The Penitentes, Stunning Snow Formations

Captivating natural phenomena that highlight the beauty of the world.

Nature often produces divine creations that baffle and fascinate at the same time. On the high altitude glaciers of the dry and frozen Andes, between Chile and Argentina, hikers can find some spectacular ones called “Nieves Penitentes.” First mentioned in writing by Charles Darwin in 1839, the Penitentes are tall, thin blades of hardened snow sculpted by the sun. As the sun hits the snow, it transforms it directly into vapor without melting it, through a process called sublimation. The ice vaporizes without turning into a liquid first. Initially smooth, the snow surface thus develops depressions, hills, and hollows as some regions sublimate faster than others. As the carved surfaces then continue to concentrate the sunlight, they help to speed up the process. This results in icy snow columns that look like towering spikes.

Usually found in clusters, the Penitentes formations can grow from a few centimeters to about two meters. Some can reach heights of five meters. The dimensions, shapes, and heights vary from one snow sculpture to another. However, all of them have something in common, apart from their icy snow surface: they point directly at the sun. While beautiful to admire in photographs, the Penitentes are even better in person. Which makes them bucket list-worthy, especially for those who love to travel.