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Home»Rockies 2016»Vision Quest Ridge / Abraham Lake Ice, February 9, 2016

Visitors 31

Modified 10-Feb-16

Created 10-Feb-16

14 photos

Mount Chephren dominates this view above the snow covered Waterfowl Lakes with Howse Peak in behind to the left.

This is one of the best views of Abraham Lake and Elliot Peak. Unfortunately the day stayed gloomy thanks to the Chinook.

Mount Michener is another one of the dominating peaks of this area. The lake surface looked interesting from up here, but nothing could have prepared me for how cool it would be up close.

I love Elliot Peak and even though it was dismal out the Chinook Arch helped enhance the views.

This is not the summit of Vision Quest but is enough of an obstacle that most people turn back before gaining the top. Maybe someday I will return in the summer and follow the ridge further.

The rounded ridge on the left is topped by a building and is called Cline Fire Lookout

$The lake level changes so rapidly that you get incredible scenes like these huge chunks of ice fractured over the underlying terrain. The horn shaped cliff in the background is part of Kista Peak.$

I have never seen anything like this before. The crazy slabs of broken ice with bubbles trapped inside were definitely a highlight of this trip.

This is what it looks like after the ice around trapped methane bubbles melts. The bubbles form from decaying plant matter at the bottom of the lake.

Elliot Peak again! The surface of the lake was very treacherous so I wore crampons and avoided any areas that could collapse.

This is my favorite shot of the day. I loved the way the sunlight penetrated the ice and made it look like it had its own internal light source.

I found it incredible how extensive the methane bubbles were in this area. It was strange to see what was left behind after the ice that once encased them had melted away.

Mount Michener towers over Lake Abraham with yet more broken ice!

I have always though that this outlier of Spreading Peak looked stunning from this angle on the Icefields Parkway.

© Calvin Damen