A young stallion walks into the Spring Creek arroyo to drink from thawed ice along the edges. The white you see on the “beaches” and banks isn’t snow – or ice. It’s salt. All of the soil (and water not in the catchments) is alkaline, and it comes to the surface in various places, especially near damp places such as arroyos. Not the whole length of Spring Creek has ice in it; the above-pictured section is where water has come to the surface and frozen. In the summer, until it dries up, it’s a seepy place for the mustangs to drink.
Spring Creek Basin Mustangs 
I imagine the salt just adds to the appeal.
Everything they eat or drink contains salt.
I love this photo, TJ! It just seems to capture the essence of a winter day in Spring Creek Basin – the ice, the alkali deposits, the brown landscape, the mustang at the frozen creek.
I did like the obvious – and photogenic – “leading line” of the arroyo. 🙂 The mustang just adds to the appeal!
Very strange! Anyone would just think it was snow! Hope some snow is on the way!
New visitors are always surprised to see the ground-surface salt. 🙂 We have a chance of snow tomorrow, but the way things are going with the forecasts of late, I’m not hugely optimistic. … But I AM still hopeful!
Good to see water in the arroyo!
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Yes. 🙂
We have similar soil here and right now one of the wettest alkali areas has funky salt crystal things on it because of the moisture. It’s very interesting.
I’ve seen that. Another bit of nature’s wonder!