An adventure to see an awe-inspiring natural phenomenon in Wisconsin.

A couple of months ago, I was completely unaware of the craze surrounding some frozen caves in Wisconsin – craze that was slowly reaching monumental proportions. In fact, at that point, I had never even heard of a national park known as the Apostle Islands.

A couple of weeks later, I set out to the region specifically to see this park and discovered firsthand what the excitement was about. When the ice caves finally came into view, I was awed by intricate stalactites; their delicate formations peaceful, graceful and very dangerous all at once. Wearing about five layers on the top half of my body and three on the bottom half to guard against frigid -24F temperatures, I could still feel my heart beating fast against my jacket and my body pulsing with excitement.

The beauty of the ice caves was otherworldly. There is an added level of mystique, though: this natural phenomenon can only occur when the ice on the lake is thick enough to allow visitors to walk safely. (The last time that these caves have been deemed ‘safe’ was five years ago, in 2009.) During the winter of 2014, more and more photos and reports surfaced showing off the beauty of the area and inspired others to make the journey.

If the opportunity presents itself in the future (depending on weather conditions in the coming years), I would highly recommend exploring the area. If you do visit, the area is often less crowded on weekdays and in the afternoons and evenings, when you can be rewarded with a sunset you will never forget.

Zach Glassman

Zach is the son of a travel-writing father and a wanderlust mother who met on a bus in Guatemala. He grew up following his father through Central America. Most recently, he spent three years based in both Beijing and Hong Kong, which allowed him to explore the lands of Australasia.
A polyglot, Zach considers language to be travel’s greatest sidekick and is always eager to use language as a means to immerse himself in a new culture. As a photographer, he has worked with both professionals and amateurs in many corners of the globe.

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