Mainland Caves, the splendid ice cave that tourists cannot reach

Mainland Caves is the beautiful ice cave that tourists cannot reach. 2014 was the last year that this spectacular natural site was opened to the public. The ice caves are located on Apostle Island, Wisconsin , and feature beautiful sandstone arches, covered with hundreds of ice stalactites .

However, for some time now no one can walk among these formations . The reason? The mild temperatures and strong winds shattered the layer of ice that in the past allowed to reach the Mainland Caves. The authorities have therefore banned access to this area of ​​the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore .

In this place the water, the sky and the earth unite, to give life to a show that leaves visitors in awe. Mainland Caves ice has a characteristic blue color only when it is consolidated and is so dense that air bubbles do not allow light to pass through. When the bubbles disperse the ice takes on a brilliant, almost dazzling color, unique in the world.

But today the situation is very different. In the period between 2013 and 2014 the ice had reached its maximum splendor. At that time the cold had made the layer of frozen water even thicker, preventing it from melting during the spring and turning these ice caves into a fabulous place .

Since then thousands of tourists have tried to reach them, but to no avail. The passage is in fact blocked and the ice has not frozen enough, preventing the passage on foot. The cold of December had made many fans hope, but the wind has further worsened the situation .

“Winters are getting milder and the ice is failing to consolidate – explained Julie Van Stappen of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore – the climate projections tell us that reaching the minimum thickness will be increasingly rare”. This is yet another problem caused by climate change.