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That Time I...

Led My Snowshoeing Class Half a Mile Offshore to Check Out Some Cool Blue Ice

Back in the ye olde days when Finlandia University was a still operating (RIP), I led both hiking and snowshoeing classes throughout the year.  It was fun!  Most students hadn't done much snowshoeing until I showed them around and lent them snowshoes, and by the end of the class they were hooked.


In 2022 I had a particularly daring group of students who were willing to push their boundaries all the time.  I was happy to oblige!  On one particular hike to the Freda ice cliffs, we were getting silly exploring all of the cool ice formations.  Off in the distance far offshore we could see a line of solid blue ice that was very tempting.


"Would ya'll want to go check out that blue ice?  It might be a bit sketchy!"


Unanimously: "YES!"


Off we hiked across the ice dunes.  The ice volcanoes came and went.  Then we hit an abrupt change, something I knew to be the end of the grounded ice.


"Alright, from here on out we're on floating ice.  It could be much thinner.  If you're not sure, I recommend you stay here.  Otherwise, follow behind me as I pick a safe way through the ice."


Suddenly, the fun and games was over.  We were in serious snowshoe territory.  This was as close to a final as you could get for a class where all we did was go outside.


We eventually reached the blue ice safe and sound.  It was as cool as I'd promised and the first time any of them had seen such ice in person.  They were hyped!  


Just beyond the blue ice lay a surprise: a patch of open water where the ice had retreated after shoving the pile up that we had seen.  Sketchy indeed!  It was a great lesson for them on how lake ice forms, and how to take well-thought-out risks (or know when to chicken out).  I was proud of 'em and happy to give them all passing grades for surviving to tell the tale.

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