snout

In earth science, the front end of a glacier, representing the furthest advance of the ice at any one time. Deep cracks, or crevasses, and ice falls are common.

Because the snout is the lowest point of a glacier it tends to be affected by the warmest weather. Considerable melting takes place, and so it is here that much of the rocky material carried by the glacier becomes deposited. Material dumped just ahead of the snout may form a terminal moraine.

The advance or retreat of the snout depends upon the glacier budget - the balance between accumulation (the addition of snow and ice to the glacier) and ablation (their loss by melting and evaporation).