On 9 August 2023, in cloudy weather, we made the following observations on Tiefengletscher, among others:
Dead ice mass and Tiefen glacier on 9 August 2023.
Legend
1) Remains of the dead ice mass.
2) What remains of the Tiefen glacier.
Tiefen glacier on 9 August 2023.
Legend
1) Glacier gate
2) New collapse structure. First indications were visible in 2022.
3) Western part of the Tiefengletscher (towards Dammastock).
4) Eastern part of the Tiefengletscher (towards Tiefenstock).
Aerial view of the Tiefen glacier on 9 August 2023.
Legend: See above.
Aerial view of the dead ice mass on 9 August 2023.
In the area of the two dead ice masses, all ice has melted within a year. What remains is a small alluvial plain. The meltwater from the deep glacier flows after the escarpment (photo top right) through a tunnel in the ice and then across the alluvial plain into the proglacial lake (photo bottom left).
Tunnel in the dead ice on 9 August 2023.
View across the proglacial lake to the dead ice and the tunnel in the dead ice. On the left is the scaled ice wall mentioned below.
Dead ice, tunnel in the dead ice and alluvial plain on 9 August 2023.
Aerial view of the dead ice, the tunnel and the alluvial plain.
Scaled wall of the dead ice mass on 9 August 2023.
Ice arc at the edge of the dead ice on 9 August 2023.
Alluvial plain, delta, proglacial lake and caves in the dead ice on 9 August 2023.
Legend
1) Confluence of the glacial stream with the proglacial lake.
2) Caves have formed in the ice at the southern end of the dead ice.
Proglacial lake, ice caves and undercut dead ice on 9 August 2023.
Rockfall SE from the proglacial lake on 9 August 2023.
Despite the relatively low temperatures, three rockfalls occur on the SE side within about 4 hours. Several large boulders had already slid a few metres down the steep flank of the moraine.
Flying stones and dust during rockfall on 9 August 2023.
Rock tower SE from the proglacial lake on 9 August 2023.
The rockslides came loose in the area of rock tower 1, which gave us a desolate impression on closer inspection. More boulders are likely to fall into the depths in the near future.
Temperature
- at the pass road at 6:15 a.m.: 6°.
- at approx. 2550m at 12 o'clock: 15°.
Zero degree limit on 9.8.2023: 3200m a.s.l.
On 07.08.2023 snow fell up to 1900m above sea level.