December’s ice paradise continued throughout the month. My enjoyment of it culminated with two magical days spanning Solstice.
Head of the Bay 12.20.2025
Bright and early Alison, Erica and I drove east so we could start biking during sunrise. Conditions were perfect to drive down the switchbacks – a first for me.
We fat biked 5 miles across the icy mudflats. In 5 miles our elevation gain was 20 feet! The ice was cold and dry, so we had a low key, joyful pedal towards the Fox River.
Years ago Derek and I did a full moon, midnight ride out to Dolima during similar conditions. On that trip we came across an overflow of the Fox River that formed a perfect strip of ice meandering through the trees. I had always intended to come back and skate it. Finally the stars aligned!
The sun popped over the mountains just as we reached the skating. The ribbon of ice was about a mile long, smooth, milky ice with cool patterns that looked just like brittle seastars.
We skated about 4 miles before heading back. It was an utterly magical time.
Crescent Lake 12.21.2025
Mary, Derek and I hiked up the Carter Lake trail, across a snow covered Carter Lake and up to Crescent Lake.
The leading edge of Crescent Lake was coated in gorgeous “Frosted Flakes” of the most spectacular hoar frost. The flakes were about 3″ across!
The ice was disconcertingly clear. Rocks, waterlogged trees, and swimming fish were clearly visible below us. There was evidence at pressure cracked areas that the ice was well more than a foot thick.
Talking of pressure cracks – Crescent Lake is much deeper with thicker ice than Beluga Lake. It is also circled by mountains. You know that reverberating sound Beluga makes as the ice expands? Crescent Lake was going off! The sound was much louder and deeper, and sort of terrifying even after you got used to it!
We skated 8ish miles, yet another magical day. What a way to celebrate Solstice!
All of which is to say, no regrets. Or, at the most, that I regret not wearing knee pads.
Maybe 1/2 mile from the end of skating I stumbled over a ridge at a pressure crack and fell flat onto my front. I was a bit winded, but OK and my head/face did not hit. Mary and Derek skated over and helped me up.
I commented that I had maybe hit my knee the most, and then skated the last stretch. I clipped off my Nordic skates and we started the hike down. I still had no inkling the extent of my knee injury, though it did get increasingly painful on the hike out.
Long story short… I have a broken kneecap. I am currently couch and bed bound in an immobilizer. Friends have rallied, providing a dinner each day, and a good smattering of visits. I’ll not be driving for 8 weeks total, which is when I’ll likely be out of the brace. Then there’ll be PT and a gradual recovery and regaining of fitness. Fingers crossed for no surgical intervention needed, I’ll find that out tomorrow.
Happy New Year! I hope 2026 provides you with exactly what you need!
Quillpig 
Talk about ending 2025 with a BANG !
You certainly did that, such a shame about the knee, thinking of you tomorrow, Tuesday, hope the news is the best possible.
Reading this along side the pictures almost takes me there to the ice, lake and hills. But mostly to the golden sun and the clear crisp air that you can taste and smell!!
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