Watermelon Snow...Look, But Don’t Eat! ©

 

 

A video still from “Masterclass, On Eating Snow”, HERE, by Les Stroud.  I would like to thank Mr. Stroud for his permission to use this picture in my article, the full video of “Colorado Rockies”, season 3, episode 2, can be found HERE.

 

I am a huge fan of the Survivorman!  This article is in no way intended as criticism, implied or otherwise, of Mr. Stroud’s thoughts or opinions.  I am and have always been, a great admirer of his work and his thoughts on survival and on his method of teaching of survival skills.  In a very many ways, he has influenced my writing and my teaching – Author’s note.

 

Watermelon snow, from a picture titled “170828-FS-Inyo-PRW-MountRitter (36911026151)”, taken August 29, 2017, Wikimedia Commons, it can be found HERE.

An excerpt from “Masterclass, On Eating Snow”, by Les Stroud, found HERE.

This article started out as a conversation that I had with my oldest son, which went something like this, “Hey Dad, I just saw a great Survivorman video about red colored snow, the Survivorman said, that he wasn’t certain what caused the red color, but that you shouldn’t eat it.  I bet you could find out why the snow was red”! 

 

So, I did what I always do, I did some research and found the answers, so now let’s get to the questions. 

 

Watermelon snow, a portion of a picture titled “Antarctica(js) 31”, July 26, 2009, Wikimedia Commons, it can be found HERE.

 

An excerpt from “Masterclass, On Eating Snow”, by Les Stroud, found HERE.

  

Watermelon snow is pretty, but just what makes the snow, pink or red?

 

Watermelon snow, which is also called “pink snow” or “blood snow” is something that you might see during the late spring or summer, in the Arctic or the Antarctica, in areas above 9,500 feet (2,900 m) or anywhere snow can be found even during the summer months.  Watermelon snow isn’t caused by either a bacterium or a fungus, but by a type of cold-loving, fresh water green algae called Chlamydomonas nivalis¹, which produces a bright red carotenoid pigment, as well as chlorophyll for photosynthesis. 

 

It produces the bright red pigment to protect itself from harmful UV rays, which because of the atmosphere above 9,500 feet (2,900 m) and in both the Arctic and Antarctic regions of the globe is thinner, are more damaging than the ultraviolet radiation at lower elevations or in the mid-latitudes of the globe.

 

Chlamydomonas nivalis, a Green algal cell responsible for red coloration of mountain snow-packs.  This organism utilizes pollutants carried in snow as a food source and reduces the acidity of meltwater.  Thin section observed using TEM. magnified 10,000X.  A picture titled “Green algal”, May 19, 2008, Wikimedia Commons, it can be found HERE.

 

According to researchers, Chlamydomonas nivalis lies dormant as a cyst or spore under the snow during the winter, but as spring brings more sun and the snow begins to melt, the meltwater filled with nutrients reaches the dormant algae cells and causes them to germinate.  When they germinate, the dormant cells release smaller, green, light sensitive swimming cells with two whip-like flagella that can swim the cell, upwards within the snowbank, until they have reached an area where light, moisture, temperature and UV rays are the best for growth.  There they lose their flagella and develop into resting cells, called aplanospores, complete with the protective red carotenoid pigment and food reserves.  The higher the concentration in snowbank of Chlamydomonas nivalis, the brighter red the snowbank will be².

 

Watermelon snow, a portion of a picture titled “Chlamydomonas nivalis”, July 26, 2009, Wikimedia Commons, it can be found HERE.

An excerpt from “Masterclass, On Eating Snow”, by Les Stroud, found HERE.

Watermelon snow is yummy red color and some people even say that it smells faintly of fresh watermelon, so is it bad for you, can you eat it?

 

Scott Gediman, the public affairs officer for Yosemite National Park, in an interview with TODAY said of watermelon snow, “Although it probably isn’t harmful to eat, we certainly don’t recommend it ...”³.  The author, Redwic, wrote that he “... has even tasted very small doses of snow algae, for testing purposes, without feeling sick.  However, it is possible that snow algae might be contaminated by bacteria and toxic algae that are harmful to humans.  Eating large quantities of watermelon snow has been known to cause digestive ailments, although the tolerance level of each person's digestive system might be different”⁴. 

 

Watermelon snow is thought to have a laxative effect on people who eat it⁵,  And in a survival situation when you might already be low on water, loose stools or diarrhea can make dehydration worse, so watermelon snow should be avoided.  However, having said that, it is time to echo the advice of Paul Kummerfeldt, who said “A doctor can fix giardia, but he can’t fix dead”⁶.  If you don’t have any water and your choice is eat watermelon snow or die of dehydration, then eat the snow!  Just be cautious and careful and follow the advice of Les Stroud as explained below.

 

Watermelon snow, a portion of a picture titled “Chlamydomonas nivalis”, August 8, 2006, Wikimedia Commons, it can be found HERE.

