Needle Ice on Lake Michigan

Loreen Niewenhuis is an author, adventurer, and dynamic speaker. 

She has completed a trilogy of 1,000-mile adventures exploring the Great Lakes and has authored three books about these adventures: 

A 1,000-Mile Walk on the Beach  [A Heartland Indie Bestseller]

A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Walk   [Winner of the Great Lakes Great Reads Award] 

A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Island Adventure  [Long-listed for the Chautauqua Prize]

 

To learn more about her work, or to engage her as a speaker, go to http://www.laketrek.com/great-lakes-speaker/

I love hiking along the Great Lakes in the winter, watching the ice form, break up, and reform. We had more ice on the Great Lakes this winter than in recent years. 

Ice along Lake Michigan comes in many shapes and forms. This year I came across a lot of "needle ice."


Check out video and photos below:

Ice on Lake Michigan

Loreen Niewenhuis is an author, adventurer, and dynamic speaker. 

She has completed a trilogy of 1,000-mile adventures exploring the Great Lakes and has authored three books about these adventures: 

A 1,000-Mile Walk on the Beach  [A Heartland Indie Bestseller]

A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Walk   [Winner of the Great Lakes Great Reads Award] 

A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Island Adventure  [Long-listed for the Chautauqua Prize]

 

To learn more about her work, or to engage her as a speaker, go to http://www.laketrek.com/great-lakes-speaker/

In the middle of March, I hiked the edge of Lake Michigan near Leland, Michigan.

The beach had been cleared of ice the week prior, but low temps had allowed ice to form again. Wind stacked up slabs of ice near the shoreline.

Some of the ice had that lovely blueish color. Icicles formed along edges...one even formed inverted.

Check out the photos from that sunny day:

Ice slabs stacked up along the shoreline -- up to 8 feet tall in places

Blueish tinge to some ice slabs

This icicle is probably the bottom half of an icicle off the tree

Ice has power as it is moved by wind and waves. The glaciers transported rocks as they moved through the region, scraping, pushing and conveying rocks hundreds of miles on their journeys. 

Ice moves rocks

Even larger stones can be carried along by ice slabs

A 100 Things to do in Traverse City...

Loreen Niewenhuis is an author, adventurer, and dynamic speaker. 

She has completed a trilogy of 1,000-mile adventures exploring the Great Lakes and has authored three books about these adventures: 

A 1,000-Mile Walk on the Beach  [A Heartland Indie Bestseller]

A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Walk   [Winner of the Great Lakes Great Reads Award] 

A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Island Adventure  [Long-listed for the Chautauqua Prize]

 

To learn more about her work, or to engage her as a speaker, go to http://www.laketrek.com/great-lakes-speaker/

I moved to Traverse City almost two years ago. I made the move to be closer to "my lake," Lake Michigan.

So, when I got an advance copy of this book from author Kim Schneider, I was thrilled to learn more about my new hometown.

I found many great ideas to explore in the Food and Drink, Music and Entertainment, and Culture and History categories. 

What surprised me, though, was that I learned something new in the suggestions for 
hiking in the area. 

If you've read this blog or my books or have heard me speak, you know I'm a pretty serious hiker.

And, in the months I've lived in Traverse City, I've explored many of the trails in the area (Empire Bluffs, Alligator Hill, Pyramid Point -- to name just a few). 

But, I had missed Clay Cliffs Natural Area 

north of Leland. 

It's part of the land protected by the Leelanau Conservancy. I've been to several of these areas, but had not been to Clay Cliffs...

until this weekend. 

The hiking trail is clearly marked on M22 

north of Leland.

Sign for this hiking area

I enjoy a good hike, but a hike with a view of Lake Michigan is even better. This trail has a wonderful overlook.

Trail goes up this wooded dune

Manitou Island overlook

Video from the overlook

Ice along shoreline persists

 There is evidence of wind damage from the summer storm that hit the area in 2015. Many large trees were knocked down. Some were caught by other trees and are still suspended over the trail.

Tree uprooted by the storm

Toward the end of the hiking loop, there is a bench to take a break and enjoy the view of Lake Leelanau.

I look forward to recommending  

100 Things to do in Traverse City before you Die to friends and family. The book is available at  the excellent indie bookstores in Traverse City -- Brilliant Books and Horizon Books. Check out the listing for indie bookstores in the region on pages 132-133 in the book.

Lake Trek Anniversary

oreen Niewenhuis is an author, adventurer, and Great Lakes speaker. She has completed a trilogy of 1,000-mile adventures exploring the Great Lakes and has written three books about the Great Lakes [A 1,000-Mile Walk on the Beach *a Heartland Indie Bestseller*, A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Walk *winner of the Great Lakes Great Reads Award*, and A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Island Adventure]. To learn more about her work, or to book her as a speaker, go to http://LakeTrek.com

Today is the 9th anniversary of my 
first 1,000-mile hike. 
Lake Michigan has been my favorite place my entire life, and in 2009 I decided to get to know it  by walking all the way around it. It was my way of internalizing this special place, to record it in my muscles and bones.

Here are some photos from this amazing journey.

The book about my walk around Lake Michigan.

Now available on Audible as an audiobook:
HERE.