During our recent glaciological/glacial geologic studies (National Science Foundation Grant ATM- 79211288) in the Jammu and Kashmir Himalaya, we noted what might be the lowest-level active rock glacier (Fig. 1) in this part of the Himalaya. The rock glacier is located at lat. 34° 07´ 30̋ N., long. 75° 30´ 00̋ E. and is along one of the first major slope rises on the south-western edge of the Greater Himalaya. It faces north-east, has a snout elevation of approximately 4390 m, and is approximately 1 km long. Evidence of its currently active state is indicated by its surface micro-relief, a terminus that slopes to angles as high as 44°, reports of slope steepening in the last 40 years related by locals (personal communication from Ghulam Ahmad Mir of Pahlgam, 1979), and apparent recent advance of the snout over vegetated areas.
Fig. 1. Wavbal Pass rock glacier, Jammu and Kashmir Himalaya. View looking south-west.
A heavily debris-covered glacier exists less than 0.8 km east of the rock glacier. The proximity of the former and the fact that the rock glacier issues from a cirque similar to that holding the glacier indicates that the rock glacier probably formed from the terminal part of a cirque glacier and is a more advanced wastage form than the debris-laden glacier.
Stratigraphically, the rock glacier and the debris-covered glacier over-ride moraines produced by east-west flowing ice that date from the last major glacier invasion in the area. Therefore, both have advanced since the last maximum. Currently, however, alpine ice in the local area is being depleted, while remnants of these glaciers in the form of rock glaciers still appear to be active.
