Across the Ice, Over the River and Through the Woods . . .

Thursday, March 24, 2011
You know what's really weird when you think about it? Ice.

For oh, about  seven months of the year, the bay outside the cabin looks like this.


For the other 5 months it looks more like this:


In a neighboring bay, ice turns the lake into a veritable highway.


Of course ice makes a rather capricious roadway. Ice is in its very nature is treacherous. When too much snow builds up on the ice, lake water leaks over the top of the ice to mix with the snow and creating slushy conditions that are anything but fun to traverse. Wind can cover up paths across the lake's flat frozen terrain in a matter of minutes.

We've been getting a lot more sunshine and warmer temps lately and that means the lake ice is starting its slow spring melt. As the layers of ice and snow melt down, past treks across the ice are re-revealed since compacted tracks from snowmobiles, snowshoes, and boots take longer to melt.


It can be kind of disconcerting to walk across melting ice. As I write this I can hear the ice groaning and cracking outside as it adjusts to warmer "spring-ier" temperatures. But our  recent  warm "spring" weather was followed by subzero temperatures in the last couple days which refroze the ice into a concrete like substance. Yesterday Andy and I set out down the new (and short-lived) ice "sidewalk" to see where the wind might blow us.


After all that ice talk, it was lovely to find some running water by the "Ripple", where the lake feeds into a river.


On the way home, we scrambled down a cliff,
cut through a swamp

(which wasn't quite as stable as the lake ice),


found cliff side icicles,


even spied some evergreen polypody poking up through the snow.

It was beautiful springtime hike, all brought to you compliments of the wonderful, mysterious substance known as ice!


Where's your favorite place to wander in the springtime?

18 comments:

  1. Wow that is very pretty! I'm my sure I would like living in a place with snow this late in the year, but then again, it probably makes you appreciate spring more, huh?

    My favorite place to wander in the spring is anywhere with spring flowers! I love taking photos of them too. ;)

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  2. Wow those are amazing pictures! I love to go anywhere outside when it's springtime. I'm actually dying here stuck inside my house for yet another terrible storm. I'm so ready for some sunshine!!

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  3. I love the groaning of springtime ice much more than the gunshot cracks of expanding ice! Beautiful photos. My favorite springtime place is wherever I am the moment that I realize the sun is too warm for a coat.
    P.S. I haven't read "Bird by Bird" but I plan on doing so before my residency begins! I read an excerpt after seeing your post. It might be exactly what I need before I dive in. :)

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  4. Pretty pictures! My boys are just itching to get out on our bikes and go exploring trails.

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  5. Very beautiful... BUT I must say, I am very thankful to live in the south where the ice visits for just a few days each winter. :) Our trees are budding, the flowers are blooming, the birds are singing... until next week when it gets cold. Again. :)

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  6. lovely, just lovely! Your pictures need few if any words, they are so beautiful! Even though I have been blogging about sunshine and how much I crave it...your wonderful pictures of your walk were very nice.
    My favorite place to walk...by the water usually, but we have a wonderful wooded area we love to hike to on warm days...and a cool trail we like to take our bikes to!

    blessings,
    melody

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  7. Wow, those pictures are amazing!
    www.rebeccabany.com

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  8. What a fun walk you took us on! Ice roads do make me incredibly nervous, I can't do it.

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  9. As always your photos are gorgeous!
    But, as someone who has never lived in a place that gets much snow, let alone ice, this was wildly educational! Ice Roads are something completely uncharted for me!

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  10. Thanks for stopping by MoxieMama! Oh I grew upin Wisconsin and how i miss the woods and snow, and beautiful ice!

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  11. Beautiful pictures and background!! Looking forward to reading more. Thanks for your comment on my blog. :)

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  12. Oh my goodness, that is just gorgeous! It looks like you can really do some serious exploring around there. I would love to visit and see all the white. We rarely get enough snow to last a day or two in Portland. But luckily its not too far to travel to visit the mountain :)
    Have a wonderful weekend and thanks for stopping by!

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  13. One word - WOW. It's like another world! Beautiful ♥

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  14. How beautiful...I found you via the Lady Bloggers Tea Party - what a magnificent blog - amazing photos - the Spring has only just sprung here in London xx

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  15. How beautiful! Thanks for stopping by my blog. My favorite place in the springtime? The South-where my roots are. Mainstreet is lined with pear trees and white blooms are boasting. Gosh, I miss that place.

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  16. I can so relate even though we aren't as northern as you are. Your temps seem to always be colder than ours. I am guilty of complaining about the winter, but it is a beautiful time if you are prepared for it. Your lake is peaceful and graceful no matter what season it is in.

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  17. Gorgeous! I love wondering through my mom's garden at home in spring and seeing all the flowers and fruit trees starting to blossom.

    We also make maple syrup so it's nice to go wander through the woods tapping the maple trees.

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  18. what is a more detailed explanation for pond ice noises in the spring?

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