Enchanted Forest
Alaska
Snow ghosts at twilight in Alaska. These are trees so heavily laden with snow and rime ice that they become unrecognizable—sculptural forms that look like they belong on another planet. When the conditions are right, the snow builds up layer after layer, freezing into these incredible shapes that can stand for months through the winter. I shot this at twilight when the sky turns that incredible purple-to-pink gradient, casting cool light on the frozen forms. This is Alaska in deep winter—temperatures well below zero, snow measured in feet not inches, and landscapes that feel like stepping into a fairytale. The tallest snow ghost on the right stood maybe fifteen feet tall, completely transformed from the tree it once was. This is why I live here. This is Alaska at its most magical. Photo © copyright by Michael Schultz.