Nature in Wallis

The Grosser Aletsch glacier.

Characteristic for nature in Wallis are large differences in elevation and the fact that the canton is situated in the southern part of the Alps. The Alps are a natural border between the northern and southern European climate. Wallis belongs to the southern part of the Alps and has, because of that, a higher average for dryness and warmth than the northern regions. The scenery may look a bit rougher for that reason than, for example, the Bernese Oberland, but it is equally spectactular. The highest point of the Rhône valley is about 1,370 m (4,495 ft), near Oberwald. The river descends about a kilometre (3,280 ft) before it flows out in the Lake of Geneva. At the back of the side-valleys we can find places over 1,600 m (5,250 ft) high. Deciduous trees can hardly be found at this height. In higher situated valleys, or at mountainsides, we can find places like Riederalp (1,919 m, 6,296 ft) and Arolla (1,998 m, 6,555 ft). You can probably imagine, that the climate is completely different here than in the valley; even during summer, night temperatures around the freezing point are possible.

The highest mountains of Switzerland can mainly be found around the Matter valley and the Saas valley. Near the town of Zermatt you will find, among others, the famous Matterhorn (4,478 m, 14,692 ft), the Weisshorn (4,506 m, 14,783 ft), the Dom (4,545 m, 14,911 ft) and highest mountain in the country, the Dufourspitze of 4,634 m (15,203 ft). Not far from Wallis, at the border of France and Italy, the highest mountain in Western Europe can be found: the Mont Blanc, 4,807 m (15,771 ft) over sea. There are differences in height of more than 4 km (13,120 ft) within a relatively small area. As a result, many different climate zones can be pointed out. Temperatures over 30 °C (86 °F) are not exceptional in the valleys during summer. Wintersports can be enjoyed all year long on high plains near Zermatt and Saas Fee.

The Grossgufer near Randa came into being by two massive rockfalls.

The western Rhône valley, between the Lake of Geneva and Brig, is one of the warmest regions of Switzerland. Salamanders live on the dry, northern mountainsides and the climate is suitable for vineyards. Especially the area between Visp and Stalden has a very dry climate. The highest vineyards in Europe can be found in this region. The Visper valley splits into two near Stalden: the Matter valley and the Saas valley. Both vallies are surrounded by high mountains and glaciers and are sometimes very narrow, with deep canyons (for example near Stalden) and impressive rock walls (for example near St. Niklaus). The landscape is subject to continuous changes due to landslides caused by meltwater and droughts. A clear example can be found near Randa in the Matter valley. The Grossgufer, north of the village, is an enormous pile of rocks that came into being by two massive rockfalls on April 18 and May 9, 1991. The mass of rock caused part of the village to be flooded. The river, the railway and the road are diverted ever since. The region of Goms, or the eastern Rhône valley, between Brig and Oberwald, is mainly known for the nearby Grosser Aletsch glacier. It is the largest glacier in the Alps and part of the nature reserve that stretches out to the Bernese Oberland. The Binn valley is a nearly unspoilt side valley in this region, that is known for the minerals that are found there.