During the Second World War owing to its proximity to the Swiss/Italian frontier the Swiss Army constructed a series of look-out posts and foxholes to reinforce this relatively undefined border area and as part of Switzerland hydro-electric building programme.

Over the years there has been a great deal of scientific research undertaken on Griesgletscher thanks to its accessibility and its unique ability to display a wide range of glaciological features within such a small manageable area.

The 1980 study was on the dynamics and structure in which the velocity, rate of ice deformation with movement, and cumulative strains at various points on the glacier were investigated to determine how the glacier behaved as it moved.

Other scientific research has been climate/glacier based in which the amount of glacier melting was correlated to local climatic variables such as sunlight, humidity, wind direction.

The profile of the glacier is a very convex terminus, which progresses into a very gentle concave mid profile with very crevassed ice field near to the upper accumulation zone - an area which is highly dangerous and difficult to traverse.