Stream Patterns in the Snow

Returning from a trip to Lewis and Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho, we flew over the Idaho mountains. Rod and Cookie Hanna, a GSU faculty member in science education, had made the trip in connection with an integrated science course for education majors which we were developing. In the snow-covered mountains I was intriqued by the intricate patterns of the streams in the snow.

The streams show complex meandering paths in the valley where the slope is small. But note the nearly straight-line path of the stream which apparently comes down a steep slope to the valley.