🌊 Lake Superior's winter gem

Good morning, folks! Welcome to the Wiscampsin Weekly, where we roll out the barrel on Wisconsin's outdoors. This week's topic is hotter than a batch of cheese curds.

Today's cheddar: 

• Lake Superior's winter gem 💎

• Northwoods deer populations 🦌

• Wisconsin weather records 🌡️

• Wolves, and what people are saying 🐺

Apostle Island ice caves

What do you get when you mix extreme cold, crashing waves, and crimson sandstone?

You get Debra from Green Bay, ushering her entire family onto the ice of Lake Superior to catch a glimpse of the famous Apostle Island ice caves.

But Debra and her family aren't the only ones; this phenomenon draws tens of thousands of spectators annually (under ~safe conditions) to spot the insanely beautiful ice caves along the Apostle Island National Lakeshore.

Locals, tourists, photographers, and others can be found crawling in and out of these caves, taking pictures and making memories of this legendary sight.

The 'coolest' caves around

Just like Milwaukee's famous beers, the Apostle Island ice caves were formed from centuries of careful craftsmanship:

1. Waves crash against the red sandstone shoreline, wearing down the soft rock and creating ever-deepening sea caves

2. Repeated freezing and thawing makes cracks inside the rock, which water runs through with each wave like a waterfall

3. Once temps get cold enough, the trickling water freezes, creating a "fairyland of needle-like icicles."

4. With cold enough temps, ice bridges form from land to the islands, allowing foot passengers to access the incredible caves

5. The glistening ice changes day by day from wind and varying temperatures, making it a photographer's paradise

Ok Google, directions to Apostle Island ice caves...

About 3 miles east of Cornucopia, WI, spectators can access the caves by parking at Meyers Beach and creeping across the ice along the shoreline.

It's no walk in the park, however. You'll need to tip-toe on sometimes glare ice at least 2 miles (round trip) to see the first few caves. For those wanting to see them all (and burn off the fish fry you had for lunch), it's a ~6 mile trek.

The best time to visit is after mid-February on sunny afternoons, when the lighting is best in the caves. Try to carpool and visit on weekdays to avoid crowds. And Chicagoans...

To keep your footing, bring cross-country skis, snowshoes, or hiking spikes and poles. Remember - it's gonna be chilly, so layer up before venturing out on the ice.

And for cripe's sake, tell someone where you're going! Ice conditions on the Great Lakes can go from good to "Ope! We're in trouble" in a hurry. Keep an eye on current conditions, which the saints at the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore staff update.

But what if there's no, you know, ice?

As they say "The Lake is the Boss."

Unfortunately, this year has seen a lot of gale-force winds, which smash through cave ice like the Packer's defensive line.

Water temperatures have also been on the rise, which are obviously not good for ice caves. Without extreme cold, Lake Superior's shoreline will not freeze, and the land-to-island ice bridges cannot form.

According to NOAA, there's only an 8.5% ice coverage on the lake this year, when as much as 90% coverage is required to have access to the mainland ice caves. Darnit Noah.

But, there are other ways to enjoy the Apostle Islands in the winter.

The lakeshore trail gives viewing access from above, which is still a sight to behold. Cornucopia, a historical fishing town, has great pubs and taverns to warm up in on wintery days. Heck, there's even other ice caves to check out in Wisconsin, albeit not as cool...

In the meantime, keep an eye on the weather reports, forward this email to a friend, and get out 'der.

Nuts and Seeds 🌰 

🦌 Northwoods deer population headed south: With deer populations on the decline in the Northwoods, many are scratching their heads wondering what the buck? and even turning to things like snowmobiling.

🏔 Potawatomi State Park probz: Should the tower at Potawatomi State Park be preserved? Should it be rebuilt? How about installing a Slip 'n' Slide... Give park officials your input here.

🐺  Wolves 101: More than 15,000 folks completed a wolf questionnaire on the future of Wisconsin's wolf populations as they pertain to hunting, heard size, and livestock predation. Here's a little background info from our October issue.