This theme issue follows on from the biennial conference of the Swiss Geomorphological Society, which took place in Le Châble (Val de Bagnes, Valais) in September 2023. Entitled Moving Mountains: mountains in transition, the aim of the meeting was to highlight the concerns of geomorphologists working in mountain areas. The effects of climate change are increasingly being felt in mountain regions, with glaciers retreating at an ever-faster rate and the acceleration of permafrost degradation. These phenomena have a cascading effect on the slopes and valleys below: an increase in rockfalls and landslides, changes to watercourse regimes, impacts on flora and fauna, threats to local populations and infrastructures, etc.

The contributions to this theme issue cover a range of geomorphological and glaciological topics, such as the quantification of the erosion rates of high mountain rock walls, the assessment of glacier volume loss since the end of the Little Ice Age (LIA), the study of the impact of climate change on mountaineering practices, or the characterization of fluvial sedimentation since the last glacial period. The proposed theme issue aims therefore to illustrate the current concerns of alpine geomorphologists.