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.

A woman wears a Yao bridal headdress in Hezhou, Guangxi, China on January 6, 2021. (Photo by Sipa Asia/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

Men ride a scooter through a flooded street after heavy rains in New Delhi, India, August 6, 2019. (Photo by Adnan Abidi/Reuters)

A cosplay enthusiast waits at the premiere of the movie “Warcraft” in Hollywood, California U.S., June 6, 2016. (Photo by Mario Anzuoni/Reuters)

A woman poses for a photograph during Holi celebrations in the town of Barsana in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India, March 6, 2017. (Photo by Cathal McNaughton/Reuters)

Fans are seen at the 143rd Kentucky Derby on May 6, 2017 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

American model and television personality Amelia Gray Hamlin at a Met Gala 2024 afterparty on May 6, 2024. (Photo by Splash News and Pictures)