Sable Area Hike

Merry Christmas eve to all.  I hope that everyone has a joyous holiday.

Today's update will include the remainder of the previously unposted pictures taken during two hikes in the Sable Lake area from the past few days. 

The first few were taken during my drive back to town from the Log Slide.  Ice is starting to form on the three-mile long lake.

Then the next day I hiked from Sable Lake across the Grand Sable Dunes to the Lake Superior shoreline, and back.  Given the paths I took, the total hike was around three miles.  As I started, I noticed the color coming from the clear area south of town shining on the ice of Sable Lake.  In the Grand Marais area we often have lake effect clouds this time of year.

Then I hiked into the dunes.  Notice the hikers in front of me.

Most of the snow in the dunes has melted.  Don't let the sand color fool you, though, all of the sand is frozen, requiring crampons or snowshoes to get a grip.

I love the ridges that form in the sand from freezing, thawing, and wind.

On the sides of some of the dunes there was still a bit of snow.

With the wind from the south, the waves on the "Big Lake" were not very high.