Have you ever dreamt of frozen bubbles? As winter temperatures plunge to a whopping minus 30degree Fahrenheit, an ethereal and breathtaking sight forms before our eyes – a hard-frozen lake top with glassy orbs as constellations suspending itself underfoot – in other words, frozen bubbles. A feast for the eyes of which you can take snapshots. While remote, don’t let that deter you as it isn’t as hard to get there as you think and you don’t need to go out to buy expensive equipment for a good picture.
Many of you may wonder what is behind this earth-shattering phenomenon. It is a natural process of decomposition – time to brush up on your elementary school science if you don’t know what that is. On the bed of the lake lies vegetation which the bacteria consume through the process of decomposition, emitting methane bubbles which freeze in the ice. So frozen bubbles or bacteria farts, you decide. Don’t plan your visit too early. Halfway through January through to February is when Abraham Lake offers the best chance of clicking the completely formed and solidified frozen bubbles.
How to Get To Lake Abraham
The closest airports to this lake are Edmonton or Calgary after which you’ll have to take 3-4 hours to drive up into the lower hills of the Rockies, passing through the David Thompson Highway (H11). The isolated nature of this trip will make for quite a peaceful journey, but you’ll need to pack a solid stock of food supplies and your vehicle needs to be sturdy and filled up with gas which you’ll need to make sure at Nordegg. If your car does break down, wait patiently until the highway patrol comes along.
Where to Stay in Abraham Lake
You don’t need to worry about stay seeing as there is a massive range of five-star hotels you can bunk comfortably. The most recommended one has to be the Aurum Lodge, run by a man equipped with the best knowledge when it comes to photographing the exquisite sight of these frozen bubbles. You are blessed with the best view of the Lake from this Lodge. Book well in advance as a room here is very much in-demand. If you have a high-resolution telescopic lens on your camera, you can click a few extra shots from here.
Tips on Photographing a Great Picture
The best locations to capture your photo would be the shoreline along the Belly of Abraham and the stretch between the Hoodoo Creek and David Thompson Resort. The Preacher’s Point is obviously on top of everyone’s list.
Remember that while these are the best stops, the weather conditions don’t guarantee that these bubbles will always be there. So take a look around to find your spot that will hopefully get you the best pictures.
You don’t need to be a top-notch photographer to shoot some great shots. Be aware of the light conditions as you’ll need to cut out the glare. The most crucial investments to make would be on a polarizing filter, a macro lens attachment for close-up shots and a wide-angle lens for landscape views.