Bergschrund

The crevasse at the top of the glacier is called a bergschrund. Above the bergschrund, the ice is frozen to the bedrock. In this area, the ice is too thin to deform under its own weight and flow downhill. Below the bergschrund, the ice is so thick that it can deform and flow downhill.

The Bergschrund can be a difficult obstacle for alpinists to overcome.