Abraham Lake Ice Conditions – March 17 2023

THE BUBBLES ARE STILL HERE

We are still enjoying great late season conditions.

Based on ice conditions checks from March 15, 2023.

Spring is almost here, and it sure feels like it with the warmer temperatures we've been enjoying this past week. There are still lots of bubbles to be found on the lake if you are willing to put in a bit of effort. The ice conditions are similar to last week's report, but the lake surface is starting to get covered with those late season crystals, making the ice not quite as clear for bubble viewing.

We will be posting updates until the end of the month. Going out on the lake past then may still be possible, but make sure you conduct the appropriate ice depth checks before venturing onto the ice.  

Abraham Lake Ice Bubbles
Abraham Lake Ice Bubbles

 Where to Go

 

The Ice Bubbles Parking Lot and Abraham Slabs are still your best options to see the bubbles.

Anything north of Windy Point should be avoided until the remainder of the winter due to vast swaths of open water and thin ice.

At Belly, extreme caution is required where the creek comes in. Those who venture onto the ice there should be familiar with the area and have good knowledge of ice safety.  

 

You can find out more about each of these locations here.

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.

Searching Availability...

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.

Abraham Lake Ice Bubbles