SNOW-COVERED, BUT NOT FOR LONG
The recent snow and extreme cold make for an out-of-this-world atmosphere on the lake.
Based on ice conditions checks from February 22, 2023.
The ice is currently covered by a deep snow layer, creating beautiful sculpted scenes. It’s a rare sight made even more eerie by the ice fog brought in by the extreme cold we are enduring this week.
The wind is slowly blowing away the snow and polishing the ice along the shore and a few spots on the lake. All of this cold and polishing action will have the bubbles refreshed in a couple of days, which is sure to make for a great weekend with the temperatures warming up.
As mentioned in our last update, there is a vast swath of open water north of Windy Point and the area should be completely avoided.
Belly also has some open water due to the creek flowing in, and can be treacherous unless you are familiar with the area and have good knowledge of ice safety.
Where to Go
Ice Bubbles Parking Lot and Abraham Slabs are still the best options at the moment. There are lots of great bubbles to be found once you navigate the angled ice to get down to the lake.
Preacher's Point isn't the best for bubble viewing at this time of the year, but the stunning landscape and quirky ice features are still worth checking out.
Head Out With A Guide
Make the most of your adventure and head out with a guide. Nordegg Adventures offers guided tours on Abraham Lake from November to April. Snowshoes, ice cleats and kicksleds are also available to rent in Nordegg.
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FAQ
Is it safer if I stay close to shore? Most accidents happen on the shore and near the shore where the ice is the weakest.
What will the conditions be like tomorrow? The truth is that we don't know. The weather is unpredictable and conditions change quickly. Case in point, earlier this week the forecast only changed to include rain an hour before it started raining. Until then we were forecasted to have a nice sunny day. What we can share is what we saw that day to give you a starting point as you plan your adventure.
How come I didn't see bubbles while you posted some from that day? We get this question a lot and it usually depends on where you went. Abraham Lake is a large reservoir and conditions can be drastically different from one end to the other. The Nordegg Adventures guides sharing these updates are on the lake daily and know where to go depending on the conditions. If you're heading out on your own, use the information we share as a starting point and give yourself plenty of time to explore different locations if conditions at your first choice are less than ideal.
Plan Ahead to be Safe
Please make sure to follow a few simple tips to be safe on your next adventure:
- Know where you are going. We're seeing a lot of people putting themselves into dangerous situations simply by being in the wrong place.
- Don't get stuck. Parking lots and access are not always maintained. Driving down to the lake is a lot easier than driving back up. If you have any doubts, park at the road and walk in.
- Be prepared for the weather. It's cold and windy on Abraham Lake. Dress warm and bring extra clothes in your vehicle.
We share more ice safety information here. If you are not familiar with ice safety or Abraham Lake we recommend booking a tour with local guides.
Ice Safety
We share this information to help visitors to the area plan their trip. This represents the conditions we have observed at a specific point in time. Ice safety depends on many more factors than just ice conditions and anybody going on the ice should have the knowledge and experience required to assess the risks, or should consider going with a guide.
