Ice Cave
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I spent a couple hours photographing some of the interesting ice formations in the "cave" behind these curtains of ice on 2-18-2016. There wasn't nearly as much ice as 1 year ago and I didn't take an overview photo this year. I included some of last year's shots for illustration and comparison. This OVERVIEW photo is of the February 2015 condition. By the way, these photos are of a top-secret location in central Ohio.
I went back to the place later that week (February 2015) on a solo mission to shoot photos in the cave. This shot is from the back of the cave looking out. Notice how thick and plentiful the ice was inside the cave that year. For perspective on location, use the horizontal log as a point of reference and compare it the first photo (the OVERVIEW). This image was the favorite of most people I sent selected images to last year.
On to 2016: There is not nearly as much ice, but the colors are more visible and the formations are still interesting. Rock and ice make the same formations. I've seen stalagmites, stalactites, columns, cups, ribbons, hanging straws, broken/fallen straws fused to the floor, curtains, cauliflower, etc. made of calcium minerals in caves in KY and WV. The same shapes form in ice if the conditions are right.
There must be some iron in the rock and/or groundwater that seeps into the cave; hence the nice orange color. More on that later.
The main structure in this photo has become hollow and filled with water. The same drip water that formed the stalagmite during the colder days melted a hole in the top of it during the warmer conditions of the past day . The drip giveth and the drip taketh away.
Many of the ice structures this year were stubby little stalagmites like this one.
Notice the little green bit of debris at the 4 O'clock position on the top surface.
This zoomed-in shot shows that the encased debris is part of a moss frond.
That's enough of the stubby little guys. The next one has great character.
The little vertical streaks low and to the right are falling water drops.
The sheet of ice on the floor developed several of melt holes as the water continued to drip at warmer temperatures.
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This spot has melted enough to expose the floor. This location was at the outside edge of the cave where there is enough soil/leaf litter to support growth of moss.
This is a close-up of the front edge of that last melt hole in the floor.
That's all for the floor. Some interesting stuff happened on the ceiling also.
The weight of these icicles pulled this fragile layer of sandstone from the ceiling.
The next couple of icicles pulled some colorful grains of sand from the ceiling as they receded during the melting process.
