07.09.2024: Observations Gamchi glacier (Bernese Alps)

On the right are the ice and avalanche cones at the foot of the east face of the Morgenhorn (3620m above sea level), at the top left is the Gamchilücke (2836m above sea level).
Yellow dot: These are bright rocks, not glacial ice.

On 7. September 2024 the ice and avalanche cones at the foot of the Morgenhorn east face were covered with a lot of debris and some had a jagged surface.

At the foot of the above-mentioned ice and avalanche cone, a shallow proglacial lake (1) has formed and at least two erosion channels (2) have appeared.

A shallow glacial lake has formed at the transition from debris-covered glacier ice to the apron (at 1 in the photo above).

Presumably during a heavy rainfall event, several erosion channels were created during the night of 1./2. August 2024. Two of them can be seen in the photo at position 2, two positions further up. Another one can be seen in the area of the former glacial lake (see section below).

In the northern part, the glacier has retreated to an altitude of about 2350 meters above sea level. Only the remains of avalanches and a little dead ice remain in the plain.

On 7. September 2024 a few small pieces of ice fell from the hanging glacier on the Morgenhorn.

A lot of avalanche snow has melted since 18. July 2024. What remained were debris-covered remains.

As early as 18. July, 2024, we noticed that that year the contours of the avalanche deposits were still clearly visible even after the snow had melted. The yellow dots trace the outline of the avalanche. The light-colored areas within the outline were probably eroded by water after the debris had settled.
Small detail: In the bottom right of the photo, you can see a willow tree that has managed to establish itself in this barren environment, despite the erosion.

The darker areas are covered with countless small and medium-sized rock fragments. The layer is a few centimeters thick. The rock fragments are sharp-edged. The tip of a shoe serves as a size comparison. We find it particularly interesting that the rock fragments were distributed so regularly. We don't yet understand how this was possible.
A professional's guess: A rockfall occurred in spring, depositing avalanche snow. After the snow melted, these even, darker rock deposits were formed.