A great option when the ice is clear
Cline Landing is one of our favourite December spots but it is often snow-covered later in the season, making it harder to find bubbles.
The sheltered bay is both a curse and a blessing. Because it's less windy here than the rest of the lake, we often see ice form one to two weeks before the rest of the lake, with the exception of Preacher's Point. The ice is usually smooth and clear, making it a great spot especially if you happen to be there within the 10 days or so after freeze-up. On a cold day, it makes for a great option to get out of the strong winds that are common on the lake.
On the other side, the lack of wind means that the area tends to get snow-covered and to stay that way. We sometimes see it clear back up after a snowstorm but in most cases, once it's covered in snow it stays that way for a few weeks.
The easy access to this area and smooth ice makes it popular but it is easy to get away from the crowd by exploring a little further.
At a Glance
- Activities: Ice walks, photography, sightseeing
- Time needed: Plan on at least 60 minutes
- Family-friendly: Yes
- Season: December to March
- Congestion: Moderate to Busy
- Management: Kiska / Wilson PLUZ
Trailhead: From Nordegg, Cline Landing is approximately 50 km away travelling west on Highway 11. Coming from Saskatchewan Crossing it is approximately 40 km east on Highway 11. There is no parking or washrooms.
Ice Safety
We've put together a guide with a few things to consider when you plan your Abraham Lake ice walk to make it a safe adventure.
Head Out With A Guide
All tours and activities bookings are handled by Explore Nordegg & Abraham Lake and tours like these are offered by local partners. Most bookings require a minimum of 2 days' notice, contact us for last-minute options.
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We all have our part to do to keep this place special. Planning ahead is key to ensuring that we all continue to enjoy adventures in the Nordegg & Abraham Lake region. These are a few of the things you can do to help:
- Minimize your impact by using existing sites, fire rings and toilets instead of creating your own.
- Know about current fire bans, make sure that your fire is completely out before you go and buy firewood instead of cutting down trees. Remember that shooting fireworks is not allowed in the region.
- Keep your site clean and your food stored inside your vehicle to help keep our wildlife wild. Always use bear-proof garbage bins.
- While alcohol is now permitted in some Alberta Parks day-use areas, none of those are in our region. Alcohol is only allowed at registered campsites.
- Be mindful of your neighbours and other visitors, including keeping noise to a minimum.
- Be prepared for adventures in a remote area. Explore within your skills to reduce the strain on our volunteer search and rescue team.
- Remember that cell service is limited. We recommend carrying a satellite communicator, like a Zoleo, on your adventures.
- Support local businesses and communities in Cline River, the Bighorn and Nordegg.
Information provided here may be inaccurate or outdated. Always make sure to obtain current information before going on your adventure.
Head Out On Your Own
Sometimes you just want to head out on your own to explore the area. We get it. Here’s our guide for the Abraham Lake ice bubbles at Cline Landing. You'll find our guides to other ice bubble locations on Abraham Lake here.
Accessing the Ice
There is an access road providing easy access from the lake to the ice at this location. You'll find ice bubbles as soon as you get to the ice here but keep in mind that as the winter goes on you'll need to walk further to find clear ice. See the safety considerations below before you decide to drive down to the lake.
Ice Bubbles and Ice Features
This is one of our favourite spots as the ice starts to form, usually in mid-December. The shallow water with clear ice makes for some great views that can easily be accessed. As the winter goes on the ice lays on the ground, creating cracks and features with the ground visible below.
Safety Considerations
The area is relatively shallow and sheltered, reducing many of the risks we find in other sections of the lake. The main things to be aware of are the access road and the nearby Cline River.
The access road gets slippery and we see many visitors drive down each winter only to find out that their vehicle isn't equipped for the adventure. Being stuck at the bottom of the hill means waiting for a tow truck to come from Rocky Mountain House, an hour and a half away. We recommend parking at the nearby Pinto Lake Staging Area unless you are confident you will be able to drive back up.
Exploring north from this access takes you to the area where the Cline River enters Abraham Lake. That area has ice conditions that can change quickly and where ice thickness can vary greatly over only a few metres. In general, we recommend that you avoid areas like this.
Through the Season
The ice sits on the ground by mid-January here so expect to find whiter ice than in areas like Belly of Abraham or Abraham Slabs. The sheltered bay protects from the winds but that also means that in some years the ice is snow-covered for most of the season.
December 15, 2019
December 18, 2019
December 27, 2018
February 8, 2016
The People
All the stories we share are by locals, whether they live here or love our region and contribute to making it an amazing place.
Contributors to this Story:
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Conditions and Updates
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 Conditions – April 3 2023
Abraham Lake Ice Conditions – March 24 2023
Abraham Lake Ice Conditions – March 17 2023
