Springing From Glaciers - Braided Rivers. Glacial streams begin in the high mountains where they stay frozen all winter, but melt when days lengthen and become warmer. As water flow and momentum increase, a trickling stream can become a powerful river, carrying sand, rocks, and even boulders as it flows over and through rocky glacial debris. These rivers, carrying large sediment loads, often form a tangled network of bars, channels, and islands. They are called braided rivers. Many of the rivers within the park show this braided characteristic. The rivers' cold temperatures, hidden depths, and huge sediment loads are potentially dangerous to hikers trying to cross them.
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