Articles | Volume 80, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/gh-80-527-2025
https://doi.org/10.5194/gh-80-527-2025
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17 Dec 2025
Standard article |  | 17 Dec 2025

Mapping climate-change-related processes affecting most frequented routes by French mountain guides

Xavier Cailhol, Ludovic Ravanel, and Jacques Mourey

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Cited articles

Arnaud, M., Mourey, J., Bourdeau, P., Bonet, R., and Ravanel, L.: Impacts of climate change on mountaineering routes in the Écrins massif (Western Alps, France). Analysis based on a corpus of 70 itineraries from the topoguide “Les 100 plus belles courses et randonnées” (1974), Journal of Alpine Research, https://doi.org/10.4000/12a6u 2024. 
Aublet, J.-F., Festa-Bianchet, M., Bergero, D., and Bassano, B.: Temperature constraints on foraging behaviour of male Alpine ibex (Capra ibex) in summer, Oecologia, 159, 237–247, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-008-1198-4, 2009. 
Berthier, E., Vincent, C., Magnússon, E., Gunnlaugsson, Á. Þ., Pitte, P., Le Meur, E., Masiokas, M., Ruiz, L., Pálsson, F., Belart, J. M. C., and Wagnon, P.: Glacier topography and elevation changes derived from Pléiades sub-meter stereo images, The Cryosphere, 8, 2275–2291, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-2275-2014, 2014. 
Bourdeau, P.: Effets du changement climatique sur l’alpinisme et nouvelles interactions avec la gestion des espaces protégés en haute-montagne, https://www.ecrins-parcnational.fr/sites/ecrins-parcnational.com/files/article/23303/2023-09-stage-mathis-arnaud-m2-epgm-impact-changement (last access: 15 December 2025), 2014. 
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Short summary
This study examines the impact of climate change on Alpine climbing routes in the western European Alps. By identifying the routes most frequented by French mountain guides across various Alpine massifs, the research combines historical comparisons, contemporary surveys and detailed mapping of geomorphological and glaciological processes.
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