Everything you should know about the Blue Ice Cave
The Blue Ice Caves form naturally every winter. Like all ice caves, they begin as crevices in the glacier. As the glacier melts, water finds its way into these crevices, making them expand and melt faster than the glacier itself.
Over time, tunnels form and these tunnels will continue in this freezing and melting cycle. Sometimes, the tunnel disappears altogether; other times, it becomes a gigantic hole.
When all the correct elements are in place, a cave appears. This process is the typical formation of all glacier ice caves.
But what makes the ice cave blue? The refraction of light. Glacier ice is compact ice with little or no air within. As light passes through the glacier, only the wavelength of the blue light makes its way through the ice, making it appear blue.
The more compact the ice is, the bluer it will appear. There has also been purple, red and yellow ice on certain occasions.
What makes the Blue Ice Cave so unique? They form naturally every year. At the beginning of every winter, the glacier experts will go onto the glaciers to search for these blue ice caves. Some years, they find small ones; some years, they see big ones.
Sometimes, the caves are unstable or unsafe for tourists, and there is no guarantee they will be found the following year. So, if you have the chance to see it, you should. You might never know if that chance will occur ever again.
