This slab of ice, jutting straight upward to the tune of twelve feet or more, was part of a pressure ridge on Lake Audubon, north of Bismarck about an hour (or less, if you drive like some people). Being the adventurous sort and having checked out the ice’s stability, I ventured to an adjacent high point to snap a few photos.

As the title implies, these photos were not taken this winter. They date back a couple of years, since we’ve had way too much snow for something like this to be available. This particular pressure ridge is WAY out on the lake, near an island that’s only accessible by boat for most of the year.

The past couple of years have seen the ice covered by so much snow, it’s nearly impossible to drive on much of the lake. I bet that’s a bummer for the ice fishermen! Well, it’s not fun for us photographer’s either. Check out the amazing colors in the ice and water in that shot. I’d love a chance to chase down more images like these.

We do, of course, still have dramatic winter skies. At the end of this trip, a wave of weather was on its way. You can see the band of clouds approaching. Having parked our vehicle a long ways away from the pressure ridge, it wsa time to hike back to it and roam around the ice some more. Sadly, I didn’t get to take a repeat trip this year, since I was told that the snow makes it an impossibility. I do like to dig up these photos and share them every now and then, though. Someday I’ll get the opportunity for more.