The Trient glacier's retreat has been among the most spectacular, in part because it now hangs on a steep slope with gaping ice tunnels spilling water-falls from its hanging front, instead of leaking runoff from a grounded base.

These falls become the Trient torrent, then river, who'se erossive power carved the deep gorges below.

The Trient valley is a " hanging " valley, its entry's gentler slopes long ago carved into cliff by the sheer mass and weight of the Rhône's last glaciation.

The Trient glacier is one of the many big glaciers easily accessible in the area. These are the Mt-Blanc Glaciers - Glacier du Trient - Glacier d'Argentière - La Mer de Glace - Glacier des Bossons.

Other nearby glaciers are less easily accessible to the general public, - they may require longer walks, or climbing skills, or both. There is also a small glacier above us (glacier Rosses).

The Aletsch glacier (world heritage) has an easy access, but requires a 2 ½ to 3 hour commute.

The state of Valais has 676 glaciers.