This winter's first trail (Read 44 times)

My new full name is Running on river During today's long run I got to the riverbank and the view of that huge ice plain was so inviting that I ran across the river. It was -17C (+3F) and I don't really like running in cold weather, but while one cheek was nipped by the frost, the other one was warmed by the sun and it felt almost like spring. I had no camera with me, but a friend of mine made some good shots:

Ice hole in the middle of the river.

Ice ridges.

Panorama of Samara from the river (see the image in full size).

It depends on how strong is the current (and the activity of the hydroelectric dam about 100 km up the river), but normally it takes about 3-5 weeks of temperatures below -5C (23F) for the river to freeze up to the condition when people can safely cross it. The municipal services monitor the ice thickness and when it grows to around 20-24 cm, the crossing paths are opened.