Visiting Apostle Island Ice Caves in Wisconsin

Just a week after they opened, and already the Lake Superior ice caves in the Apostle Island National Lakeshore in Wisconsin are closed for the 2015 season. Last year, cold temps created safe access to the caves for the first time since 2009, and ice conditions remained stable for a record 8 weeks, drawing national attention and 138,000 visitors. This year 37,800 people visited in the 9 days that the ice caves were deemed safe to access.

Luckily, my timing–pure chance–was perfect!

My sisters, Mom and I had been traveling along the North Shore of Lake Superior from Duluth to Grand Marais, Minnesota for a couple of weeks, and had left the last night of our trip open for either Duluth or a jaunt over to Cornucopia, Wisconsin in case the ice caves opened up. Just the day before, on Feb 28, park naturalists determined the ice was thick enough (10 inches) to support public access and the ice caves were OPEN! After a 4 hour drive from Grand Marais, we arrived Sunday night around 5:30pm, grabbed our boots– fitted with ice cleats— and quickly made our way to Meyers Beach parking lot, 4 miles east of tiny Cornucopia.

Heavy clouds were overhead, and the wind was whipping around. People were returning from the caves. Not exactly the best time to be heading out…  but we proceeded across the ice, in the darkening night. At least for a little while. It soon became abundantly clear that the distance from the parking lot stairs to the 1st cave–merely a mile–would take substantially longer to reach than a simple 15 minute walk on land. People we met on the ice informed us that our destination–the dark bend in the far distance–would take at least an hour and a half to reach.

So we stopped trying to chase time, and turned around probably a fourth of the way out, and began to appreciate the setting sun and the strange formations in the ice. It felt weird to be walking on Lake Superior. Growing up in Minnesota, I knew it never completely froze. So how is it– that if it’s only 51% frozen now, we could walk waaaay out from shore? And what about those dark inky sections–was it thinner there? Tiptoeing over the ice and seeing strange white jagged shapes floating in the icy depths was downright spooky!

Especially in the dark, feeling rather vulnerable on the surface of that vast Great Lake, when only a few other people were out. And what did those cracks or crevices indicate? Was it really safe? Adding to the creepiness was the NOISE we heard!  I’m not talking about the click click click of our ice cleats, but the sudden booming noises that echoed beneath us, and loud grumbling sounds reverberating around us. It sounded like huge ice chunks colliding deep underfoot, and other times, like a hungry monster’s stomach growling! We were relieved to learn from locals the next day that those sounds are actually comforting, as it indicates that the frozen ice is expanding.

The next morning we agreed to get up early and get out on the ice by dawn. I wanted to get an early start knowing it would take 3 hours round trip just to walk to the ice caves, and we had to check out of our room at the Village Inn in nearby Cornucopia by 1pm, then head back to my sister’s homes in Minneapolis and Rochester by nightfall. Four hours to explore this place didn’t seem enough…(and wasn’t!)

Arriving at Dawn

Photographers will want to be at the Lake Superior ice caves early to beat the crowds, get a parking space, and most importantly to appreciate the beautiful pastel light! We arrived around 6am (see, sis, we’re not the only car in the lot at this ungodly hour–we’re the tenth car here!) made it down the stairs, and onto to the ice in the blue hour when the light was nice, pastel pink and soft. Couldn’t resist stopping along the way to photograph the light play on the ice, intriguing lines and patterns.

 

It’s a Loooong Treacherous Walk

The walk to the Apostle Island ice caves is not only long, but fatiguing. Your core muscles are constantly engaged as you dig your cleats into the surface of the glassy, bumpy, and cracked ice.  About halfway across, the toe of my cleat caught in a patch of snow, and CRASH, down I fell, smack on the ice, landing on my pinky finger. My camera, which had been perched on my tripod, took a blow to the side, and the little doors holding the battery, card reader and LCD screen popped open. Great…hadn’t even reached the ice caves yet and my camera was toast. I put it back together again, turned it off, then on. Dead. Sickening.  My finger was throbbing (broken), but all I cared about was my camera (Sony a99). Thankfully, I did have a back up camera with a telephoto lens in my camera bag.

Reaching the first ice cave, I took out my camera and discovered it had recovered from its concussion. All the settings were scrambled, and about 12 images were corrupted, but it worked again!!! 🙂

 

Reaching Apostle Ice Caves

Most of the ice caves are actually ice formations decorating the sandstone cliffs along the mainland shore of Apostle Island National Park in Bayfield Country, Wisconsin. Only a few really felt like a cave.

