Penitentes, or nieves penitentes (Spanish for “penitent-shaped snows”), are a snow formation found at high altitudes. They take the form of tall thin blades of hardened snow or ice, closely spaced with the blades oriented towards the general direction of the sun.

Balloons are inflated at the Bristol International balloon fiesta in south west England August 6, 2015. Now in its 37th year, the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta is Europe's largest annual hot air balloon event in the city that is seen by many balloonists as the home of modern ballooning. (Photo by Toby Melville/Reuters)

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton takes a photo with supporters John Nelson, 32, (L) and Dan Stifler, 32, (C) after speaking at the UFCW Union Local 324 in Buena Park, California, U.S. May 25, 2016. (Photo by Lucy Nicholson/Reuters)

Jimmy Bryan of Phoenix, Ariz., gets the checkered victory flag at the Indiana State Fairgrounds September 17, 1955 as he wins the “Hoosier Hundred” for the second consecutive year. Bryan averaged 83.98 miles an hour for the 100-lap, 100-mile AAA big car race. (Photo by AP Photo)

A protester with his face smeared with soot from burning barricades stands in the Musaga neighbourhood of Bujumbura on May 6, 2015. Government and opposition rivals are meeting in Burundi in a bid to end deadly demonstrations against a third term bid by the president, as regional foreign ministers arrived to add pressure. (Photo by Phil Moore/AFP Photo)

Animal rights activists from the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) in dinosaur costumes hold placards urging people to go vegan, ahead of Earth Day celebration, in Manila, Philippines, April 21, 2022. (Photo by Lisa Marie David/Reuters)

This handout photograph taken and released by Limex Images for Red Bull on February 6, 2019 shows France's Nicolas Ivanoff flying over the skyline prior to the first stage of the Red Bull Air Race World Championship in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Predrag Vuckovic/AFP Photo)

A Filipino teacher checks a picture of a student shown on a tablet that is attached to robot during a graduation ceremony at a school in Taguig City, Philippines, 22 May 2020. At least 179 high school students received their diploma during an online graduation ceremony that was beamed live on Facebook as a measure to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and COVID-19 disease. (Photo by Francis R. Malasig/EPA/EFE)