When icy days follows the rain, spring water freezes on rock walls and slopes resulting in icicles, layers and cascades of ice. This is notorious in Montserrat and in the area of Montcau where water goes mainly underground because the so many cracks and the soluble nature of the rock, so there is plenty of temporary springs, and where cold is pushed by both higher altitude and north and north-west faces in district of Bages. The cold builds beautiful works in ice in wet corners, like altarpieces in a chapel. The beauty goes off fast, that’s why it’s so beauty. It lasts just for the days of cold wave. Areas prompt to get on ice are the north face of Montcau one abrupt place where walkers are rare- and in Montserrat, easier to admire by the road that crosses the whole north slope from can Massana and gets to the monastery in parallel to the path of Degotalls, the drips in Catalan.
The picture displays the icicles in the channel of Sant Jeroni or Santa Cecilia, in Montserrat, in icy day 14.02.2010.
[photo Jordi Badia]