Amazing Ice Formations

The most fascinating part of exploring these ice caves is the sheer variety of ice. Both in the surface of Lake Superior itself (love those odd triangular pieces) and the icicles hanging down from the crimson sandstone cliffs. The way the snow melts and refreezes is also interesting. Windows, arches, tunnels all created by the wind and fluctuating temperatures vary week to week. Love the element of surprise. You never know what you’ll see when you round the next bend…so cool to see the artistry nature created.

 

 

 

 

Not so easy to walk around! Sturdy boots with ice cleats definitely advised. And a face mask for strong winds. Water. (A back up camera!) Extra batteries kept close to your body heat. Mine froze up within 30 minutes due to chilly wind chills. And if you don’t want to haul heavy gear–take a tip from several photographers spotted pulling their gear including heavy tripods on sleds. As far as camera lenses, I used a 16-35mm for most of my shots, and occasionally my 70-300mm.

Visiting Apostle Island Ice Caves in Wisconsin was a fantastic visit! Highly recommend it. However, remember that this adventure is unique in that you never know winter to winter if Lake Superior will freeze deep enough to support hikers. But if it is, try to get there as fast as you can.  It may only be “open” for a few days. Generally, late Feb to early March is your safest bet. Check the automated ice line to see if conditions allow safe access by calling: 715-779-3397 Ext 3.

Tips for Visiting

• Arrive early to get a parking space at Meyers Beach. When we left the area in early afternoon, there was a string of parked cars along the road leading to the park for 1.5 miles. That’s a lot of walking before you even hit the ice!
• Have cash to pay the $5 Apostle islands National Park entrance fee.
• Allow 5 hours for this excursion. Be prepared for a 3 hour hike on ice to and from the beginning of the ice caves, and another 1-2 hours to explore them. Allow extra time for parking and descending the stairs at the Meyers Beach access point.
• Dress for the weather and be prepared with proper footwear for conditions. Ice cleats are important to wear. The little rubber Yaktrax are not enough for this ice, and will be more of a nuisance as they can’t dig into the ice and can actually be more slippery. Throw extra gloves or mitten in your daypack too. Don’t overdress under your parka. Wear layers to stash as the hike warms you up. Wear snow pants (love Arctix) over fleece leggings for maximum warmth and flexibility.
• Bring food (protein snacks) and water.
• Pee before you hit the ice–there’s absolutely nowhere to go out there!
• Consider pulling a lightweight plastic sled if you’re bringing children or lots of photo gear. Or wear ice skates to cover more ground quickly.
• Only snowmobiles allowed on the ice are those operated by emergency/rescue teams. So don’t expect to catch a ride back unless you’re hurt!
• Secure lodging in advance, especially if staying in Cornucopia which has very limited rooms.
• Photography gear to bring: wide angle 16-35mm lens is your best choice to capture the interior of the caves, and a medium telephoto 24-70mm lens is a good choice for the exteriors. Don’t forget extra batteries than drain easily in the cold winter temps.
• Don’t plan your trip here before checking to see if they’re open. (Call the automated number above or check the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore page on facebook.)

Location of Apostle Ice Caves

Access is across frozen Lake Superior from the Meyers Beach parking lot, 4 miles from the tiny village of Cornucopia, on Meyers Beach Road off of Highway 13. Bayfield, Wisconsin is 17 miles further south.

Lodging

We stayed at the Village Inn in Cornucopia, the most affordable and closest inn to the caves at 4 miles away. However, since our stay in 2015 they have put the property on the market. Too bad!! Hope someone buys it and reopens, because the 4 bedrooms above the tavern were very comfortable, had a great open space for hanging out between the rooms, and excellent whitefish meals in the adjacent restaurant. But the best feature was the proximity to the caves. They also ran a shuttle so you didn’t have to fool with parking on the highway when the small parking lot at Meyers Beach got filled up. Very handy if you didn’t get here at dawn to beat the crowds. An alternative is Siskiwit Bay Lodge Bed & Breakfast, which has 3 rooms and is also 4 miles from the ice caves. Otherwise, other lodging is available in larger Bayfield, Wisconsin, 17 miles away.

[booking_product_helper shortname=”ice caves wisconsin”]

Want to save this post for later? Pick your favorite picture below to Pin on your own Pinterest board!