Woman sets out to photograph eagles — then stumbles upon strange ice formations in WA
Amie Wheeler dropped her teenage son off at school and set out to photograph bald eagles in Washington.
She then discovered strange, silky, hair-like ice formations.
It was about 10 a.m. on Jan. 15 when Wheeler saw a “big patch of frost” off a road near Deming in Whatcom County, she told McClatchy News by phone.
The Glenhaven woman parked her car and followed her curiosity into a wooded area, climbing through brush to reach the icy spot.
“I noticed it was the hair ice, and it was probably an inch-and-a-half to two inches in length, which is the longest I’ve ever seen,” Wheeler said.
The hair ice curled around tree branches, photos show.
Hair ice forms on decaying deciduous wood that has a fungus called Exidiopsis effusa, according to Mount Rainier National Park.
The temperature, latitude and humidity all need to be just right so the fungus can release moisture that forms ice crystals resembling hair, park officials said.
Wheeler said she was excited to finally capture it on camera.
“I texted Sean and kind of did a little bragging moment because he always shows me his amazing shots,” she said.
Sean Wheeler is her husband, and he’s also a photographer.
The couple recently opened a gallery, Tandem Wheels Photography, in La Conner, where they showcase their work.
La Conner is about a 35-mile drive south from Bellingham.
This story was originally published January 17, 2025 at 3:13 PM with the headline "Woman sets out to photograph eagles — then stumbles upon strange ice formations in WA."
