Taking in Lake Superior's Ice Caves

With a winter that has lived up to the predictions of being piercing cold and snowy (Farmer's Almanac predictions for 2014), we are able to get a glimpse of something we don't get to see very often and it is predicted that we will get to see less and less in the future.  Lake Superior freezing over.  And as of this week it is about 90+% frozen over (NOAA).

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Ice Caves

Because Lake Superior has frozen and the shoreline along the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is frozen, we have an opportunity to visit the Ice Caves located along the shoreline.  And I took advantage of this opportunity.

Visiting the Ice Caves requires a 1.3 mile hike on the ice to arrive at the beginning of the shoreline where the Ice Caves are located.  Because of the national attention this has been getting I chose to splurge and take a few vacation days to visit during the week versus attempting to hike out there when the masses of people are there on the weekend.  This was the perfect decision and a great use of my vacation.

On a Monday morning, when the air temperature was -19 degrees fahrenheit, I laid out the gear I would need to defend against an air temperature this brutally cold and knowing that once I hit the shoreline of a frozen Lake Superior I would run into a cold wind which would drop those temperatures even further.  After inspection and packing - I felt good and was ready to go.

The drive up from Iron River was beautiful, the sun came out and I thought, this will be a good trip.  But as I arrived to the parking area, that all changed.  Snow was coming down, the wind was so strong it was blowing it sideways, there were whiteout conditions and within one minute at the back of my car trying to find gear without gloves on, I needed to get back in the car to warm up my now frozen hands.  As I sat there, I mentally prepared myself and thought - you have the gear, you have hand warmers, you have toe warmers and you came here to go see the caves.  I pulled on all my gear in the car and set out.  My first vision as I hit the shoreline was the view of walking snowmen, in reality it was a couple who were just returning from the caves - the wind and snow was blowing so hard, they were literally caked in snow.  Their word of warning was to be prepared for the trip back from the caves as you walk directly into the wind and snow.  Got it, I was going.

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore - Walk to the Ice Caves

The walk out to the Ice Caves was peaceful and quiet - with the weather conditions as they were and being a Monday morning, there was no crowd.  It was an amazing view for what you could see in the whiteout conditions. Lake ice piling up, a wooded shoreline and the anticipation of finding the caves.

After rounding a few bends, the shoreline changes and becomes less wooded and builds up with the sandstone bluffs that makes viewing ice caves possible.

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore - Ice

Once I arrived at the sandstone bluffs I spent my time exploring the ice caves and continued down the shoreline for another 1.5 miles.  The ice formations inside these caves was just amazing.  Between the water seeping through the porous sandstone rock to form the hanging ice cicles and the splashing of the water from Lake Superior before it froze over - Mother Nature did her job in creating a wonderland to explore.

Lake Superior Ice Caves

After exploring for a while it was time to turn around and start the trek back toward my car.  Yes, it was windy just as the advice from the walking snowmen was when I started my hike.  But as I turned around to head back, the snow had stopped and the sun was just arriving along the shoreline.  I had timed it just perfectly.  The sun was hitting the ice and providing some amazing views of the sandstone bluffs and the tree lined shores.  

Sun is starting to shine along the Lake Superior shoreline.

Sun hitting the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore - Lake Superior

This was an amazing journey, one that I definitely will not forget.  And thanks to my advanced planning of what gear I would need to survive a cold, windy, snowy day - I never got cold.  I'd definitely do it all over again.

For those that are curious, what does one wear in conditions like this to stay comfortable and warm. Here's a list of what I had on:

Top:

• Smartwool NTS layer
• Polartec Fleece
• Mountain Hardwear Jacket - used my synthetic (similar to the B'Lady)

Bottom:

• Patagonia Capilene 3
• Old pair of Columbia pants
• Old pair of Columbia snow pants

Head / Hands / Feet

• Balaclava
• Hat
• Glacier Glasses
• Scott Gloves (similar to the Traverse)
• Hand warmers
• Wool Boot Socks (LL Bean)
• Toe warmers
• Lands End winter boots

"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir