The ice and rock masses broke away at an altitude of approx. 2500m a.s.l. in the area of the change in direction of the Steigletscher from north-east to north-north-west (seen in the direction of flow of the ice) and fell east of the Bockberg onto the Steigletscher. The ski tour route from Steisee towards Tierberglihütte, Sustenhorn, Gwächtenhorn, etc. was partially buried.
The largest ice and rock fall occurred on 17.11.2019. Large ice and rock masses fell onto the Steingletscher and parts of them only came to a halt around 1.4km (horizontal distance) further down. This means that several boulders reached the small alluvial plain before the end of the glacier tongue, and other boulders even fell over the rock bar in front of it.
Satellite photos first clearly show the traces of this ice/rock break-off on 22.11.2019.
Fall and slide path of the ice and rockfall of 17.11.2019.
The end of the fall/slide path is not visible in the photo and is below the rock bar which can be seen on the right of the picture.
Situation prior to the ice/rock slides in 2019/2020.
Drone photo taken on 20.8.2018. Looking south (= up glacier).
Fall and slide path of the ice and rockfall of 21.1.2019.
Situation prior to the 2019/ 2020 ice/rock falls.
Drone photo taken on 20.8.2018.
Position of the drone: approx. 50m above the glacier tongue, view towards the south (= upstream of the glacier).
The red and yellow dots show approximately the areas affected by the events.
The ice and rockfall of 25.4.2020 was smaller than the two previous events.
The repeat photos from
location 3 show how the rock and ice slides have changed the area of the glacier tongue of the Steingletscher.