The Eiskar is the only existing

glacier A glacier (; ) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its Ablation#Glaciology, ablation over many years, often Century, centuries. It acquires dis ...

in the

Carnic Alps The Carnic Alps ( it, Alpi Carniche; german: Karnische Alpen; sl, Karnijske Alpe; fur, Alps Cjargnelis) are a range of the Southern Limestone Alps in Austria and northeastern Italy. They are within Austrian East Tyrol and Carinthia, and Italia ...

. It is a typical

cirque glacier A cirque glacier is formed in a cirque, a bowl-shaped depression on the side of or near mountains. Snow and ice accumulation in corries often occurs as the result of avalanching from higher surrounding slopes. If a cirque glacier advances far enou ...

that, thanks to its shady location and to

avalanche An avalanche is a rapid flow of snow down a slope, such as a hill or mountain. Avalanches can be set off spontaneously, by such factors as increased precipitation or snowpack weakening, or by external means such as humans, animals, and earth ...

breaks in its catchment area, has been able to survive at the relatively low height of 2160–2390 metres above sea level. Although the ice sheet in good times could calve over a rock wall down to the pasture of ''Valentinalm'' below, currently it is rapidly becoming a sheet of

dead ice Death is the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. For organisms with a brain, death can also be defined as the irreversible cessation of functioning of the whole brain, including brainstem, and brain ...

. In the period 2007–2014, however, no significant retreat was observed. The glacier may be accessed from below up a ''

klettersteig A via ferrata (Italian language, Italian for "iron path", plural ''vie ferrate'' or in English ''via ferratas'') is a protected climbing route found in the Alps and certain other locations. The term "via ferrata" is used in most countries and ...

'', and from above quite easily via the

Kellerwand The twin peaks of the Kellerspitzen ( it, Creta delle Chianevate) form the second highest mountain () in the Carnic Alps, a mountain range in the Southern Limestone Alps. The two summits rise in the middle of the east-west oriented ''Kellerwandg ...

rock face. Remains of defensive positions witness to the mountain war of 1915-1918.

References

External links

Glacier report of 2004/05
(pdf file; 792 kB)
Private webpage
Glaciers of Austria Glaciers of the Alps Carnic Alps GEiskar {{austria-glacier-stub