50 stunning ice formations from around the world [pics]

Last month, we proclaimed: You’ve never seen water like this. You could probably say the same about the ice formations featured below.

1

Mendenhall Glacier cave, Juneau, Alaska

Beneath southeastern Alaska's Mendenhall Glacier runs this nicely rounded tunnel which, according to the photographer, connects to a larger cavern further in.
Photo: Inua Blevins

2

After the ice storm

Search Google for "ice" + "car" and you'll find this image everywhere, purportedly the result of a particularly wicked ice storm.

3

Ilulissat, Greenland

The name of this town in western Greenland translates, not surprisingly, to "Icebergs."
Photo: Gerald Zinnecker

4

Ice cave, Pacific Northwest

The walk through this unnamed glacial cave had the photographer spooked: "The constant drip of snow melt on top of my head and shoulders was creepy. Had myself asking why I'm even into photography."
Photo: David Thompson

5

Romsdalen, Norway

This valley on the coast of Norway empties into the fjord of the same name, where GORE-TEX® Athlete Ines Papert climbed this sketchy-looking formation.
Photo: Thomas Senf

6

Kluane National Park and Reserve, Yukon

Last summer, Matador Ambassador Colin Delehanty flew over Kluane and captured this glacier shot, among others.
Photo: Colin Delehanty

7

Kárahnjúkar tunnel, Iceland

Just as the continual dripping of mineral-reach water can lead to the formation of stone stalagmites, the same happens with ice. Here, a disused manmade tunnel has been taken over by the pillars, some growing as tall as three feet.
Photo: Tom Olliver

8

Minnehaha Falls, Minnesota

This 53ft falls occurs on a tributary of the upper Mississippi. During winter, it forms this alcove of ice.
Photo: Dan Anderson

9

Frozen buds

An ice storm in Atlanta in 2005 completely encased these flower buds and stems.
Photo: Joao Paglione

10

Langjökull, Iceland

The opening of a massive glacier tunnel somewhere within the Langjökull Icefield, in western Iceland.
Photo: Gummi Stóri

11

Greenland glacier

One of the island's many ice rivers, as seen from 40,000 feet up.
Photo: G&R

12

Maligne Canyon, Jasper, Alberta

Maligne Canyon in Jasper National Park is hikeable all year -- you'll only see people doing this in the winter, though.
Photo: Sandy Phimester

13

Ice Hotel, Jukkasjärvi Sweden

The Ice Hotel in this town in northern Sweden comes complete with a church -- book your wedding from December to April.
Photo: nate2b

14

Sirmilik National Park, Nunavut

This small mountain glacier in far northern Canada spills down onto the beach.
Photo: subarcticmike

16

Flood Falls, Antarctica

Beneath Taylor Glacier in western Antarctica is an ancient pool of iron-oxide-rich saltwater, which works itself to the surface here.

17

St. Joseph, Michigan

Storm-powered waves battered this Lake Michigan lighthouse and then froze to create tendrils.
Photo: Tom Gill

18

Mackenzie Bay, Antarctica

This satellite image captures icebergs flowing northward off the Amery Ice Shelf but is most notable for the blue-green discolorations in the water, caused by the accumulation of millions of tiny ice crystals called frazil. Click the photo link to learn more.
Photo: NASA Goddard Photo and Video

19

Sapporo Snow Festival, Japan

Every February, hundreds of thousands of people travel to this city on Hokkaido to see the elaborate snow and ice sculptures.
Photo: enggul

20

Scărişoara Glacier, Romania

This glacier is contained within a cave of the same name in the Carpathian Mountains, with changes in temperature creating ice stalagmites.
Photo: Sergiu Bacioiu

22

Svínafellsjökull glacier tongue, Iceland

This photo was captured by Matador contributing editor Katka Lapelosa on her Game of Thrones stalking tour.

23

Tiffany Falls, Hamilton, Ontario

A popular ice climbing spot near Toronto.
Photo: GregRob

25

Iced tree

A striking example of the power of the ice storm.