An excerpt from “Masterclass, On Eating Snow”, by Les Stroud, found HERE.

 

How deep do you have to dig in the snow to make sure that you are through the layer of Chlamydomonas nivalis?

 

During the late spring and summer, when Chlamydomonas nivalis is active and the snow is various shades of red and pink, some researchers have found that the penetration of sunlight through snow, and therefore the growth of algae, approaches zero at four inches (10 cm), however other sources say the concentrations or “blooms” may extend to a depth of ten inches (25 centimeters), so you will have to dig down at least four and possibly more than ten cinches to find snow that is free of color and Chlamydomonas nivalis⁷.

 

However, before you start eating that clear white snow, remember whenever possible you should disinfect your water before you drink it, either with a filter, with a chemical or by boiling it¹⁰.  Mr. Gediman, the Yosemite National Park public affairs officer, when talking about eating snow said, “Like the water in the high country streams, it is probably safe to drink.  However, we highly recommend treating all water before drinking since there is the possibility of giardia, a bacteria that can make you very sick.  Therefore, all snow (watermelon or not) should be treated before consuming”⁸.  In fact, Christopher Joyce⁹ writes that many snowflakes are in fact created when water vapor crystallizes around bacteria! 

 

So, remember next time you are climbing a mountain, adventuring in the Arctic or in the Antarctic and you see a bright red, watermelon colored snowbank, look, take pictures, but don’t eat!

 

I hope that you continue to enjoy The Woodsman’s Journal Online and look for me on YouTube at Bandanaman Productions for other related videos, HERE.  Don’t forget to follow me on both The Woodsman’s Journal Online, HERE, and subscribe to BandanaMan Productions on YouTube.  If you have questions, as always, feel free to leave a comment on either site.  I announce new articles on Facebook at Eric Reynolds, on Instagram at bandanamanaproductions, and on VK at Eric Reynolds, so watch for me.

 

That is all for now, and as always, until next time, Happy Trails!

 

 

Notes

 

¹ There are over 60 species of cold-loving (cryophilic) snow algae, but the species responsible for the red and pink snow is Chlamydomonas nivalis.

 

² W. P. Armstrong; “Watermelon Snow: A Strange Phenomenon Caused by Algal Cells of The Chlorophyta”

 

³ Drew Wiesholtz; “Red-colored 'watermelon snow' found at Yosemite National Park”

 

⁴ Redwic; “Exploring The Mystery Of Watermelon Snow”

 

⁵ Jennifer Frazer; “Wonderful Things: Don't Eat the Pink Snow”

 

⁶ “A doctor can fix giardia, but he can’t fix dead”, is a survival refrain that Peter Kummerfeldt teaches, and I have echoed since I first heard it in 2005.  When worst comes to worst, and you are facing dehydration, drinking actually or potentially infected water is better than not drinking at all. 

 

This might seem like common sense, however as my daughter says, “what is common sense to one person, isn’t common sense to another; common sense only exists in the context of your environment”.  In the 1990’s two hikers in the Grand Canyon, ran out of water and didn’t want to refill their water bottles at a late season creek-bed pothole, teeming with tadpoles and other life: one of the hikers later died of dehydration and the other barely survived.

 

Peter Kummerfeldt, is a 71 year old survival expert who graduated from the Air Force Survival Instructor Training School and later was an instructor at the Basic Survival School, in Spokane, Washington, in the Arctic Survival School, in Fairbanks, Alaska, and the Jungle Survival School, in the Republic of the Philippines.  Also, Peter was the Survival Training Director for the United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, for twelve years (from Peter Kummerfeldt’s biography at “OutdoorSafe with Peter Kummerfeldt”, found HERE)

 

“Canyon Missteps, Lesson: Respect For Danger” Popular Mechanics, Volume 182, Number 8, August 2005, page 67,

 

⁷ W. P. Armstrong; “Watermelon Snow: A Strange Phenomenon Caused by Algal Cells of The Chlorophyta”

 

Marek Stibal, Josef Elster, Marie Šabacká, Klára Kaštovská, “Seasonal and diel changes in photosynthetic activity of the snow alga Chlamydomonas nivalis (Chlorophyceae) from Svalbard determined by pulse amplitude modulation fluorometry”

 

⁸ Drew Wiesholtz; “Red-colored 'watermelon snow' found at Yosemite National Park”

 

⁹ Christopher Joyce; “Snow Flurries, Bacteria Likely”

 

¹⁰ Just as, whenever possible, it is a good idea to disinfect snow and ice, which means that you first have to melt it, before using it as drinking water, it is also a good idea to melt ice and snow before putting it into your mouth, since by melting ice or snow inside your mouth you might reduce your core body temperature or hurt the inside of your mouth.  Additionally, since snow is so porous, you won’t get enough liquid by eating snow.  However, remember Mr. Kummerfeldt’s maxim, “doctors can cure a lot of things, but they can’t cure dead”, so if comes down to an eat ice and snow or die of dehydration situation, by all means eat the snow and ice, just be careful!

