One of my favourite adventures is Abraham’s Lake. Located in western Alberta Canada on the David Thompson Highway 11. You can get access to the highway from Highway 93 commonly referred to as The Icefields Parkway which runs north-south between Lake Louise, Alberta and Jasper or heading west from Highway 2 through Rocky Mountain House directly on Highway 11 or Highway 12. 

What makes Abraham’s Lake so famous? Abraham’s Lake is a man made lake and when the lake was created it covered all the organic matter like plants. All the matter is now decomposing at the bottom of the lake creating methane gas. When the lake freezes all that gas rises and becomes trapped in the layers of forming ice. Because of the many freezing and thawing cycles the bubbles get trapped in the layers forming stacks of bubbles. 

Making sure you have the right footwear is important. Spikes on your feet are a must. Last visit my photographer partner just had the springs and I ended up dragging them across the ice and up the icy slope on the shore to get them out and off the lake. We were both laughing as they were clinging to the end of a tripod and thinking that someone was getting a video of the whole incident. 

Dress for the weather! It can get as cold as -40c on the lake and with the strong winds that blow through the valley it can feel much worse. A beautiful sunny day of -10c can feel like -25c as the wind bites through cracks in your clothing. Make sure you have good wind proof gear like snow pants and a full winter jacket with a hood to help protect you from the fierce winds. Hand warmers are a good idea to keep those hands warm when shooting. Keeping track of your camera bag is a must because, if you don’t you will have the wind blowing it across the ice.

The best time to see the ice bubbles is late morning and earlier afternoon. The sun is high providing the best lighting. Both times I went I decided on the early morning sunrise shots which were a little dark and next time I will go a little later in the day for the optimal light. You never know what you are going to get.  My decision to take my photos in the morning was the fear of snow and frost forming later in the day on the ice. 

Suggested Camera Gear

• Any camera body you have should be fine. I used a Sony full frame one. Both the A7C and Alpha 7. 

• For a lens I trusted my VILTROX 13mm F1.4 Ultra Wide Angle APS-C AF Lens for Sony. I wish I had a macro lens to use. Almost any lens under 100 mm could be used for getting those close ups of the bubbles and switching right away for a landscape shot.  I do suggest having a Telephoto lens for capturing wildlife along the way. I've seen many hawks and wild horses on each trip and some folks have been luck to encounter a variety of Owls.

• A tripod is a must. With the harsh winds keeping the camera steady can be a challenge. I did take some shots lying on the ice but had to face away from the wind. As mentioned you can also use the tripod to pull someone across the lake and up the icy slope. 

  
  

Both times have been amazing and there is plenty to see along the way. The Icefields Parkway is close if you want to head to Banff or Jasper and there are few hikes surrounding the town of Nordegg which is located about 30 minutes east of the lake. This can be a day trip if you live in Alberta or you can stay in Nordegg or Red Deer. Red Deer has more to offer in lodging and dining experiences but a longer drive.