Winter in St. Joseph

Winter in St. Joseph

Said to be the most photographed lighthouse in Michigan, the St. Joseph range lights are a popular spot for avid photographers in winter. The 35 foot tall outer light often receives a thick layer of ice during winter storms. This year was no exception.

Here, people look around the inner light, probably to see if it's safe enough to walk past. It's deceiving from this angle - the outer light is over 100 feet from the inner light, and there is only about a two or three foot wide path between the lighthouse and the frigid lake. In winter, that path is often very slippery.

This year, many people ventured to the outer light, but not many dared go around to the windward side of the outer light. While I've seen hundreds of photos from the shore and the pier, I've only come across a couple of photographers who braved it and ventured out around the tower - me, my son Chris and another person who posted his image on Flickr.

The Ice Monster, from the Edge

It was worth the trek.

2 comments:

Jess Australia said...

Lovely photos on your blog. Saw this on news.com.au - must have been an interesting 'walk' to the lighthouse to get these shots!

Tom Gill said...

Thanks. The experience is never the same twice - the ice is always different on the lighthouses, and the path can be dry or slick and dangerous.

I've turned back many times because of dangerous conditions, but even when I make it back safely, I still shudder when I think of what could have happened if I slipped into the lake.