National Park Service
It seems the current deep freeze across the north may have some benefits. For the first time since 2009, an icy wonderland is accessible in Wisconsin. Those fearless enough to hike the two miles across a frozen Lake Superior will arrive at the hidden sea caves of the Apostle Islands 18 miles west of Bayfield. But even then, you’re not quite there. “You’re looking at these beautiful rock formations, but they’re covered by stalactites and stalagmites made of ice,” Bob Krumanaker, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore superintendent, told Wisconsin Public Radio. “And then if you carefully crawl under some of that ... the ice is completely smooth and generally completely clear underneath it. So, it’s like there’s a glass floor that you can see the bottom of the lake," he said. You’ll enter a “fairyland of needle-like icicles.” We’re not sure what’s more frightening: having ice move below our feet, or hanging around needle-like icicles. But we’re pretty sure it will be worth it.