also in recreational:
about
advertise
subscribe
contact
site
map
advertisement
The Apostle Islands, page 2
by katie thurmes
“It’s something just about anybody can do,” says John Peterson, an outfitter at Bodin’s on the Lake. “If you can walk, you can snowshoe.”
And it’s inexpensive, too. Several outfitters in the Bayfield area offer reasonable snowshoe rental rates at $15 per day. Bodin’s on the Lake and AIO offer contemporary snowshoes. Those seeking a step back in time can try a pair of traditional wooden snowshoes from AIO. They also provide a brief introduction to the sport for those who want it. Visitors to the area should also expect to pay for a permit at the state park.
Getting to Big Bay State Park in the winter can be an experience in itself, a point underscored by McDonald. Before the lake freezes over, visitors can hop on the Madeline Island Ferry in Bayfield. Come winter, you can take the well-maintained and carefully monitored “ice road” from Bayfield to the island. Or for something different, catch a ride on the windsled—a cross between a plane and a boat. The ice road is usually open from mid-January to mid-March, but be sure to check ice conditions with the National Park Service Headquarters in Bayfield.
For ice road skeptics and beauty-seekers, explore the ice caves just off the main shoreline of Bayfield at Meyers Beach. This beach, which is part of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, is home to sandstone sea caves where frozen waterfalls and icicles drip from layered rock to create an incandescent palate of peppermints and blues.
“Going to the ice caves is worth its weight in ice, I suppose,” McDonald jokes. “Or gold. It’s a spectacular experience.”
You do not need snowshoes to visit these crystal wonders unless the snowfall is unusually high, but snowshoeing can add an extra dimension to the experience. The ice caves are open depending on the frozenness of the lake, sometimes changing daily. Call the ice caves hotline at (715) 779-3398, ext. 499 to verify their accessibility.
Winter in the Apostle Islands also brings with it the added benefits of reduced lodging rates and quieter crowds. And if you’re lucky, you might just catch a magical display of northern lights bringing life to the darkened sky.
Paddling into tranquility
As the feathery icicles brought by winter begin to melt, the azure waters of Lake Superior start to warm, waterfalls resume their spiraling dance down cliff faces, and waves reunite with sandy beaches. The Apostle Islands and the waters that separate them turn into a summer playground and an island-hopping adventure for sea kayakers. Visitors can paddle from island to island, as most are roughly an hour apart, stopping for a leisurely hike or to check out one of the historic lighthouses or exposed shipwrecks in the area.
With several outfitters in the area offering sea kayak rental packages and guided tours, beginner and intermediate paddlers alike can partake in this island-hopping fun. The season runs from June to September, with later months bringing warmer water temperatures. Living Adventure Inc. and Trek & Trail, both based in Bayfield, offer guided half-day and day trips as well as multi-day tours ranging from about $50 to more than $600.
“We generally recommend guided trips for first time kayakers because they get so much knowledge wrapped into their trips, especially up on Lake Superior where things like judgment of moving from island to island come into play,” says Gail Green, co-founder and director of Living Adventure Inc. “With an outfitter, you can really focus on just learning the kayak skills and gain a general sense of the experience.”
|
||||
 |
||||
| open waters: Splashes of orange and pink race across Superior toward Oak Island as the sun sets. photo courtesy mark eggleson |
||||
slide show: your virtual island tour get a glimpse of the area's breathtaking views |
||||
 |
||||
| paddle, paddle: Kayakers paddle curiously toward shorelines heaping with sea caves. photo courtesy hoofer outing club |
||||
 |
||||
| winter wonderland: Visitors to a wintery Big Bay State Park can enjoy stunning displays of iridescent icicles as they drip from red sandstone. photo courtesy mark eggleson |
||||
related article: Taking time to breathe |
home
| professional
| recreational
| practical
| social
about | advertise
| subscribe
| contact
| site
map
curb magazine 2005: balance for wisconsin's young professionals
