Erratic Valley and GlacierThis side valley is particularly interesting because it contains Palmer Land erratics up to an altitude of over 80 metres, indicating that the George VI Ice Shelf was once much thicker. In addition there is a steep hanging glacier and a small broad valley glacier that flows down to sea level, entering Ablation Lake at one point. Several moraines from the latter glacier occur in the lower part of Erratic Valley. | |||
 View up Erratic Valley to the ridge-line that ends in Ablation Point, showing the hanging glacier on the peak, and the valley glacier (informal name: "Erratic Valley Glacier") on the right. |  Panorama of "Erratic Valley Glacier" with Ablation Point on the right and subdued moraines in the foreground. |  Debris layers of gravel-sized material in "Erratic Valley Glacier". Note the overturned folds and possible thrusts. |  The snout of "Erratic Valley Glacier", showing the terminal cliff-face and the uneven surface backlit by the sun. |
 An englacial conduit in a crevasse releases water at the snout later in the summer. Here the outflowing waterfall is still in its frozen state. |  The wind-polished ice of "Erratic Valley Glacier" glistens in the evening sun. |  Angular boulders form the most recent moraine adjacent to "Erratic Valley Glacier". |  View of the end-moraine of "Erratic Valley Glacier", close to the coast, showing tens of metres of recession from its most recent maximum position. |
 Debris in the moraine of "Erratic Valley Glacier". Texturally, this is a sandy gravel, and includes some reworked Palmer Land erratics. |  The right-hand margin of "Erratic Valley Glacier" looking towards Ablation Lake. Older subdued moraines are marked by bands of snow between them. |  A large split granite-gneiss boulder from Palmer Land, marking the upper limit reached by the George VI Ice Shelf, at around 80 metres above sea level. |  Sampling a large granite boulder for cosmogenic isotope dating near the upper limit reached by the ice shelf. |
 Heavily weathered sandstone boulders in the moraine of "Erratic Valley Glacier". A combination of frost and wind abrasion has produced this attractive cluster. | |||
| Photos Michael Hambrey, November and December 2012. | |||