Lake Michigan ice is spectacular this year
Feb 13, 2014 20:39:16 #
We are seeing ice on Lake Michigan like we haven't seen in decades. Latest estimate is that the lake is frozen over 80% now.
Tuesday we had sun for the first time in weeks, so we strapped on ice cleats - absolutely necessary as the footing was treacherous - and headed out. The temperature got up to only 4 degrees F, but there wasn't any wind so we stayed out about 4 hours.
A few hundred yards out we climbed 30 or 40 feet up to the edge of an ice cliff - a sheer drop 40-50 feet. From there we could see huge pile-ups of broken ice sections, each fragment probably 10-25 feet across.
There were lots of "ice volcanoes" which are caused by wave pressure blowing holes in the ice. Water then shoots up through these holes like a geyser, and as it comes down it freezes and forms conical "mountains." Some were 10-15 tall.
Mike
Tuesday we had sun for the first time in weeks, so we strapped on ice cleats - absolutely necessary as the footing was treacherous - and headed out. The temperature got up to only 4 degrees F, but there wasn't any wind so we stayed out about 4 hours.
A few hundred yards out we climbed 30 or 40 feet up to the edge of an ice cliff - a sheer drop 40-50 feet. From there we could see huge pile-ups of broken ice sections, each fragment probably 10-25 feet across.
There were lots of "ice volcanoes" which are caused by wave pressure blowing holes in the ice. Water then shoots up through these holes like a geyser, and as it comes down it freezes and forms conical "mountains." Some were 10-15 tall.
Mike
Feb 13, 2014 20:42:18 #
Blenheim Orange wrote:
We are seeing ice on Lake Michigan like we haven't... (show quote)
Damn that global warming!!!!!! :shock: :roll: :lol:
Feb 13, 2014 20:42:37 #
Wow! This is very unusual for me!
Wished I could see it in person, someday.....
Pat
Wished I could see it in person, someday.....
Pat
Feb 13, 2014 20:49:24 #
Feb 13, 2014 20:50:24 #
Nice,shots...I'm going head to Leland this weekend for the ice caves.
Feb 13, 2014 20:54:57 #
pounder35 wrote:
Damn that global warming!!!!!! :shock: :roll: :lol:
Now, now, pounder35.
:roll:
We can take that up in the section of the forum the name of which I won't mention.
:D
Thanks for taking a look.
Mike
(Adding more energy to a system increases volatility, BTW, so were energy being added to a system we would expect to see extremes, not things getting gradually toastier. But that is a debate for another time and place.)
Feb 13, 2014 20:59:52 #
Feb 13, 2014 21:01:57 #
Jay Pat wrote:
Wow! This is very unusual for me!
Wished I could see it in person, someday.....
Pat
Wished I could see it in person, someday.....
Pat
This is pretty unusual. Here is a shot in the same location a year ago.
Feb 13, 2014 21:02:58 #
Cdouthitt wrote:
Nice,shots...I'm going head to Leland this weekend for the ice caves.
Thanks.
We may run into each other out there.
Mike
Feb 13, 2014 21:06:35 #
Blenheim Orange wrote:
Thanks.
We may run into each other out there.
Mike
We may run into each other out there.
Mike
Where are people parking and hiking from?
Feb 13, 2014 21:06:50 #
Wow Mike these are awesome! I remember Lake Erie being this way a long long time ago. Thanks for sharing your walk with us. Now go get warm.:)
Erv
Erv
Feb 13, 2014 21:11:36 #
Feb 13, 2014 21:15:52 #
what a series! just a wonder, all that ice and snow. It just looks so quiet, almost like another planet. I am loving these.
Feb 13, 2014 21:22:39 #
Feb 13, 2014 21:25:38 #
Unusual and very pretty shots. Sounds like you had a nice four hour adventure.
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