I’m not sure I would be quite so dedicated to get down on the ice for a photo as I might have in the past, especially this weekend with possible -45 wind chills. I might wait until it gets above zero before wandering around the ice formations.
Cold Photography
Seven years ago, it was sub-zero day like today when I visited the ice caves on Lake Superior. And since it was so cold outside, it was actually warmer inside an ice cave and my camera lens would fog up each time I ventured into one. I also needed the hand warmer packets to keep my camera batteries working.
Cold Ice Cave Visit
Another cold winter day is probably helping to form ice on Lake Superior, although since there was open water last week is this area, the ice caves are closed. There are other areas were the ice is thick enough that you can walk on Lake Superior to view the ice formations. Since some of the hikes to view the ice caves involve a four mile or longer walk, one might appreciate some hot chocolate after hours in the frigid air like these two people (the two little spots in the lower left corner of the photo).
Frigid Ice Walk
The sunshine and a temperature at the freezing mark should have felt good today after the prior cold days but the wind was whipping the snow around making it feel arctic. The recent cold days still wasn’t enough to form a stable ice layer to see the caves near Meyer Beach as in past years.
Ice Walk to the Caves
There was a big change in temperature from yesterday’s -20 temperature to today reaching just above freezing. And even though there was several cold days, January was warmer than normal so there hasn’t been a solid ice layer on Lake Superior near the sea caves. The lack of stable thick ice has prevented access to visit the ice caves this year so far, but I prefer the warmer temperatures even if that means no icy formation sightseeing.
Escaping from the Ice Monster
Some of the houses have large icicles forming from their roofs from all the recent snow starting to melt but at least they aren’t quite as big as these icicles along Lake Superior shoreline.
Curtain of Icicles
The last day of January ended on a cold note with another morning at -32 degrees and still below zero as the day ended. But with less wind, the wind chills weren’t as extreme but it will be nice when it gets above freezing.
Frozen Falls Inside a Cave
Old Man Winter definitely has his teeth biting into the Midwest with the -60 wind chills overnight and hasn’t loosen his grip today either.
Bite of Winter
The clouds rolled in before sunset as the snow storm made its approach this evening but today view was a lot different than when I hiked on Lake Superior’s frozen surface.
Superior Cloudy Sun
Some light snow was falling today and the flakes are lighter than one of these icicles, which you wouldn’t want one to drop on your head.
Long Icicles
