Crossing the Frozen Lake!

Crossing the Frozen Lake!

Elliot Lake looking west

Last Sunday, St. Patrick's Day, was absolutely gorgeous! The sky was clear with not a cloud in sight, so we decided to take a hike on the frozen surface of Elliot Lake, from Spine Beach to Spruce Beach. 

Although the snowfall has been of record proportions this winter, the surface was quite solid, the snow having been either blown away by the wind, or packed down by the activity of snowmobiles. 

Spruce Beach, in the distance

Our destination was a small rock, out from Spruce Beach, that is well-known by the locals as a point to aim for when swimming in the summer months. 

Courtesy of https://www.theweathernetwork.com/photos/view/outdoor-activities/having-a-look-elliot-lake/30605220

On our way, there was little, if any, wind - not even a breeze - and so we felt the welcome warmth of the sun on our faces. 

It always amazes us when the sun is refracted by the particles of snow and ice. We could actually see a plethora of colour. This video clip gives a rough idea of what we were seeing, though the colours are not so clear. (Next time, I'll have to hold the camera still, instead of moving it around so much).

No matter how long I live in Canada, I will never cease to be in awe of how much activity there is on the frozen lakes - especially here, up North. We have seen large trucks, safely negotiating their way across to the other side, as well as numerous semi-permanent ice huts that are put in place as soon as it is safe to do so, and removed - usually by the end of March. The first winter we were here, we went to the Winter Fest, at Spruce Beach, and stood watching two cart horses pulling a large cart on skis around the rock and back to the beach. 

Today, we watched as an ice hut was being transported back onto the land. 

We took our time so that we could enjoy the spectacular open scenery from a vantage point that can usually be experienced only from watercraft in the summer. 

An ATV making its way across from one beach to another

St. Joseph's Hospital, Elliot Lake

Spine Beach, in the distance - our starting point

Snowmobile keeping close to the shoreline

Love the silhouette of the trees against the blue sky

Occasionally, our footfall would dig deeper into the snow - almost 6 inches, at times! 

Our normal footprints...

Sinking in!

We remarked upon how brave we had become since our earlier days together! Here's the story...

Back in the early 90's, we were staying at a friend's cottage, near Bancroft, Ontario. It was during March Break, after quite a cold winter. It was my first time venturing out onto a frozen lake and it was with a certain amount of trepidation that I had joined Mark in doing so. Just as we began to enjoy the experience, we suddenly heard some cracking sounds and the ice gave way beneath our feet. Our boots were in water, and we began to think we were going to go under! So, we started to make for the shore, in earnest, feeling more and more insecure as the ice cracked under each step we took. 

When we got back to the shore, we were sharing our experience with Pat, the owner of the cottage, and she explained that there had been a partial melt, and then a refreezing. So, in fact, under a thin layer of ice (that we had punctured), and under about an inch of water that had melted and not refrozen, there was probably 3 - 4 feet of solid ice!  So, we were not in any danger of falling through at all! 

Knowing this, and seeing the amount of traffic on the lake - plus being aware of the extreme cold over a period of time, we find it less disconcerting these days!

When we reached the rock, Mark rushed forward to climb the icy heights. 

Once at the top, he posed for a photo op. The song, 'I'm the King of the Castle' came to mind - and I'm sure he saw himself as such. Those who know him, however, will attest that he is really, 'the dirty rascal'! After all, it is the quiet ones you have to watch!

I stayed safely at the base of the rock! 

On the way back, the wind had started to come up and the stinging on our faces took some getting used to. That being said, it was exhilarating to be out there, moving our bodies, and enjoying the vistas that only winter can provide. 

Our normal picnic area - but not today! Also, you can't see where the beach ends and the lake begins, though you can hear the difference when you are walking on both surfaces

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Addendum:

While we were at a couple of house/pet sits in Southern Ontario from January to March, we had a lot of snowfall. However, when we got back to Elliot Lake, we could not get over how much snow had fallen on our home town. We took this video of  our short journey from Spine Beach to our apartment so that we could share how high the snowbanks had accumulated along the roadside; and this was after so much snow had been carted off, and a brief melt had taken place!