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#55341 10/28/08 10:33 PM
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If anyone is hiking in the area between Lower Boy Scout Lake and Upper Boy Scout Lake, would you mind sharing a picture of the Boy Scout Falls (aka Whitney Icefall)? I want to see how the ice is forming. The falls are just to the NW of Thor Peak. Thanks.

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Miguel,

One of my guides just came down from there and snapped this picture. It'll probably change with the upcoming forecasted storms. This is as of last weekend.



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This is what it looked like this morning, with a wide lens, from LBSL. A dusting of snow covered all of the ice Thurday into Saturday.

It's been way too warm for it to be safe up there yet. A good portion of ice peeled off the slabs across from the E-ledges recently. I'd bet the same would happen if you head up there to climb on the falls right now.

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Thanks guys. I will wait another week or so.....hoping for colder weather.

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Every time I read the subject line "Boy Scout Falls" I think I sure hope he is OK.Then I realize it is geographical and not a fall by a Boy Scout.

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That got me, too. Aren't those falls actually coming from Girl Scout Lake? If that is correct, I could change the title to Girl Scout Waterfall.

#55709 11/07/08 12:31 AM
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There's a debate going on about the name.

I've called it the Blue Ice since the first time I saw it many years ago. Most of my friends call it the same.

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Originally Posted By Miguel Forjan
Thanks guys. I will wait another week or so.....hoping for colder weather.


Lakes still not freezing over. I don't know what's up this year, but the freeze seems to be holding off much later than normal.

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The lakes are finally frozen (LBSL (mostly), UBSL and Girl Scout). The outlet from GSL is still running, so the ice should still be building up.

The ice is also looking blue again.

Which brings up the question: What makes the ice look blue? The obvious answer is reflection from the sky, but it was an overcast day and the skies were gray. So, what makes the ice look blue?

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Originally Posted By Richard P.
The lakes are finally frozen (LBSL (mostly), UBSL and Girl Scout). The outlet from GSL is still running, so the ice should still be building up.

The ice is also looking blue again.

Which brings up the question: What makes the ice look blue? The obvious answer is reflection from the sky, but it was an overcast day and the skies were gray. So, what makes the ice look blue?


Uhhhhh......perhaps the ice IS blue? smile

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Originally Posted By Richard P.
So, what makes the ice look blue?


Mineral content of the water. I used to live in VT, and driving around northern NE/NY there are many cliffs with springs/seeps, and ice often builds up several feet thick. Sometimes it's nearly clear; other places it's blue, or green oven even yellow. In any given location, the color is generally consistent from year-to-year.

Ken #55860 11/12/08 05:47 PM
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Originally Posted By Ken
Originally Posted By Richard P.
The lakes are finally frozen (LBSL (mostly), UBSL and Girl Scout). The outlet from GSL is still running, so the ice should still be building up.

The ice is also looking blue again.

Which brings up the question: What makes the ice look blue? The obvious answer is reflection from the sky, but it was an overcast day and the skies were gray. So, what makes the ice look blue?


Uhhhhh......perhaps the ice IS blue? smile


Alright! I was going to confess to carting the cans of paint up there each fall to paint the ice, but I better get serious, and give the right answer:

THE COLOR OF ICE


Ken #55863 11/12/08 06:29 PM
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Nature's Safety System for us climbers.....

If I read the article correctly, as the ice thickens, it tends towards a blue color. So, now that the ice appears blue, we know that it may have thickened to the point that it is safe to climb on?


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