[pct-l] Yosemite's Frazil Ice

[CHUCK CHELIN]

Good morning, all,

I’ve not seen the real Yosemite frazil ice, but as a kid I did occasionally
see a low-budget variant.  Winter’s snowpack would accumulate along the
relatively flat, alluvial course of a stream I used to hike, and if a
significant spring rain softened the snowpack and put the stream in flood
the result was very similar to what appears in Yosemite.



Another mega-instance was when I was camped along Alaska’s Tanana River soon
after the ice breakup in ’64.  The river was seriously in flood -- hugely
wide, and swift -- but for about 20 yards out from shore near camp the
slower water ran as an ice slurry.



Being young, wild, and ignorant -- and very grubby – at the time I decided
to get in and take a bath.  I did so – very quickly – and subsequently vowed
I would never again bathe in water that cold regardless of how hot or dirty
I may become.  Now that I’m old, wild, and ignorant I’ve managed to keep
that vow.



Steel-Eye

Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965

http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye

http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09


On Tue, Jan 11, 2011 at 5:52 PM, Deems <losthiker at sisqtel.net> wrote:

> This is a unique event at Yosemite that the PCT hikers won't see, which is
> an annual event in Yosemite Valley. It happens only in March and April. I
> camped for a week in the valley in March 1986, and didn't see it, until
> now.
> http://www.boingboing.net/2010/05/24/frazil-ice-fascinati.html
>
>
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