Ice Castles

Evidence of last season’s historic avalanche cycles still abound throughout the San Juans. As we transition into winter, established ice dams and rugged debris piles remain in place. In some cases, running water has eroded porcelain-like tunnels inside the eight-month-old debris piles. Unique as they are ephemeral, conditions that result in such phenomena are quite rare in Colorado. Here’s a look at an excellent example of running water working its magic after a particularly dramatic avalanche last March.