Polychrome Pass, Alaska Range
Curiously, the north of Alaska was less glaciated in the Ice Ages than the south. The mountains here retain their conical shape; u-shaped valleys -- the result of glacial erosion -- are largely absent. Yet such glacial meltwaters as there are hit solid permafrost in the valleys and flow over its surface rather than eroding it, much as water might flow over your hard kitchen draining-board. This creates what are called in US English "braided rivers": shallow streams that plait their channels many times. The name Polychrome refers to the bright colours in the exposed rock strata of the mountains. From a slide.
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Polychrome Pass, Alaska Range
Curiously, the north of Alaska was less glaciated in the Ice Ages than the south. The mountains here retain their conical shape; u-shaped valleys -- the result of glacial erosion -- are largely absent. Yet such glacial meltwaters as there are hit solid permafrost in the valleys and flow over its surface rather than eroding it, much as water might flow over your hard kitchen draining-board. This creates what are called in US English "braided rivers": shallow streams that plait their channels many times. The name Polychrome refers to the bright colours in the exposed rock strata of the mountains. From a slide.
211014 001
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All images are the property of the photographer and may not be reproduced, copied, downloaded, transmitted or used in any way without the written permission of the photographer, who can be contacted by registering with flickr and using flickrmail. Flickrmail can be selected by using the options button next to your name on your home page.
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