The Mischbachfèrner is the glacier on the north side of the mountain called the Habicht or Hager, which is situated about 26 km. south-south-west of Innsbruck. This mountain is part of the Stubaier Alpen, and its height is 3,277 m.
The Mischbachferner descends in a north-westerly direction from near its summit and then turns due north. It is not a big glacier, its length being roughly 1,200 m. and its width 100–300 m., but it is described as being the steepest glacier in Tirol.
In the accumulation area the ice apron has an inclination of 40°, and at 3,150 m. there is a small bergschrund. Below this is a firn area of lesser slope, followed by the steepest portion of the glacier inclining at about 50° and dropping 150 m. in altitude; this is the part shown in the photograph. Then comes a less steep slope of about 20°–25° after which the gradient becomes steep again, with an inclination of some 40°. The snout Iies today at about 2,600 m.
Normally the lower part of the glacier and its steepest section are composed of clean white ice in summer, but at the time the photograph was taken there were a few centimetres of firnified summer snow lying on the surface.
We are indebted to Herr A. Baumgartner of Munich for the information on which the above is based.
Fig. 1. Ascent of the Habicht over the Mischbachferner.
