Spring is on its way. We finish up the last of our dogsledding season this week. Temperatures will reach up to the 40s later this week and we will shortly see our snow disappear. But we felt lucky that these last few days have stayed cold, with overnight lows even below zero. The warmer temperatures of the last few weeks caused the snow pack on the lake to compact. This week’s cold dips turned the surface to slick ice.
With slick ice, conditions for dogsledding are fast! Amanda came with her family from Florida, and here, she enjoys driving her own team next to beautiful Blueberry Cliffs.
Sled-dog Achota pulled Amanda’s sister Elizabeth on her own sled. High 20s and full sun in the afternoon caused the icy snow under Achota’s paws to soften just enough to allow her and the other dogs to get a grip on the ice.
Spring is showing itself on the lakes in another way, as well. As the water level under the ice drops, the ice sags in the center. Along the shore, cracks start to form as the lower ice pulls apart from the ice frozen to shore. Not to worry, though. The ice is still solid enough to safely hold anyone, including an entire dog team. In fact, when cutting a hole in the ice for a sauna experience later that evening, Amanda and Elizabeth found that the lake ice was still over a foot thick.
Spring is on its way. We finish up the last of our dogsledding season this week. Temperatures will reach up to the 40s later this week and we will shortly see our snow disappear. But we felt lucky that these last few days have stayed cold, with overnight lows even below zero. The warmer temperatures of the last few weeks caused the snow pack on the lake to compact. This week’s cold dips turned the surface to slick ice.
With slick ice, conditions for dogsledding are fast! Amanda came with her family from Florida, and here, she enjoys driving her own team next to beautiful Blueberry Cliffs.
Sled-dog Achota pulled Amanda’s sister Elizabeth on her own sled. High 20s and full sun in the afternoon caused the icy snow under Achota’s paws to soften just enough to allow her and the other dogs to get a grip on the ice. 
Spring is showing itself on the lakes in another way, as well. As the water level under the ice drops, the ice sags in the center. Along the shore, cracks start to form as the lower ice pulls apart from the ice frozen to shore. Not to worry, though. The ice is still solid enough to safely hold anyone, including an entire dog team. In fact, when cutting a hole in the ice for a sauna experience later that evening, Amanda and Elizabeth found that the lake ice was still over a foot thick. 
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