Since I update the blog www.agatelady.blogspot.com on a regular basis, I have decided that from now on any photos that I include in the regular web page update will be different than those that are included in the blog update.
Of all the snowshoe and ski adventures I have been lucky enough to participate in this winter, the best adventure took place yesterday. It was in the 40s with brilliant sunshine. Friend, Wendy Lynn, and I headed into the dunes from Sable Lake and headed northwest. Our goal was to get to the highest point in the dunes, which is at around 900 feet above sea level. The sun has been so intense lately. This combined with the warm southerly winds has caused most of the snow in the dunes to have already melted. I would estimate that the spring thaw is at least a month ahead of schedule.
The views yesterday were incredible. Here is a photo I took from one of the highest dunes looking east. You can see the channel lighthouse in the upper left of the photo. In the upper right of the photo, you can see a small section of Grand Marais Bay as well as what is left of Lonesome Point.
From the bluff around 1/3 of the way across the dunes walking east to west, you can see how the southwest winds are pushing some of the “pancake” ice back out into the lake.
At this rate of snowmelt as well as ice break up, we will have early agate picking in Grand Marais this year. That is, of course, if we don’t get a late season snow storm.
Here is one more shot that was taken from up in the dunes, looking back toward the dunes that are next to Sable Lake.
