The Magic of Frozen Lakes
By Rae Poynter
In order for wild ice to form, many days of cold temperatures are needed to create a thick layer of ice. If it gets too windy, the wind will make the ice bumpy and opaque. | EMILY RUNNING
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ast December, the lakes of the upper Gunflint Trail region experienced something that happens every few years: near-perfect ice skating conditions. The waters of the lakes froze into a smooth, glass-like ice, known as wild ice. And smooth ice, of course, means optimal wild ice skating. So what causes ice like this? And what’s the best way to get out and enjoy wild ice skating? While not all lakes in Northern Minnesota had impeccable ice conditions last year, several of them on the Gunflint Trail did. In order for wild ice to form, many days of cold temperatures are needed to create a thick layer of ice. If it gets too windy, the wind will make the ice bumpy and opaque. And if it snows, the snow will insulate the ice and keep it from thickening. (Not to mention, of course, that the ice needs to be clear of snow in order to skate.) Not every winter brings a stretch of cold, still, and snow-free days, but last year did. “It seemed like one of those stars-aligning moments where everything has to be just so in order to happen the way it did,” said Cassidy Ritter, manager and part-owner of Voyageur Canoe Outfitters. Cassidy and Matt Ritter had just returned from their honeymoon when their neighbors told them about the ice conditions that had formed. They knew right away that they wanted to go see for themselves.
Cook County resident Emily Running also made the most of the wild ice last year. | EMILY RUNNING 18
DECEMBER 2021
NORTHERN WILDS
“We dug out our ice skates and headed over to Seagull Lake with our neighbors and it was absolutely amazing,” Cassidy said. “It is hard to put into words how eerie and beautiful it all was—it was just a really special moment to be able to enjoy with our friends. The Gunflint always has its way of welcoming us home after being away, and this was no exception.”
Not every winter brings a stretch of cold, still, and snow-free days, but last year did. | CASSIDY RITTER
