Clear Lake lives up to its name

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This article was published 30/11/2022 (1294 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Once in a while Clear Lake seems to show off — its surface freezes as smooth as glass, and almost as transparent as a window — and this was one of those years.

Onanole resident Tim Town said that, while the edge of the lake in Riding Mountain National Park was rough, the main basin of the lake was polished.

“Once you got out to the smooth stuff, it was between that three- to four-inch range and just beautifully nice, and clear and smooth,” Town said.

Clear Lake lives up to its name in that its water is clear, and from time to time sudden cold freezes the lake (temperatures dipped to the negative-20s on Nov. 20) and a lack of wind means the surface is smooth and transparent, making for a unique experience for skaters.

“You can sometimes see fish under you, and you can see the bottom, you can see a change from sand to rocks, you can see the vegetation that’s growing down there,” said Brett Smith, acting visitor experience manager for Riding Mountain National Park. “It was like that over quite a large portion of the lake this year.”

With temperatures hovering just below zero during portions of the weekend, Smith said it made for fine skating weather. A slow freeze-up left crusty edges on the lake, but the smooth ice lay beyond for those who ventured out.

On Thursday night, Town said, the ice was a little thin. But on Friday, it was thick enough for him, his partner and a friend from work to head out for a skate. (Although, they did bring precautions such as ice picks and stuck to a shallow part of the lake.)

“We skated around, we had our hockey sticks and probably spent about an hour before the sun went down,” Town said, noting passes need to be accurate when the ice is that glossy, otherwise you’ll be chasing the puck.

“It’s almost freeing because typically you’re skating on that community rink with boards … it’s a wonderful phenomenon to be a part of, and you don’t get it too often, which also makes it very special.”

While the ice was somewhat hazy this year, Town said he could still see the rocky bottom of the lake.

In 2015, Clear Lake received national, and even international, attention when its ice was exceptionally clear and smooth and remained in that state for almost a week before snow settled in. Conditions like this year happen every couple of years, Town estimated, and times like 2015 every five to 10 years.

The magic was short-lived this year. Snow fell on Tuesday and, while wind may clear flakes from the surface to again reveal the icy window below, it may simply stick and put an end to the see-through spectacle.

When the transparent ice of Clear Lake does return, Smith said he’d like to remind visitors to check the thickness, avoid areas with water or slush on top, and let people know when you’re heading out and when you’ll be back.

In the meantime, Smith said there are still plenty of other winter activities for visitors to Riding Mountain National Park to enjoy such as cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and ice skating along skating paths.

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