Sparkling ice glazes mountain as temperatures drop

Low temperatures and freezing rain in Zhangjiajie, Hunan province, has turned Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park into a white wonderland, with trees covered by rime ice.

The unique natural wonder appeared on Tuesday and continued into Wednesday.

Crystalline rime ice forms when the temperatures of both the air and an object — such as a tree — are below freezing and warmer water vapor droplets, such as fog, are present. The droplets freeze quickly to create irregular, sparkling shapes.

Temperatures at the top of Tianmen, at an altitude of 1,500 meters, dropped below 0 C on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Some travel routes were temporarily closed, but cable cars continued to run so that tourists could take in the natural beauty.