Hydrohistorian
Snow fields near Cumbres, Colorado. 1920.
U.S. Geological Survey · 1920 · U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Geological Survey, USGS Library Photographic Collection U.S. government work; public domain. Archive record ↗ · Rights
Source Archival record · verify at U.S. Geological Survey ↗
Cumbres Pass in July, above ten thousand feet, with the snow still on the ground. What is left up here in midsummer is the Rio Grande's late water, and the reason a dry spring shows up in August.
Shows: Residual high-country snow in the month it matters most, on the divide above the San Luis Valley.
What this does not let you conclude: How much water is in it. A snowfield's depth and density are the whole question, and a photograph answers neither -- which is exactly why the courses and the pillows exist. The album caption reads 'Snow fields near Cumbres, Colo., in July. Elevation over 10,000.'
Placed on
- Topic snow · plate
- Division 3 · gallery
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