Ice Caves

An Inviting Chamber

The winds of Superior howl incessantly throughout the winter. Sometimes the only respite is what looks to be a forbidding chamber of icicles but, in fact, is quite inviting with temperatures 20-30 degrees warmer than those found on the open ice of the giant lake.

Frosted Shoreline

The crashing waves of autumn turn blue with winter's freeze. In turn the waterfalls created by these same waves pick up color from the sandstone and create a frosting-like affect on the cliff walls.

Interior Decorating

The walls within the sea caves are decorated with icicles of myriad shapes, sizes and colors.

Crystal Ceiling, Mirror Floor

The ceilings glitter like crystal chandeliers when the sunlight hits them. The wind and snow keep the floor as shiny as a mirror.

An Icy Kiss

The months of constant dripping and freezing in this chamber have created a beautiful "kiss" of ice resting on a natural counter top.

A Forbidding Entrance

These icy stalactites intimidate the visitor seeking relief from the Superior winds. Crawling under them is required, however, in order to appreciate the view looking back out.

Infinite Winter

Viewed from inside this icy chamber the massive expanse of frozen Superior seems endless.

Wind Sculpting

These exterior icicles demonstrate the power of the wind in creating their unique shapes.

Lacquered Sandstone

The sheer coating of nearly transparent ice on some of the cavern walls creates a shiny, varnished appearance.

An Icy Garage

This chamber is about 50 feet wide and at least as tall. It would make a great parking place for a yacht in the summer time or a hockey rink in the winter.

Garage Entrance

This image of the shoreline cliffs depicts the enormous size of some of the caverns that the pounding waves have created over the centuries.

Sapphire Mountain

The frozen seawater takes on a sapphire hue once the morning sun rises above the treeline.

Indoor Waterfall

This cave is filled with several frozen waterfalls as well as giant blocks of sea ice at their base. The various icy cascades create a stairway of sorts as one climbs deep into the its recesses.

Indoor Falls #2

Another angle of the giant interior waterfalls of this cave. The cave ceiling appears to be about 30 feet above the water.

Indoor Falls #3

This is another angle of the giant indoor waterfall - inside looking out.

Indoor Falls #4

This wide angle view shows the convergence of the sea ice and the falling water of the cave. The sapphire ice boulders at the bottom are about 6-10 feet wide.

Room with a View

The backdoor of this cave is wide open to the wind and sea, but the front has a "picture window" view of the rest of the lake.

Two Doors, One Window

This cave is guarded by a frightening array of ceiling-mounted icicles and a mirror-like icy floor but entrances can be found on either side of the porthole window.

Executioner's Sword

This giant icicle hangs like a sword over the slowly growing lump below.

Icicles and Mounds

The ice formations come in many shapes, sizes and colors.

Jalapeno Tree

Ice peppers

Slot Canyon of Ice

This narrow cavern is filled with multicolored ice, combining the red sandstone runoff with the sapphire seawater.

Slot Canyon of Ice #2

Another view of the colorful combination of ice and land.

Rusty Snow

Most of the shoreline is covered in icy waterfalls coated in white snow. In this particular spot, however, the ice has taken on an extreme orange tone from the underlying sandstone.

Frosting on the Cake

The snow and ice creates the look of a massive frosted cake.