Every winter, there is a fascinating phenomenon that happens on man-made Abraham Lake when methane gas bubbles created below get trapped in the ice on the lake. This creates wonderful patterns and effects in the ice.
Thanks to STRONG WINDS off the North Saskatchewan River Valley, the lake surface is often entirely free of snow, meaning you can get a clear glimpse of the methane bubbles near the surface.
However, looking for methane bubbles is a bit like looking for wildlife -- results will vary with the time of day and the time of year you visit. Late January is the optimum time to see the bubbles, so we had no guarantee what we would find.
So, Jan 28th, seven Club members set out to see this unique phenomenon. Reportedly, the conditions were not as good this year.
However we were pleasantly surprised. While there may not be as many bubbles as usual, there were many unique formations and twists under the ice, along with many bubbles.
Three of us donned our skates and went for a spin, however with temperatures hovering around 8 to 10 degrees, the top surface was a little soft and skate blades really dug into the surface. There was a bit of water in spots on the ice, making getting out of skates and into boots rather challenging without getting a foot or knee a little wet.
All of gawked at the unusual features and a few of us tried to get pictures of the mountains reflected on the ice surface.
A long drive, but well worth it. Looking forward to going again next year. Photo Album 2024 Abraham Lake