Ice Spectacle

Out From the Shadows

The ice formations in the canyons of Starved Rock State Park are ever changing. Each day with temperatures dropping or raising, the ice increases or decreases, builds and falls, creating new forms everyday.  No matter what the weather, there always something new to see.

A 60 degree difference from just a few days prior, brought out scores of visitors to the state park. Many visitors were part of hiking clubs taking advantage of the 40 degree weather, while others were there strictly for the ice formations.

Ice Spectacle

As Illinois' second most visited attraction (Navy Pier in Chicago is #1), I'm rarely alone in these canyons, but during last week's zero degree temperatures, we only saw a few people the entire day.  In contrast, on this day we shared LaSalle canyon with dozens of people, each taking in the ice spectacle as they passed through.

Most of Starved Rock's canyons have some sort of waterfall - some have two, and they often remain frozen this time of year. During warm months, most waterfalls only flow after rains, so timing is crucial when trying to see them flowing.  With the cold weather, even a slow drip eventually forms a huge frozen waterfall, so there is almost always something beautiful to see in winter.

No comments: