Long range terrestrial laser scanners may depict a rather interesting measuring device for glaciology research. The paper reports on practical experiences using a Riegl LPM-321 laser scanner at an outlet glacier in West Greenland. With the instrument positioned on a hill, a maximum range of 4000 meter could be achieved on glacier ice. The scanner delivers a high quality glacier surface model, which can be used to determine parameters such as the height of the glacier front and the width of crevasses. Moreover, multi-temporal scans allow for the determination of3D glacier surface velocity information by point cloud matching techniques. For the Jacobshavn Isbræ glacier velocities up to 40 meter per day could be observed.