C is for the cold, in which the crystals coalesce and creep, and for the calving cliff where they recombine with the circulating deep. C is for Cirque (or Corrie or Cwm), and for the creaking, cracking crevasses and conduits where crampons really count and the climber or caver can't find much room. C is for the continuity equation and the column-averaged flow law of calibrated computer calculations, and for the coarse-cobbled clay with characteristic clasts collected at Columbia, Cascade or Cook. C is for the cores at Camp Century and Dome-C, and for the ice cap carapace of Cotopaxi, Chimborazo, Cayambe and the rest. C is the optic c-axis through the crinkled molecular sheets, and the crossed polarizing filters that show me the colours as well as the darkness in the ice.
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C is also for cryoconite... |
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...and campsite... |
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...and this small cavity at the margin of the ice. |