1. A deep crevasse or gap that forms between a glacier and the rock wall at the head of a glacial valley, typically caused by the glacier pulling away from the mountainside.
Usage: Plural of bergschrund; Mountaineering and glaciology term; German origin: 'berg' (mountain) + 'schrund' (crevasse)

Examples

• Climbers must carefully cross the bergschrunds near the summit to avoid falling into the deep cracks.
• The bergschrunds at the base of the glacier widened significantly during the warm summer months.
• Alpine mountaineers are trained to recognize and safely navigate bergschrunds on steep slopes.
• The bergschrunds formed where the moving glacier separated from the stationary rock face.
• Melting snow can make bergschrunds more treacherous and difficult to cross safely.