26

Greenland

"It is an eerie feeling navigating through icebergs to surf. The deep blue of the water moves slowly around you as the massive icebergs begin to shift. The water temperature is so cold Keith Malloy takes a break from paddling walking across as much of the frozen water as possible."
Photo: Chris Burkard

27

Susitna Glacier, Alaska

This false-color satellite image from high above the Alaska Range shows how river-like the flow and topography of glaciers are.
Photo: NASA Goddard Photo and Video

28

Mer de Glace, France

An image from an exhibition cave within the Mer de Glace glacier, on the northern slopes of Mont Blanc.
Photo: Alejandro Pérez

29

IJsselmeer, Netherlands

A lake in the central Netherlands, IJsselmeer gives rise to piles of shelf ice under the right winter conditions.
Photo: Bas Meelker

30

Greenland from above

High above Greenland, the blue of glacial pools contrasts sharply with the smooth white of the ice sheet.
Photo: My Daily Sublime

31

Fox Glacier, New Zealand

From the heights of the Southern Alps, Fox Glacier descends for 13km to end in the rainforest of Westland Tai Poutini National Park on New Zealand's South Island.
Photo: anoldent

32

Arctic sea ice

In July of 2011, this ice cutter transported scientists on their mission to study Arctic sea ice.
Photo: NASA Goddard Photo and Video

33

Grand Haven, Michigan

The city of Grand Haven sits on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan -- its pier is seen here following a January storm.
Photo: ER Post

34

Ice Castles, Silverthorne, Colorado

In the winter of 2011-12, Brent Christensen and his team built their ice castles outside of Silverthorne, while this past season they were in Steamboat Springs.
Photo: Kristal Kraft

35

Snowflakes, Champagne-Ardenne, France

People have been photographing snowflakes since the 1880s, when Vermonter Wilson Alwyn Bentley used his primitive camera to capture their symmetry and uniqueness.
Photo: Laureos

36

Sideling Hill Tunnel, Pennsylvania

Once part of the Pennsylvania Turnpike system but now abandoned, the Sideling Hill Tunnel has been colonized by ice stalagmites (and photographers).
Photo: Jason Pratt

37

Icefalls in Johnston Canyon, Alberta

Located in Banff National Park.
Photo: James Neeley

38

Iced bench

The ice storm strikes again.

39

Frozen macro

The detail in this frozen droplet, seen hanging from a birdbath in the photographer's yard, is something special.
Photo: Family Ghost

41

Matusevich Glacier, Antarctica

Seen here via satellite, the Matusevich Glacier spills out of a channel in the Lazarev Mountains and fractures toward the sea.
Photo: NASA Goddard Photo and Video

42

Lake Baikal "ice corals"

The largest lake by volume in the world is surrounded by some of the most interesting ice formations on the planet.
Photo: BaikalNature

43

Louise Falls, Alberta

The falls that feeds Banff National Park's Lake Louise in summer becomes an ice climbing destination in winter.
Photo: Les Hulicsko

44

Ice dock

A bad day for boat owners.

45

The hangman of Woodstock, Ontario

A formation spotted on the Thames River of southwestern Ontario.
Photo: *Corrie*

46

Upsala Glacier, Argentina

An interesting product of the calving of the rapidly retreating Upsala Glacier in Argentina's Los Glaciares National Park.
Photo: Piero...

47

Duluth, Minnestoa

Like something out of a movie set on the shores of Lake Superior in Duluth.
Photo: Boreal Bird

48

Leslie Spit, Toronto

Captured on the winter solstice of 2008.
Photo: ~EvidencE~

49

Snowflakes, Montreal

More of winter's "super stars."
Photo: Jackie Rueda

50

Ice fence

Note from the photog: "When you're out shooting and focused on one scene, don't forget to look behind you. This was taken while I was shooting for the local daily...covering the replacement of a broken power pole."
Photo: Lela Bouse-McCracken