Cool photo to look at. I see the caterpillar jo woolf, funny how the human eye finds images within images. We have a mottled tile in our bathroom and I am always finding different critters in the mix of the random design. Wonderful timing in taking this photo as the light plays a dance over the ice.
My wife is also very good at picking out the shapes of critters in photos. I enjoy her observations. This falls is somewhat hidden in its canyon and the sun gets in to it only briefly. Nest time I visit, I will try to get there earlier in the morning when there might be a chance of the sun shining directly on the scene.
The caterpillar was formed around a branch that somehow became positioned in front of the waterfall. I don’t understand though, the process whereby it became a caterpillar!
You know, Scott, I understand the waterfall, the ice and some of the processes that take place between the two, but I’m so intrigued by the fact that such things can be so beautiful and yet never really on display. Outside of the animals, my tracks were the only ones that led to this waterfall all winter, yet it’s a thing of great beauty. Perhaps they are special rewards for those who explore out of the way places in out of the ordinary times.
Yes, I’m sure that snow melt has added to the ice column. There are probably many factors that compose the whole. Along one of the highways not far from here one can see cliffs of ice falls that come from seeps and also from snow melt. The are flatter than this, but quite tall.
We sometimes have scenes like this in the hill country and west Texas, where highways have been cut through limestone cliffs. Especially in a year with good ground water, the seeps can create marvelous formations. Yours have a better setting than an interstate highway, though!
Yes, we have those too. There are a couple of places about 20 miles from here. Interestingly, this year they have not buit up much ice, but this waterfall is at a higher elevation and is in a narrow canyon sheltered from the sun and the ice is very heavy at its base.
Do you know if American Dippers use this falls for nesting? If you were to go back in the summer you could perhaps catch a family of dippers in action, assuming they weren’t totally concealed behind the veil of water. I found a nest in a very similar site located in Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains.
Beautiful shot! Great light. Is this the waterfall near your house?
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Comment by aarontheisen — February 8, 2012 @ 10:15 pm
Thanks Aaron. About a dozen miles or so. It’s on the Flathead Indian Reservation and off the beaten path. Few people ever visit it.
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Comment by montucky — February 8, 2012 @ 10:20 pm
Beautiful! I love the giant ‘caterpillar’ at bottom right!
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Comment by Jo Woolf — February 9, 2012 @ 12:59 am
I thought that was cool too. I will post a closer photo of that. It would be amazing to know how that formed.
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Comment by montucky — February 9, 2012 @ 11:17 am
Cool photo to look at. I see the caterpillar jo woolf, funny how the human eye finds images within images. We have a mottled tile in our bathroom and I am always finding different critters in the mix of the random design. Wonderful timing in taking this photo as the light plays a dance over the ice.
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Comment by Grampy — February 9, 2012 @ 5:45 am
My wife is also very good at picking out the shapes of critters in photos. I enjoy her observations. This falls is somewhat hidden in its canyon and the sun gets in to it only briefly. Nest time I visit, I will try to get there earlier in the morning when there might be a chance of the sun shining directly on the scene.
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Comment by montucky — February 9, 2012 @ 11:22 am
Nature sure does put on some amazing displays for us to see! Great photo!!!
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Comment by dhphotosite — February 9, 2012 @ 10:25 am
She sure does. It’s mind boggling to me to consider all of the scenes that are tucked back into those mountains that we never get to see.
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Comment by montucky — February 9, 2012 @ 11:25 am
WOW!!!
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Comment by Roberta — February 9, 2012 @ 2:30 pm
That’s about what I thought when I first encountered a waterfall in winter. They are incredible.
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Comment by montucky — February 9, 2012 @ 9:49 pm
I noticed the caterpillar, too! This is really something.
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Comment by sandy — February 9, 2012 @ 3:49 pm
The caterpillar was formed around a branch that somehow became positioned in front of the waterfall. I don’t understand though, the process whereby it became a caterpillar!
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Comment by montucky — February 9, 2012 @ 9:50 pm
Beautiful winter photo…unmatched. 🙂
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Comment by seekraz — February 9, 2012 @ 6:51 pm
You know, Scott, I understand the waterfall, the ice and some of the processes that take place between the two, but I’m so intrigued by the fact that such things can be so beautiful and yet never really on display. Outside of the animals, my tracks were the only ones that led to this waterfall all winter, yet it’s a thing of great beauty. Perhaps they are special rewards for those who explore out of the way places in out of the ordinary times.
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Comment by montucky — February 9, 2012 @ 9:56 pm
So neat! I see the caterpillar too. Interesting ice sculptures carved by nature.
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Comment by Mama's Empty Nest — February 9, 2012 @ 8:27 pm
Nature does love to create ice sculptures, and colors them so attractively as well. They bring me great joy.
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Comment by montucky — February 9, 2012 @ 9:57 pm
Ice fall is gorgeous. This must be due to “warm” weather when sun melted snow. I am so glad that You presented this wonder of Mother Nature.
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Comment by Sartenada — February 10, 2012 @ 12:21 am
Yes, I’m sure that snow melt has added to the ice column. There are probably many factors that compose the whole. Along one of the highways not far from here one can see cliffs of ice falls that come from seeps and also from snow melt. The are flatter than this, but quite tall.
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Comment by montucky — February 10, 2012 @ 11:06 am
We sometimes have scenes like this in the hill country and west Texas, where highways have been cut through limestone cliffs. Especially in a year with good ground water, the seeps can create marvelous formations. Yours have a better setting than an interstate highway, though!
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Comment by shoreacres — February 10, 2012 @ 11:08 am
Yes, we have those too. There are a couple of places about 20 miles from here. Interestingly, this year they have not buit up much ice, but this waterfall is at a higher elevation and is in a narrow canyon sheltered from the sun and the ice is very heavy at its base.
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Comment by montucky — February 10, 2012 @ 9:50 pm
It’s pretty awesome how so much water can just be frozen like that while it’s running.
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Comment by Candace — February 11, 2012 @ 2:18 pm
The nights there have been below freezing since November, building those ice pillars a splash/drop at a time.
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Comment by montucky — February 11, 2012 @ 10:04 pm
Do you know if American Dippers use this falls for nesting? If you were to go back in the summer you could perhaps catch a family of dippers in action, assuming they weren’t totally concealed behind the veil of water. I found a nest in a very similar site located in Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains.
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Comment by Kim — February 13, 2012 @ 7:27 pm
I have visited the falls several time during summer and have not seen any dippers. I would enjoy seeing them if they were there!
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Comment by montucky — February 14, 2012 @ 12:40 am