The glacial mills of Maloja

The glacial potholes formed at the end of the last ice age when the glaciers retreated from the lowlands. Huge amounts of meltwater were released. The material carried along ground down the underlying rock surfaces, creating scratches and sometimes glacial potholes. These form when meltwater flows through fissures in the ice and strikes the bedrock below with high pressure. If the ice fissure remains in the same place for a long time, sand and stones grind glacial potholes of varying depths into the basement. Many glacial potholes are filled with water as they have no outlet in the rock. Some have been covered with material since the glacier's retreat and remain hidden from us. So far, 36 glacial potholes have been exposed in the area northwest of Maloja. An educational trail with display boards satisfies curiosity about the glacial mill phenomenon and also explains the botanical rarities found here.