 

Also remember, since snow is such a good insulator, you first have to “prime” the pot with water before melting your snow or ice in it.  Prime your pot with about a cup (8 ounces or 250 ml) of water, so that you don’t scorch or burn a hole in the pot.

 

Sources

 

Armstrong, W. P.; “Watermelon Snow: A Strange Phenomenon Caused by Algal Cells of The Chlorophyta”, August 1998, [© W.P. Armstrong], https://www2.palomar.edu/users/warmstrong/plaug98.htm, accessed July 14, 2020

 

“Canyon Missteps, Lesson: Respect For Danger” Popular Mechanics, Volume 182, Number 8, August 2005, [Hearst Communications Inc, New York, NY] page 67, https://books.google.com/books?id=69IDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA67&dq=%22Canyon+Missteps%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi_5ISPmPPqAhWej3IEHRlcDQ4Q6AEwAHoECAAQAg#v=onepage&q=%22Canyon%20Missteps%22&f=false, accessed April 3, 2019

 

Eveleth, Rose; “This Pink Snow Is Not What You Think it Is”, July 11, 2013, [© 2020 Smithsonian Magazine], https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-pink-snow-is-not-what-you-think-it-is-9651061/, accessed July 14, 2020

 

Fiegl, Amanda; “Eating Snow”, February 4, 2010, [© 2020 Smithsonian Magazine], https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/eating-snow-79389622/, accessed July 27, 2020

 

Frazer, Jennifer; “Wonderful Things: Don't Eat the Pink Snow”, July 9, 2013, [© 2020 Scientific American, A Division Of Nature America, Inc.], https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/artful-amoeba/wonderful-things-dont-eat-the-pink-snow/, accessed July 14, 2020

 

Joyce, Christopher; “Snow Flurries, Bacteria Likely”, March 3, 2008, [© 2020 npr], https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=87761584?storyId=87761584, accessed July 27, 2020

 

Marshall, Miri; “Watermelon snow: Sounds good, but you may not want to eat it. Here's why”, November 15, 2019, [© 2020 WUSA-TV], https://www.wusa9.com/article/weather/weather-blog/watermelon-snow-algae-pink/65-e35c036b-88ad-4593-97e9-97545e36b0af, accessed July 14, 2020

 

Redwic; “Exploring The Mystery Of Watermelon Snow”, [© 2006-2020 SummitPost.org], https://www.summitpost.org/exploring-the-mystery-of-watermelon-snow/640549, accessed July 29, 2020

 

Stibal, Marek; Elster, Josef; Šabacká, Marie; Kaštovská, Klára; “Seasonal and diel changes in photosynthetic activity of the snow alga Chlamydomonas nivalis (Chlorophyceae) from Svalbard determined by pulse amplitude modulation fluorometry”, FEMS Microbiology Ecology, Volume 59, Issue 2, February 1, 2007, Pages 265-273, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1574-6941.2006.00264.x, accessed August 1, 2020

 

Stroud, Les; “Masterclass, On Eating Snow”, [originally from Colorado Rockies, Season Three, Episode Two, November 14, 2008], https://youtu.be/zsBFPB5LXL8, accessed July 11, 2020

 

Wiesholtz, Drew; “Red-colored 'watermelon snow' found at Yosemite National Park”, August 7, 2019, [© 2020 NBC Universal], https://www.today.com/news/red-colored-watermelon-snow-found-yosemite-national-park-t160240, accessed July 14, 2020

 

Wikimedia Commons, “Chlamydomonas nivalis”, July 26, 2009, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chlamydomonas_nivalis.jpg, accessed July 27, 2020

 

Wikimedia Commons, “170828-FS-Inyo-PRW-MountRitter (36911026151)”, August 29, 2017,

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:170828-FS-Inyo-PRW-MountRitter_(36911026151).jpg, accessed July 27, 2020

 

Wikimedia Commons, “Antarctica(js) 31”, 2000, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Antarctica(js)_31.jpg, accessed July 30, 2020

 

Wikipedia, “Chlamydomonas nivalis”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlamydomonas_nivalis, accessed August 1, 2020

 

Wikimedia Commons, “Green algal”, May 19, 2008, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Green_algal.jpg, accessed August 1, 2020

 

Wikimedia Commons, “Watermelon Snow, Observation and Echo Rock”, August 8, 2008, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/22/Watermelon_Snow%2C_Observation_and_Echo_Rock.jpg, accessed July 30, 2020

 

Vili, A.; “Can You Eat It? What You Need To Know About the Pinkish Watermelon Snow”, July 18, 2016, [© 2020 Nature World News]’ https://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/25434/20160718/can-you-eat-it-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-pinkish-watermelon-snow.htm, accessed July 14, 2020