Alpine ice skating

[cougar]

Winds tend to scour a lot of snow off many alpine lakes, but also make them lumpy with frozen waves and ripples. Normally gets plenty thick on the mentioned RMNP lakes by January. especially with a dry spell for snow and high winds. They even drive races on Georgetown lake which is lower. When it gets really cold some rivers could be skated.

[Above_Treeline]

I was up north one winter in Canada. The trick is finding the ones that don't have springs so you don't go through. One lake dangerous and different people had stories about relatives dying in the olden days.

But it is so cool skating on ponds!!! We were driving a car across the lake, one time donuts etc stopped and asked fishermen and I think they said 1.5 ft thick? No idea how to tell if it's safe really one place they scraped off a hockey rink and started a fire it looked pretty safe.

Anyone know if Dowdy lake is any good? Not alpine but might have access

[Eli Watson]

The "Wild Ice" skaters of Gunnison go for 1.5 - 2.75" thick.

Interesting article by Red Bull, worth a read.

[greenonion]

I was up north one winter in Canada. The trick is finding the ones that don't have springs so you don't go through. One lake dangerous and different people had stories about relatives dying in the olden days.

But it is so cool skating on ponds!!! We were driving a car across the lake, one time donuts etc stopped and asked fishermen and I think they said 1.5 ft thick? No idea how to tell if it's safe really one place they scraped off a hockey rink and started a fire it looked pretty safe.

Anyone know if Dowdy lake is any good? Not alpine but might have access

Ummm. As pilgrim and Thompson go... go ahead and pray. But row away from the rocks...

[gb]

Blue Mesa occasionally comes into condition (according to gb from this site). Here is a TR from his blog:

https://14erskiers.com/blog/2012/12/the ... 1-12/[url][/url]

yeah, Blue Mesa comes in pretty much every year. It's so big that even when it snows, a new section will form that can be skated, at least until the whole thing is ice and gets snow..

People have been skating alpine ice around here for a couple of weeks, but now the wait is on for the snow to stop and more ice to form. I got to skate mirror lake by Tincup last year which was amazing. It's fleeting and you kind of have have a feel for what will freeze and when. My buddy Koz is a talented photographer and gets after it on the ice. https://www.instagram.com/koz_/

[ltlFish99]

The last 2 times I went to lower Blue lake, by Mt. Sneffles last year in early to mid November, 2019.
The lake was frozen, yet no snow had fallen since it froze and the entire lake looked like 1 big pane of glass.
It was quite beautiful.
I walked out on the ice about 10 feet, it was very supportive with no movement at all under my weight. Made me wish I had skates.
The loch, and mills lake in RMNP freeze over nicely.

[justiner]

Here’s Sarah on Chasm Lake I believe

72BE0D7F-765C-42E5-8351-52C6E2064297.jpeg (152.14 KiB) Viewed 2086 times

[madbuck]

The "Wild Ice" skaters of Gunnison go for 1.5 - 2.75" thick.

Interesting article by Red Bull, worth a read.

Wow, that's cool -- no idea that culture and phenomenon existed. Great stories and photos. Makes the world more fun to know that it does exist -- thanks for sharing!

[pvnisher]

Screenshot_20201111-101537_Instagram.jpg (90.77 KiB) Viewed 1791 times

[Wentzl]

I was just on Wright's lake in Yankee Boy Basin wishing I had brought my skates. It was perfect. Recent snow probably ruined it for a while.

Here is a hazard most people wouldn't consider. Don't smoke while out there skating on wild ice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FM0hczFNDZI

not a salsa recipe, but maybe more interesting for you, cedica

and there is more:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCbfzmvlFcw

Refreeze the Arctic or the game is over.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibsnJfJwyZ8

Refreeze the arctic. Am I the only one here who finds that funny?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixsvvl5P-_E

[Squirrellysquirrel]

Blue Mesa occasionally comes into condition (according to gb from this site). Here is a TR from his blog:

https://14erskiers.com/blog/2012/12/the ... 1-12/[url][/url]

yeah, Blue Mesa comes in pretty much every year. It's so big that even when it snows, a new section will form that can be skated, at least until the whole thing is ice and gets snow.

I’ve seen several skaters on Blue Mesa, and theres a small crew of Lake City residents that skate on Lake Cristobal... you gotta get there early-ish in the season after its frozen solid because, after awhile, as referenced above, snow then settles on it and the surfaces becomes rather rough as the winter season progresses. You probably know that if you’ve skated on alpine lakes.

[Squirrellysquirrel]

I've got a friend (Laura) who has an ongoing project to skate in some of the most beautiful lakes in the world.
Check out this article about her and maybe shoot her a message (links at the bottom of the article). I'm sure she'd be happy to share some info.
https://she-explores.com/artistry/laura ... ns-higher/

Eric

So very cool! Simply love the imagery and creative talent shared. Never thought to pack ice skates up the hill...