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VEOnce every decade, we can walk on water… all the way to New York! ❄️
For the first time in 7 years, Lake Champlain has frozen over. Before the 1940s, the lake used to freeze every year, but climate change has turned this into a “once in a decade” situation. We might not see the lake freeze again for a while, so don’t wait to explore!
💫 Lake Champlain is 12 miles wide and 107 miles long, so it takes a very cold winter to freeze our “Great Lake”. It’s currently a massive playground, with dozens of easy access areas. Burlington is the most popular, but all state parks and town beaches along the water are also open!
☀️ I filmed this on Thursday at Burlington’s waterfront park. This area has 2 “trails” leading across the bay, right from the shore. It’s a wild experience to walk around famous boats like @spiritofethanallen, just sitting there, silently frozen in time (a subtle Titanic vibe). You can walk across the bay to the breakwater jetty, which is a fabulous sunset spot!
You can also check out other Burlington area parks like Oakledge, Red Rocks, Colchester Causeway, Malletts Bay, Niquette Bay, and Sand Bar. Or head north to the Champlain Islands, St. Albans Bay, or south through Ferrisburgh. I’m a huge fan of sunset strolls at @shelburnefarms! Walk about 2 miles (roundtrip) to the bay and say hay to the cows.
🚨 LET’S TALK ICE SAFETY:
There are always risks on wild ice. Don’t go out alone or walk/skate too far, unless you have proper ice safety training and rescue gear. Ice conditions are constantly changing, so don’t assume it’s all safe. Some skaters were recently stranded because the ice shifted and surrounded them with open water. Soo scary!
Backcountry rules apply here: “The lake is just as dark and deep as it was 200 years ago.” Be smart, have fun, and stay safe!!!
@vermontforreal
