Woman Plays With ‘Rotten’ Candle Ice in Alaska Lake

A woman standing in a partially frozen Alaska lake reaches beneath the surface and raises her hands, bringing up dozens of thin ice shards. Luc Mehl and Sarah Mehl Histand shared the video on Instagram, explaining that this phenomenon is called candle ice, a form of rotten ice.

The Histands say they biked along the edge of Eklutna Lake in Anchorage looking for a pocket of candle ice near the shore. When they found one, Sarah got in to show off the strange ice formations.

“Candle ice forms when columnar ice starts to melt—the melting takes place along the grain boundaries first, so it is like stripping the nails out from your house walls,” explain the Histands. “The walls might stand for a little while, but a small push can cause everything to collapse.”

[RELATED: Ice Skaters Experience Rare, Magical ‘Ice Window’ in Alaska]

Although Sarah appears right at home playing with the candle ice, the couple is quick to point out that rotten ice can be quite dangerous. “The scary thing about candle ice is that the top can refreeze at night, making it feel strong,” the post reads. “But as soon as the top thaws again, you can punch right through.”

Watch as a woman plays in some “rotten” candle ice here:

A woman standing in a partially frozen Alaska lake reaches beneath the surface and raises her hands, bringing up dozens of thin ice shards. Luc Mehl and Sarah Mehl Histand shared the video on Instagram, explaining that this phenomenon is called candle ice, a form of rotten ice.

The Histands say they biked along the edge of Eklutna Lake in Anchorage looking for a pocket of candle ice near the shore. When they found one, Sarah got in to show off the strange ice formations.

“Candle ice forms when columnar ice starts to melt—the melting takes place along the grain boundaries first, so it is like stripping the nails out from your house walls,” explain the Histands. “The walls might stand for a little while, but a small push can cause everything to collapse.”

[RELATED: Ice Skaters Experience Rare, Magical ‘Ice Window’ in Alaska]

Although Sarah appears right at home playing with the candle ice, the couple is quick to point out that rotten ice can be quite dangerous. “The scary thing about candle ice is that the top can refreeze at night, making it feel strong,” the post reads. “But as soon as the top thaws again, you can punch right through.”

Watch as a woman plays in some “rotten” candle ice here: