本帖最后由 人与自然 于 2014-1-29 01:01 编辑
Freezing temperatures have created the perfect conditions to visit Wisconsin's Apostle Islands caves, accessed by walking a mile out onto a iced-over Lake Superior. For the first time in five years, visitors are able to explore the island's caves which have been turned into a 'fairyland of needle-like icicles' thanks to that polar vortex.
Frozen over: For the first time in five years, visitors can trek a mile out onto Lake Superior to explore the Apostle Islands' caves covered in ice
Rare opportunity: Not since the winter of 2009 have conditions been right to make the journey from shore to the islands safe enough to cross on foot
Winter wonderland: In the cold months, the islands' caves become a 'fairyland of needle-like icicles'
Popular destination: The park gets about 1,000 visitors a weekend when the caves are open during the winter, much more than in summer
Safety first: Visitors make the trek wearing cleets, snow shoes or skis so as not to slip
Solid ice: Park officials closely monitor the ice conditions to make sure the crossing is safe Exceptional year: Neil Howk, who works with the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, said the ice formations this year are 'some of the best I've ever seen When the thaw comes: The caves are accessed in the summer by kayak Visual tricks; The caves appear to be covered in beautiful rock formations that are actually stalactites and stalagmites made entirely of ice GPS: The caves are located 18 miles east of Bayfield, Wisconsin Like glass: Park superintendent Bob Krumanaker says you can see straight to the bottom of the lake in some parks of the caves
See them while you can: Park officials hope to keep the islands open for another six weeks, but conditions could make them inaccessible as soon as Saturday Great view: A visitor surveys Lake Superior from one of the caves' entrances
Dog trip: Two dogs play in the snow outside the caves
Superior at sunset: Ice creates an alien landscape on the top of Lake | 
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