Preserve the ice memory for future generations
2 ice cores
99.5 m and 98.9 m length
1 core for contemporary analysis
1 core for long-term preservation in Antarctica
Centuries of Alpine climate history
Between the Ollomont base camp in Valle d'Aosta and the remote Corbassière glacier field site on the Grand Combin massif, the expedition team included:
Jacopo Gabrieli, CNR-ISP
Fabrizio De Blasi, CNR-ISP
Giulio Cozzi, CNR-ISP
Daniele Zannoni, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice
Stefano Frassati, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice
Agnese Petteni, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice
Giulia Vitale, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice
Federico Della Vecchia, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice
Pietro Di Sopra, Fondazione Montagna Sicura
Victor Zagorodnov, core drill constructor
Teodoro Bizzocchi, mountain guide
Elisabetta Rorato, field medic
Riccardo Selvatico, photographer and videomaker
Geophysical surveys were conducted by Stefano Urbini (INGV).
The Corbassière glacier on the Grand Combin massif, straddling the border between Switzerland and Italy, is one of the most endangered glacial archives in the Alps.
The drilling took place at an altitude of 4,100 metres, under extreme alpine conditions:
strong winds up to 100 km/h
ambient temperatures down to -35°C
high snowfall frequency
The mission followed a first failed attempt in 2020, which had to be halted due to the presence of water and instability in the upper layers — a direct consequence of global warming.
The 2025 expedition adopted a new electrothermal core drill, enabling access to deeper, better-preserved ice.
After an initial attempt stopped at 57 m, the team reached bedrock twice, drilling two ice cores measuring 99.5 m and 98.9 m, respectively. The measured - 8°C at the base confirms the high quality of the preserved glacial archive.
“But the team's preparation and dedication enabled us to bring back a fundamental ice sample for understanding the environmental and climatic dynamics of the Alps.” said Carlo Barbante, professor at Ca' Foscari, senior associate at CNR-ISP, and Vice-Chair of the Ice Memory Foundation.
The expedition was part of the Ice Memory Foundation’s global effort to collect and safeguard 20 ice cores from endangered sites.
One core will be analyzed in Venice, the other preserved in Antarctica at the Ice Memory Sanctuary from 2026.
Cnr-Isp
Ca' Foscari University of Venice
SEA BEYOND (Prada Group project conducted in partnership with UNESCO-IOC)
Municipalities of Ollomont and Valpelline
Swiss municipality of Bagnes and Canton of Valais
Local Civil Protection
Fondazione Montagna Sicura
Technical partners: Karpos, AKU
Photos © Riccardo Selvatico – CNR-ISP / Ca' Foscari University of Venice
