber's guidebooks of the Bernese Alps in Switzerland to derive changes in rock fall danger. The results show that guidebooks’ authors, themselves experienced climbers, perceived increases in rates and changes in positions of rock fall. The increases were mainly reported since the year 2000. It appears that datasets derived from guidebooks can provide valuable context for more detailed, higher resolution data sources.

Key words:

• rock fall
• permafrost
• climbing guidebooks
• danger
• Bernese Alps

Acknowledgements

This study has partly been performed at the Zentralbibliothek Zürich in Switzerland, where the Swiss Alpine Club Archive is situated. Guidebooks were made accessible, and work was greatly facilitated by the support and insights of T. Germann at the Zentralbibliothek. The advice of M. Hunziker, writer of alpine guidebooks, and H. Ott, executive director of the Swiss Alpine Club was also greatly appreciated. Several anonymous reviewers, Dr Ludovic Ravanel and Dr Arjun Heimsath are thanked for their helpful comments and constructive advice.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Arnaud J.a.M. Temme

Arnaud J.A.M. Temme, Soil Geography and Landscape Group, Wageningen University, PO Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands and Institute for Alpine and Arctic Research, University of Colorado, Campus Box 450, Boulder, CO 80309‐0450, USA

Email: [email protected]