Like many others, I have seen plenty of photos and videos of the infamous “ice bubbles” lake over the years on Instagram but never saw it with my own eyes until now. It was not what I expected and as surreal as the photos are online!
In late January, we decided on a whim to take a weekend adventure off the beaten path to Nordegg. Located in the foothills of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, Nordegg is a hamlet in Clearwater County and a three-hour drive from Edmonton along David Thompson Highway 11. We’ve never taken this highway before, and we could not believe how beautiful the landscape was. There were some icy patches that kept us alert, so this drive in the middle of winter is certainly not for the faint of heart.
The reason for our little adventure was simple – to see the frozen bubbles trapped underneath the surface of Abraham Lake. This phenomenon happens every winter and is a product of nature and science.
Crescent Falls
Our first stop was Crescent Falls, a series of two waterfalls located on the Bighorn River in the Bighorn River Canyon. There was only one other car in the parking lot when we arrived, which meant we nearly had the entire canyon to ourselves.
To get to the upper lookout at the top of the falls, we had to hike down a relatively short trail. Under normal circumstances, it would have been an easy 10-minute hike. It was a little more difficult with at least 10 centimetres of fresh snow and below sub-zero temperature.
The view of Crescent Falls and the Bighorn River Canyon from the upper lookout was stunning! The frozen icicles with hints of blue paired with the thunderous roaring of water falling into the river pool below was a spectacular sight to witness.
Although you can hike right to the bottom of the falls, I don’t recommend doing that in winter. The path is very steep and slippery next to the cliffside. Better to come back in the summer for that particular hike.
Abraham Lake
Second stop, Abraham Lake, a man-made lake created by the former Calgary Power Company, now TransAlta, in 1972. Although man-made, the lake possesses the same blue colour of other glacial lakes in the Rocky Mountains, which is caused by rock flour. Abraham Lake is also the largest reservoir in Alberta with a surface area of 53.7 square km and a length of 32 km.
Abraham Lake is a popular place in both summer and winter, the latter for its frozen ice bubbles phenomenon.
The ice bubbles are caused when plants and tree limbs on the bottom of the lake start decomposing in the fall. When these organic matters decompose, methane gas is released and rises upwards, creating bubbles in the water. When the temperature drops in the winter months, the methane bubbles become trapped in ice, suspended just below the surface.
As Abraham Lake continues to freeze, usually in mid to late December, stacks and layers of bubbles start to appear in the thickening ice. Eventually, the lake looks like a giant lava lamp, with icy bubbles frozen in time. According to the Internet, the best time to see the frozen bubbles is typically from early January to mid-February, hence this on-the-whim weekend getaway.
It had snowed much of the week leading up to the weekend which meant the entire lake was blanketed in white. Thankfully, other smart weekenders came prepared with snow shovels and cleared several large areas on the frozen lake so the less prepared, like us, could enjoy the spectacular bubbles. It was surreal!
Another thing we were unprepared for was the wind! Like serious blow you away and cannot breathe windy! The kiddos thought it hilarious they almost got picked up a few times from the wind.
Some interesting facts about Abraham Lake:
The lake is named after Silas Abraham of the Stoney Nakoda First Nation, who was a farmer and hunter.
Abraham Lake is not considered a safe lake for boating or swimming due to its cold water temperature, unstable shore lines, and rapidly-changing lake levels and driftwood.
A number of fishes live in this lake—brook trout, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, char, sunfish, and sucker.
There is zero cell service at Abraham Lake. Zip.
Abraham Lake is literally in the middle of a valley surrounded by mountains. The nearest town (and gas station) is Nordegg about 40 kms away. Make sure you gas up before venturing all the way out here.
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