First Ice in the River
Stunning frost formations on a winter day – and one truly special find!
Yesterday I went for a walk, enjoying the sunny day by a nearby river. The air was calm, a few degrees below freezing, but it felt warm compared to the greyer, damper days.
As I approached the river, the first thing I saw was this frozen ditch, shown in the first image, and I crouched down to admire it up close. While looking at the dark water surface and the fresh green leaves, something bubbled up under the ice. I heard the words: ‘Bring my secret sculptures to light.’ So here I am, sharing with you these amazing artworks of Mr. Ice!
This one is my favourite, and its name is Feather of the Ice Garden. Can you see the feather-like shape on the left? It has imprisoned this still-green plant. It’s incredible how nature can create shapes like this, as if someone had painted them with a brush.
This one is named Frosted Ripples. It was in a ditch, yet still close to the river. In Finnish, we have the phrase ‘karun kaunis’, which means something roughly beautiful, and this is definitely one of those.
Whispers of the Reeds is the name of this artwork, located in the riverbed. There is air trapped under the ice, and when the bubbles are released, you can hear sounds of summer moments: the calls of ducklings, the rustle of the reeds, or a frog’s croak.
This abstract pattern is inspired by the hidden world beneath the ice, where dancing air creates large, airy shapes. Its name is Ghosts under the River’s Ice. Can you feel the chills while watching it? Is it because of the ice or because of the ghosts? That’s a question no one really knows the answer to.
This one is Veil of the Frost’s Desire and it depicts a hooded figure leaning against a moss-covered rock. The figure is pondering life’s big questions (for example, when winter will finally arrive). In the lower left, you can see a shape that resembles a question mark.
This one is Trapped in Ice and it reflects the power of the ice. You can almost feel how strong and unyielding it is, holding everything in its frozen grasp. The green tries to emerge from beneath it, but it does not give in. It is invincible!
Now it’s time to present the most stunning, sculptural artwork we saw. It was quite hidden, tucked inside a small, bushy thicket, out of sight. Yet it truly deserves a place somewhere much more visible, don’t you think?
Hair ice forms on decaying broadleaf wood during calm, freezing weather. It gets its name from its hair-like structure, created by ice filaments only a hundredth of a millimetre thick. They are therefore about the same thickness as human hair. These “hairs” can grow surprisingly long if the place is sheltered. In such conditions, they even become curly, believe it or not.
Hair ice does not form due to frost alone; it also requires the help of a fungus called Exidiopsis effusa. When decaying wood freezes, internal pressure builds up, forcing excess moisture out through the fungus’s fine filaments. As this moisture is pushed to the surface of the wood, it freezes into hair-like formations.
What is particularly interesting is that only about ten years ago was the role of the fungus Exidiopsis effusa in the formation of hair ice fully understood. This makes one wonder how many things fungi influence behind the scenes, without us even realizing it yet.
Hope you enjoy this little ice show! I’d love to hear which one was your favourite! If you like my blog, please feel free to share it with your friends!
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Psst. Read more about hair ice and other interesting nature finds in my Wildest Treasures section.
Really enjoyed this. Thank you ❤️
That hair ice is so cool! All photos are gorgeous. 💚