Alpine Terminology

• 1. Valley Glacier
• 2. Cirque Glacier
• 3. Hanging Glacier
• 4. Piedmont Glacier
• 5. Retreation Glacier
• 6. Surging Glacier

Flows down a valley

Flows down a bowl

Forms on a cliff or ridgeline

Formed by one or more valley glaciers. Spread out over a large area

Annual melt of entire glacier exceeds the flow of ice

Annual flow of the ice exceeds the melt

Made of compacted granular snow (snow that is at least 1 year on the glacier, building blocks for glacier ice to form).

Area where glacier is snow covered throughout the year. Snowfall exceeds melt.

area where Snow melts in the summer. Melt equals or exceeds snowfall.

Line separating accumulation and ablation zones (can change annually due to weather)

Large crevasses at head of glacier caused by separation of active (flowing) and inactive (stationary) ice.

Crevasse formed along the sides an/or headwall of the glacier between moving glacier ice and rock (formed by heat reflected from the valley wall)

Split or crack in glacier surface (formed when glacier moves over irregularly in the bed surface)

Perpendicular to flow of glacier. Normally found where glacier flows overs a slope with a gradient change of 3 degrees or more.

Parallel to flow of glacier. Normally found where glacier widens

At an angle to flow of glacier. Normally found along edges where glacier makes a bend

Snow covers over Crevasse

Jumble of criss-cross crevasses.  Large ice towers.   Normally found where glacier flows over a slope with a gradient change of 25 degrees or more

large pinnacles or towers of ice. Normally found on ice falls or on hanging glaciers.

Falling chunks of ice Normally found near icefalls or hanging glaciers.

Accumulation f rock or debris on glacier. Cause by rock fall or avalanche of valley walls.

Formed on sides of glaciers

Found in middle of glacier (formed as 2 glaciers come together or as glacier moves around a central peak).

Found at base of glacier (Formed as moraines meet at snout or terminus of glacier)

Rocky debris extending out from terminus of glacier (formed as glacier retreats)

Rock projection protruding through the glacier. Glacier flows around

Hole in glacier (formed by swirling water on surface)

Wavelike ridges on glacier. Normally found after glacier has flowed over icefalls.

Opening at snout of the glacier. (point where water runs out of the glacier)

Found in valleys below glaciers and many braided channels