W W W. D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA NA . C O M
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Frosted trees along
the Yellowstone River
Hoarfrosted bison in Yellowstone's Lamar Valley
CONTINUED
contrast between white crystalline fragments and the red and green colors of
autumn leaves denotes a change in the seasons, not only in color but also in
temperature. Once winter approaches, the hoary crystals form on structures,
faces, whiskers, fibrous clothing, windows, fences, grasses and trees, giving
them a frosty, ethereal appearance.
is is a time when I quickly grab my equipment and fly out the door,
reminding myself that I need to dress warmly which includes inside hand
warmers for my gloves. e humidity chills all appendages to the bone. e
best places to see hoarfrost is near water where the moist air collides with
the cold temperature. Trees are encapsulated forming an "airy" and mysti-
cal atmosphere. e dark tree trunks look grotesque with their twisted
shapes while branches are laden with hoarfrost. As my canine friend brushes
through frosty grasses, her whiskers acquire a delicate fringe.
Wooden fence posts and barbed wire collect the exquisite, crystalline for-
mations. From behind a fencepost, a Downy woodpecker appears, and it, too,
has icy configurations clinging to its feathers and beak. Paying me no heed, it
circles the wooden post, pecking at the cracks and avoiding the icy particles.
