2011 - Paddling a Frozen Pickerel Lake, Lilydale, MN

Today I set out on adventure with fellow geocachers Doublemoose and Geobex.  We were attempting to be the first to find on a brand new, water accessible only, 4.5/5 rated geocache called River Cache: Pickled Lilies (GC37YDE).  The geocache was hidden on Pickerel Lake, located in Lilydale, MN.  This was no ordinary paddle.

I've paddled lakes. I've paddled rivers. I've paddle into caves.  Paddled the BWCAW.  Paddled the dangerous swells of Lake Superior in May right after ice-out.  I've even paddled through barge traffic on the Mississippi.  But today is the first time I've actually paddled through ice.  Besides the effort of plowing through the ice like a Great Lakes Ice Breaker, it was very precarious trying to keep the boat off the ice and into the water.  We prevailed and came home alive.

Enjoy the photographs (click thumbnails for larger view)..

2011 - Paddling a Frozen Pickerel Lake, Lilydale, MN Preparing for the voyage Preparing for the voyage	2011 - Paddling a Frozen Pickerel Lake, Lilydale, MN Launching the boat Launching the boat	2011 - Paddling a Frozen Pickerel Lake, Lilydale, MN Chopping ice to get us started Chopping ice to get us started
2011 - Paddling a Frozen Pickerel Lake, Lilydale, MN Onward through the sheet of ice Onward through the sheet of ice	2011 - Paddling a Frozen Pickerel Lake, Lilydale, MN Paddling and chopping through the ice Paddling and chopping through the ice	2011 - Paddling a Frozen Pickerel Lake, Lilydale, MN Paddling and chopping through the ice Paddling and chopping through the ice
2011 - Paddling a Frozen Pickerel Lake, Lilydale, MN Paddling and chopping through the ice Paddling and chopping through the ice	2011 - Paddling a Frozen Pickerel Lake, Lilydale, MN Paddling and chopping through the ice Paddling and chopping through the ice	2011 - Paddling a Frozen Pickerel Lake, Lilydale, MN Almost to open water Almost to open water
2011 - Paddling a Frozen Pickerel Lake, Lilydale, MN We made it to open water We made it to open water	2011 - Paddling a Frozen Pickerel Lake, Lilydale, MN Paddling through open water to the next sheet of ice Paddling through open water to the next sheet of ice	2011 - Paddling a Frozen Pickerel Lake, Lilydale, MN Paddling through open water to the next sheet of ice Paddling through open water to the next sheet of ice
2011 - Paddling a Frozen Pickerel Lake, Lilydale, MN Paddling through open water to the next sheet of ice Paddling through open water to the next sheet of ice	2011 - Paddling a Frozen Pickerel Lake, Lilydale, MN Paddling through open water to the next sheet of ice Paddling through open water to the next sheet of ice	2011 - Paddling a Frozen Pickerel Lake, Lilydale, MN Back into the ice, thicker than ever Back into the ice, thicker than ever
2011 - Paddling a Frozen Pickerel Lake, Lilydale, MN Making our way to the geocache Making our way to the geocache	2011 - Paddling a Frozen Pickerel Lake, Lilydale, MN Our trail through the ice Our trail through the ice	2011 - Paddling a Frozen Pickerel Lake, Lilydale, MN Our ice trail Our ice trail
2011 - Paddling a Frozen Pickerel Lake, Lilydale, MN Approaching the geocache Approaching the geocache	2011 - Paddling a Frozen Pickerel Lake, Lilydale, MN Doublemoose scores the find Doublemoose scores the find	2011 - Paddling a Frozen Pickerel Lake, Lilydale, MN Bart presenting the geocache Bart presenting the geocache
2011 - Paddling a Frozen Pickerel Lake, Lilydale, MN Doublemoose pulls in the geocache Doublemoose pulls in the geocache	2011 - Paddling a Frozen Pickerel Lake, Lilydale, MN We scored the find and were first to find as well We scored the find and were first to find as well	2011 - Paddling a Frozen Pickerel Lake, Lilydale, MN Our trail through the icy landscape, St. Paul in the background Our trail through the icy landscape, St. Paul in the background