A rock glacier in south Ellendalen, Lyngen Alps, Troms

Very few rock glaciers have been described in North Norway. The location of a newly found example in South Ellendalen is reported. There is a true glacier upvalley from the rock glacier and this merges, by way of hummocks of debris-covered ice, into the rock glacier itself. An entirely glacial origin is thus ascribed to this rock glacier. The paucity of rock glaciers in the Lyngen Peninsula is attributed to comparative lack of debris supply to cover waning glacier snouts. Usually, the flow of the glacier is sufficient to remove the surface debris. Only in rare instances is a rock glacier formed and here this is due to weathered material being channelled from the slopes of Langdalstindane. No evidence of permafrost was found in the vicinity of the rock glacier and it is concluded that permafrost cannot account for its formation.