Grand Island Michigan Ice Caves

Grand Island Michigan Ice Caves

Second day of our two day trip to Upper Michigan. Today we are headed to Grand Island Michigan ice caves and we have Green and Blue Spikes Of Kryptonite on our minds.  You can read about Day 1 Here.

Grand Island, Michigan. The Ice Caves are spectacular.

Man, oh man.  Rough night sleeping last night.  We had two choices last night.  High heat, or no heat.  With outdoor temps at below zero.  High heat it was. The windows didn’t open and opening our door wasn’t an option.

To top that off the heat issue, we had snowmobilers in and out all night – just not the best sleeping arrangements. Believe I slept two hours in total. My lack of sleep wasn’t going to stop me from trying to head across Lake Superior. Fear might…

When I stepped outside at 5am, the instant wall of cold air, almost did.  My car read -13 degrees.

We headed down Sand Point Road to Sand Point with our teeth chattering. Pretty sure my daughter’s teeth chattering was from being cold; mine was out of sheer fear.  Either way, we were two females on a mission. This was happening. My fear of ice was not going to stop me.

Where is Grand Island? – Grand Island, is part of the Hiawatha National Forest.  The island is located a 1/2 mile from Sand Point.

How Do You Get to the Grand Island Ice Cave Curtains? You cross a 1/2 mile of the Lake Superior channel from Sand Point to Grand Island to see the ice curtains that range up to 150 feet high and make people look like ants. (There is nobody to tell you if the ice is safe or not)

Grand Island Michigan - Ice Curtains.

When Did We Do This? My daughter and I were the first two people to cross the channel on the morning of Saturday February 28, 2015.

Grand Island, Michigan - Giant Ice Curtains. I'm walking on water. See the seaweed on the walls?

All photography on this site is web quality.  If you click on any of my photos it will bring up the option to purchase it.  All photography prints you purchase are high quality and will have the watermark removed.

Those Friendly Canadians – The only two additional people out by the ice curtain – caves were two gentleman from Canada who had spend the night winter camping in front of the caves, on the ice.  From the Sand Point shore, the orange tent they camped in looked like a backpack against the ice curtains. We didn’t know it was a tent until we got closer.

We spent almost an hour exploring the ice curtains, cave formations and talking to our new found camping friends.  My daughter and I conversed with the guys as they made tea and oatmeal and I had a chance to view their light painting and night sky photos from the previous night.

The Sound of Cracking Ice – As we were viewing the photos that our Canadian friends had taken, we heard what sounded like a firecracker to our left. The firecracker sound was a large crack that formed in the ice.  Visibly noticeable.

All photography on this site is web quality.  If you click on any of my photos it will bring up the option to purchase it.  All photography prints you purchase are high quality and will have the watermark removed.

Is That Fear I Smell?
-Since we had a conversation previously about my fear of ice, one of my newly found Canadian friends places his arm on my shoulder as the ice was making it’s awful cracking sounds and says “It is ok.  If it is our time, the lake will just swallow us whole – you will feel nothing – it will be a painless death.” Somehow, I found this explanation strangely comforting, and truthful.

Small Spaces Under the Ice Curtain - Grand Island, Michigan

There were Others That Braved the Walk Across -During the next 30 minutes, an additional 7 people ventured out to visit.  Another couple from Green Bay, a couple from Bellevue, Illinois, two ice climbers and a lady from Marquette, Michigan.  We stopped to visited with each of them.

Ice Climbers - Grand Island, Michigan
Saying Goodbye -When I saw a few more groups on their way out to see the ice formations, I decided to say goodbye to our Canadian friends and head back in.

Happy I did it.  I know I will never do it again.  Once in a lifetime visiting Grand Island Michigan ice caves was good enough for me.

Disclaimer: This site is provided for entertainment purposes and to display my work only. If you venture to any of the photography locations I list on this site you are doing so of your own free will. In making that choice – you have taken personal responsibility for any outcome. Emotionally, physically and monetary wise.

Related posts:

7 Shares
Share
Pin7
Tweet
Reddit
Share
Email