WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF

Research 06.11.2026
Hot summer of 2026: what it means for the winter
Hot summer of 2026: what it means for the winter

SLF researchers explain whether the hot, dry summer will affect winter sports, avalanche danger and permafrost, and what the impact will be.

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A conifer stands deep in the snow in a snowy landscape
 
Research 24.09.2026
Tracking the movement of plants
Tracking the movement of plants

Out in the field with plant surveyors: the SLF’s Flora Raetica project is investigating how plant diversity in Graubünden has changed.

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A man in a blue T-shirt, light-coloured trousers and walking boots is crouching there, looking at plants. His light blue sun hat lies beside him. The ground is strewn with numerous boulders.
 
Research 08.09.2026
3D-printed rock avalanche
3D-printed rock avalanche

At SLF, researchers send water, sand and clay crashing through a model of Blatten in order to better predict the impacts of alpine hazards.

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A blue, mirror-inverted model of the Blatten region. A mixture of mud and slush is flowing down the artificial slope from above.
 
Institutional 04.09.2026
'The summer of 2026 could be an eye-opener'
'The summer of 2026 could be an eye-opener'

Brown trees and dry riverbeds: WSL Director Rolf Holderegger explains in an interview what needs to be done after the summer of 2026.

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Flussbett mit klarem Wasser links und Kiesufer rechts, umgeben von dichtem grünem Laubwald unter blauem Himmel
 

Research for people and the environment in a changing world

NEWS

Services and products
05.11.2026

Crystals. Boards. Profiles. All about snow

Beautiful. Dangerous. Complex. The WSL and SLF are studying every aspect of snow. Find out how, why and who benefits from this in the latest issue of DIAGONAL.

Services and products
23.10.2026

A concise guide to avalanches and prevention

Now available. For training, freeriding and ski touring. Handy and to the point. The ninth edition of the SLF leaflet. Order here.

Institutional
21.10.2026
A man in jeans, a checked shirt and a black waistcoat bearing the SLF logo is holding a prize in his hand and speaking into a microphone.

“I didn’t even know I’d been nominated.”

SLF expert Stefan Margreth has received a lifetime achievement award. In this interview, he talks about what the award means to him.

Research
01.10.2026
A view from inside an ice cave with smooth, bluish ice walls and rocks on the floor

Swiss glaciers lose a further five per cent of their volume

Draught and a winter with little snow led to another devastating year for the glaciers, as shown by the GLAMOS network.

Research
15.09.2026
The photo shows an aerial view of the rock and ice avalanche in Blatten, with snow-capped peaks.

Blatten reconstructed using seismic data

Using earthquake sensors, a research team has reconstructed the Blatten rock and ice avalanche. This is meant to help analyze such events.

Research
10.09.2026
A close-up of a tick perched on the edge of a green leaf, showcasing its reddish-brown body and long legs, with a blurred green background.

Half-time: Join in now and report ticks

Survey: 800 people have already shared their experiences of ticks in Graubünden with the SLF. Why not become a citizen scientist too?

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AvaBlog

Our experts analyze the avalanche situation.
26 October 2026

current AvaBlog (in German)
current AvaBlog (in French)