Those looking to get out and explore the ice caves along the shores of Lake Superior in the coming days should exercise caution, according to a guide with nearly two decades experience in facilitating tours of the ice formations north of Sault Ste. Marie.
Ellen Van Laar says Lake Superior was warm until late fall of last year. That, combined with warm spells back in November and December, has rendered the ice along the shoreline all the more unpredictable now.
“Even though it’s cold now, it doesn’t cool off the lake enough to make the conditions safe,” she said.
The guide was walking near Coppermine Point - located about two kilometres north of Sawpit Bay - earlier this week when she fell into two holes.
“There wasn’t water underneath, but the problem was I couldn’t see the holes because the snow is so deep right now,” Van Laar said.
Although Van Laar could be taking people for guided tours of the ice formations for Stokely Creek Lodge as early as next week, she says that she will have to limit the number of participants in the name of safety.
“I’m not really taking crowds of people here, because they have to be carefully managed because of the dangers,” she said.
So far this year, Van Laar has heard of a couple people who have went through the ice along Lake Superior’s shoreline, including one individual who was exploring the ice in the Gros Cap area.
“Gros Cap is a very dangerous area too, because of the pressure going into the St. Marys River,” Van Laar said.
The experienced guide says people should bring ice grippers, a rope and some dry socks just in case someone goes through the ice.
Van Laar also recommends the use of snowshoes and a pair of poles.
“Snowshoes distribute your weight so that you don’t as easily fall into a hole, and if it is thin, your weight is distributed better,” she said. “Poles will really help get you out of a hole, because you become a four-legged creature when you have two ski poles or walking poles.”
In a recent social media post, Tourism Sault Ste. Marie recommended the use of a local guide when exploring the ice formations.
“For those that are not familiar with the area, take a guide,” said Travis Anderson, director of tourism and community development for the City of Sault Ste. Marie. “There’s a lot of safety considerations to consider when you’re heading out there, and having a knowledgeable guide is the way to go.”
The ice caves along Lake Superior were included in a list of ‘52 Places to Go in 2019’ by The New York Times. Anderson says Tourism Sault Ste. Marie will be looking for data this year in an effort to gauge the popularity of the ice formations in the area.
“This year, we will be reaching out to our guides that are providing tours to get a better sense of what the actual visitation is that’s linked to the ice caves,” he said.