In March 2015, I had the privilege of doing a three-day winter hike in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore along the stunning sandstone cliffs of Lake Superior. This was probably one of the most intense and exhausting hiking experiences I have had during a rare year when the lake froze over solid. The nights were bitter cold; the snow was deeper and slower to trudge through than I expected; and thanks to recent storms, any signs of an actual trail were pretty much buried. But it was all worth it to see the amazing ice formations in this remote winter wonderland!
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The access road is not plowed in winter, so the approach hike to Chapel Beach is much longer and slower than in summer, making it more suitable as a backpacking adventure.  |
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| The Chapel Falls pantheon in winter. The falls in the distance are completely covered in snow. |
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| The famous Chapel Rock in winter colors. |
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| Intense colors in the ice formations along the cliffs of Pictured Rocks! |
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| A crawl space under the wall ice. |
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| Late afternoon colors along the sandstone cliffs. |
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| A beautiful pink winter sunset under Chapel Rock. |
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