What are Snowghosts?

Have you ever seen snow ghosts and wondered how they were made? Perhaps, perhaps not.

I bet you think they are made of snow, but they aren’t! They are made of hoar frost and rime. Hoar frost is better known as freezing fog and rime is the formation of ice crystals. The moisture in the fog freezes to whatever it hits, in this case trees. Ice crystals form and, voila! You have a snow ghost. Snow ghosts are fairly rare, but we see them all the time high in the mountains. They are beautiful white sights.

Here are some pictures of huge and beautiful snow ghosts taken on Big Mountain the day we went to Avalanche Safety Class.

Read about the avalanche safety class adventure here, Hoar, Ghosts, and Pits!

 

A beautiful snow arch on Big Mountain, Montana

 

A crowd of snow ghosts run for the lift chair!

 

Bright white snow ghosts against a blue winter sky

 

Enter the “Land of the Giants”!

 

Towering figures huddle together

 

You make me feel like dancin’!

 

Let’s boogie baby!

 

Wile E. Coyote?

 

I feel so alone

 

Reaching skyward…

 

Snow ghosts watch over the Flathead Valley

 

I’m sorry. Don’t run away!

 

Wait for me

 

Happy Snow Days!

Mallory

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