Abraham Lake Ice Conditions – November 26 2022

CLEAR ICE BACK AT PREACHER’S POINT

Lots to explore after a few warm and windy days in the area.

The warm temperatures meant some pool of water above the ice from snowmelt earlier in the week. It has refrozen nicely however and we’re finding over 18 cm of strong ice in all the areas we use for our tours at Nordegg Adventures. As usual, shore access and the section near the point downstream from the parking lot are the riskiest at this time of the year.

The area closer to the access is not as good as it usually is at this time of the year. You’ll need to explore a little further to find some great bubbles but it’s well worth the effort.

The warm weather has left the ice a little rougher than usual making it not a great option for skating at the moment.

We often get asked at this time of the year how it can be safe to go out on the ice when areas like Windy Point have yet to freeze. Abraham Lake is a large reservoir and the conditions vary considerably from one end to the other. The Preacher’s Point area is more sheltered and always freezes 6 to 8 weeks before places like Windy Point. The weather is also quite variable throughout the region. For example, on Friday we received over 10 cm of snow in Nordegg while Windy Point only received a couple of centimetres and Preacher’s Point had no accumulation. The same applies to temperatures, especially when the lake is not yet frozen. The temperature was 5 degrees colder at Preacher’s Point than at Windy Point this morning, something that we often see at this time of the year.

That’s why we always recommend going with local guides, who experience this area daily, if you are unsure about how to safely enjoy your ice walk.

As always, the highest risks on Abraham Lake are on the rocky shoreline as you approach the lake and while standing on the ice near the shore. Make sure to brush off on your ice safety skills before you head out.