Ice on Columbia Lake

It has been a cold week here in the valley. Nothing like on the other side of the Rockies but with a north wind blowing all week, cold enough to make you want to stay inside. It was a dramatic change from last week where it felt more like spring than the dead of winter. With that warm air, Columbia Lake experienced some melting and there were large open sections of water at the provincial park in Canal Flats and under the microwave tower.

When the temperature snapped down to the minus teens and twenties I thought for sure this open water would glass right over and provide some great ice for skating. Driving home from work I would look across the lake and see this black smooth patch where the open water was. It contrasted dramatically against the rest of the lake that was covered with wind swept snow and rough, pebbly ice. I imagined I could feel the smooth ice below my skates and the effortless glides as I pushed against the blade. A few more days of -20 and it should be thick enough to skate on again.

At lunch yesterday, I decided to drive down to the lake to check on the condition of the ice. A cold wind blew from the north and the picnic tables at the park had developed long, angular, snow drifts behind them. My gaze went to the lake, expecting to see the glass like surface of newly frozen ice but I was shocked at what I saw.

Open water.

Open water at the South end of the Lake - Jan 19

The wind bit at my cheeks as I walked towards the edge of the lake. Steam rising from the water froze on the vegetation along the shore turning it into thin, lumpy sculptures of snow. The water almost rippled into whitecaps with the strong wind. Down the lake, below the microwave tower, steam rose up from the open water.  I did not expect to see open water after the past week’s temperatures. Was it the wind? Did the warm weather force some warm water springs into the lake that have kept the surface free of ice. With all the steam rising I almost felt like I was in Fairmont at the hot springs. Maybe I should have gone for a dip.

I haven’t been down to the Columbia Ridge beach yet but if you are going out onto the ice, make sure it is thick enough everywhere you go. It has been a weird winter and open water when it is -20 is a major red flag that the ice may not always be what you think it is.