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Rare, short-lived ice caves form on the Morteratsch Glacier (Vadret da Morteratsch) in Switzerland’s Engadin valley, carved by meltwater and warm air currents during freezing winter months. These fleeting, brilliant blue formations are accessible via a, relatively easy, roughly one-hour hike from the Morteratsch train station, though they are dangerous and subject to melting away by global warming. It’s recommended to take a tour for your safety. I think it’s only one tour available at GO VERTICAL MOUNTAIN GUIDES at a moment.

This article is about introducing the Morteratsch Glacier Hiking Trail. I couldn’t take a tour since there was no way to suite my schedule coming from Milan & I had to be Munich for the day after this date. I’m not a climber, but a person that can ensure safety through wild instincts. So I decided to go as far as I can go on March 7th in 2026, and I made it!!! There was a way to get to Morteratsch Glacier Tongue on the internet, but no path to get to Glacier Cave other than pictures. Anyway, I was lucky to make it there that I’d like to record to go there for my next time visits. You can go here from Milan, Italy or Konstanz, German in one day. Also, staying here or St.Mortiz could be a quality time to enjoy the nature of beauty here too. You can enjoy Bernina Line with a nature immersive art of beauty here.

How I get there is that pointing out Morteratsch Glacier at Google Map as a guide although it’s not exact since there is no maintained road existed. I think it’s easy going there if you are used to climb or hike mountains. While that, it’s better taking tour for those who are first time going into wild nature.

The Morteratsch Glacier Hiking Trail

A blue line is a well-maintained hiking & skiing road. You may be able to see the Morteratsch Glacier Tongue at the end of the route there. A light blue dot line is a way to get to the Glacier Cave. There is a warning sign. It’s your responsibility to get there if you’re going by yourself without a guide.

Hiking Trail To Get To Glacier Caves

From Morteratsch station

A hiking trail to a Glacier Tongue is in front of Morteratsch station. There is a hotel & restaurant next to the station that you can stay or have some rests there.

Cross the railway tracks to start hiking.

There is an entrance gate. You’ll start hiking from there. (*the pic. is taken from opposite side.)

The road is well maintained & there are pink or yellow sticks as a guide that it’s easy to find your way to go.

It was easier walking a bit off from well maintained road since it was slippery on the snow.

The alps views are so beautiful. There was no wind on this date. The temperature was 5℃/41°F, but I sweated that I took off my down jacket & knit hat on and off. I guess the sun is so close that the perceived temperature was different from the actual temperature.

There was a place that a few big rocks covered by snow. Feel like hiking in a museum in nature of art.

There was a river on your side. It’s nice to hear the sound of a flowing river while hiking. It seems the river of melting snow. The water is so clear and beautiful to reflect the sun light.

You’ll see the sign to go back to a station or glacier on your way.

You’ll see a warning sign here. This is the end of well maintained hiking road as well as the end of a blue line in google map above.

It’s difficult to tell where Glacier Cave is from the picture above. The light blue color spots are darkened by the shadow in a picture, but there are 2 spots that you’ll see the light blue spots with the naked eye. They’ll show up on your right side of the front. There are a few footsteps that you can follow.

You’ll hike up a little to get to the Glacier Cave. On your way to get there, there is a small glacier that you’ll meet. There were a few areas that I wasn’t sure I was walking a right way or not since not much foot steps were there. Then I looked the Google Map as a guide. Also, I was lucky that there were two guys walked past me that I was sure where to hike.

As getting close to the Glacier Cave, you’ll see the path again. There were a few skiers so the path was easy to walk.

There is a few puddles like a picture.

After hiking up, you hike down a little to get to the Glacier Cave.

As hiking forward, the landmark of light blue glaciers appears in front of you. It’s still difficult to tell from a picture, but there are two in a picture.

This is the winter hiking path that you see to get to the Glacier Caves in 2026. I was saved to see the kids’s playing with Icicles to feel safe. It was a little steeped & narrowed but why not!

It’s the first cave. I felt a sense of accomplishment to reach here. I may be too tired of living in a hierarchy living. I felt exhilarated. It’s like finding a treasure. Also, I felt like welcoming. It’s like a giant ice hobbit who is waiting so long to see someone who visit here with an extraordinary looks.

The step is icy and slippery here, but a little boy was having fun looking around the cave. I really love that he told me “I love the way it is”

It was like 3pm. Sun melted icicles to create another glaciers.

Amazing melting ice statues appear as going further the cave.

It gets narrow as going further.

Two guys went through the tunnel ahead, but I couldn’t go since it was way to slippery and narrow to move forward.

I could go until here.

I decided to go to the next cave. The entrance frames the mountain of alps that was stunning too.

As moving forward to next one, I meet another glaciers. One seemed to be cave but there was no way to get down there so I gave up. Some guys were taking videos by drone.

I was surprised to meet a dog here too.

This is a second cave entrance that I could explore.

It was a ice tunnel to get to another side rather saying it’s glacier cave. I can’t believe it’s naturally formed as a tunnel.

It’s very steeped to get up & down.

The broken or grown ices are like jewelry. Feel like someone cuts ice like this.

It looks like the ice entrance to a palace. You can walk through to get to the other side here.

The ice ceiling color changes from light blue to emerald green as getting inside. It’s so interesting that underground is soil and ceiling is ice. Ice was melting that there was a water dripping at the edge of entrance.

You’ll meet more glaciers after you exit ice tunnel. I wished I had more time digging around here to go further more, but I didn’t have the time. So I decided to take a look at 2 more glaciers.

Two glacier caves were much bigger & wider than I introduced above.

It was dark inside, so I need the head light to get in here.

This one too. I just didn’t have the time but I’d love to come back here to see deepest of inside here. An experience that makes you realize the vastness of nature.

Anyway, This is the path of March 2026. It could be different next year. I’d love to see what’s changed and what’s like every year as a tourist here since the time is limited.