Melting Alpine Glacier Uncovers A Long-Lost Military Barracks Frozen In Time
High in the mountains of Italy, a glacier is retreating – and a team of researchers is following in its wake. For the first time in a century, a cave has emerged from beneath the ice. But when the experts take a closer look, they uncover a startling secret dating all the way back to World War I. Could it really be?
A Forgotten Warzone
During the conflict often referred to as the Great War, this spot in the Italian Alps became one of its most brutal battlegrounds. But there are no museums or plaques to mark where these struggles took place. There is instead a realm of ice and snow, where glaciers stretch for miles across the frozen landscape.
Mount Scorluzzo
So what events unfolded on this cold and lonely plateau high above Europe? And what relics from this dark period of history remain? Thanks to the perils of climate change, the ice on top of Mount Scorluzzo is melting – revealing a cache of historic relics that have lain buried since 1918.
Sealed Off For Decades
In 2017 researchers stepped into a cave that had remained sealed by the elements for generations. And what they found has shed a fascinating light on those who fought and died in the so-called White War. It means the stories of these men are making their way down from the mountains at last.
10,000 Feet
Located close to the border of Switzerland and Italy, Mount Scorluzzo towers more than 10,000 feet above sea level, overlooking one of the highest paved roads in the Alps. Compared to other peaks in the region, it is considered relatively easy to climb, and mountaineers have been conquering the summit since 1857.
