crevasses
Deep ice cracks
Crevasses are deep cracks or fissures, especially in glacial ice.
Climbers and explorers must watch for crevasses, which can be hidden under snow bridges and pose serious danger: Two members of the expedition fell into a crevasse.
The word also applies to breaches in levees or riverbanks during floods.
Not to be confused with crevices, which are narrow cracks in rock.
Narrow break or attempt
- fissureNarrow crack in rock
- riftCrack or estrangement
- fractureSplit in hard material
- cleftNarrow vertical split
gap · split · opening · chasm · fault · rupture · breach · gash
Slow-moving ice mass
- seracGlacial ice pinnacle
- moraineGlacier-deposited debris pile
- icefallSteep, crevassed glacier section
- icefieldExtensive glacial coverage
firn · ablation · calving · icecap · cirque · ice bridge · snowbridge · meltwater
Descend under gravity
- dangerExposure to harm
- perilSerious threat of harm
- riskPossibility of harm
- treacherousDisloyal and dangerous
fatal · hidden · concealed · snow bridge · probe · rope team · rescue · accident
Ascending by physical effort
- expeditionOrganized exploratory journey
- traverseMove across an area
- routePath from A to B
- ropeThick twisted fibers
harness · anchor · self-arrest · ascender · belay · crampon · ice axe · navigation
crack
Narrow break or attempt
cleft · gap · split · opening · chasm · fault · rupture · breach · gash · fissuring
glacier
Slow-moving ice mass
- seracGlacial ice pinnacle
- moraineGlacier-deposited debris pile
- icefallSteep, crevassed glacier section
icefield · firn · ablation · calving · icecap · cirque · ice bridge · snowbridge · meltwater · blue ice
fall
Descend under gravity
treacherous · fatal · hidden · concealed · snow bridge · probe · rope team · rescue · accident · plunge
climbing
Ascending by physical effort
- expeditionOrganized exploratory journey
- traverseMove across an area
- routePath from A to B
rope · harness · anchor · self-arrest · ascender · belay · crampon · ice axe · navigation · alpine
- Swiss AlpsMatterhorn, Eiger, Dom, Grindelwald, St. Moritz
- Mount Rainiersummit crater, Paradise, Longmire, climbing routes, lahar
- AlpsAlps, Swiss Alps, Mont Blanc, Matterhorn, Austrian Alps
- glaciersglacier, glacial movement, moraine, iceberg, firn
- mountaineeringsummit, alpinist, mountaineer, ice axe, ice axes
- Glacier BayGustavus, icebergs, calving, blue ice, glacial retreat
crevassesridges
Narrow elevated formations
peaks · mounds · summits · elevations · prominences
crevassesnicks
Minor surface cuts
abrasions · hairline cracks · hairline fractures · grooves · striations