From WMTV- January 24, 2019

After a mild winter so far, some ice caves in Bayfield, Wis., are scheduled to open Jan. 31, according to the Apostle Islands Rustic Makwa Den Facebook page. 

The Red Cliff Ice Caves will open on Jan. 31, however Meyers Beach will not be opening on Jan. 31 because of a “very warm start to winter.” 

The Meyers Beach Ice Caves are unlikely to open to foot traffic in the 2019 season, according to the Facebook post. 

The Red Cliff Ice Caves are only accessible from the Red Cliff Reservation. The ice cave tours travel with Lake Superior Chippewa Tribal guides. The ice conditions are always changing and the guides have access to parts of the reservation that are off-limits to non-tribal members. 

The ice caves are “intricately carved” sea caves in cliffs along the Mainland Unit of Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, according to nps.gov. As ice formed on Lake Superior, waves splashed against the rock and began to freeze on the sandstone cliff. In addition, water seeping between sandstone rock layers froze to form a variety of features similar to limestone caves. There are large icicles and formations hanging off of the cliffs, curtains and columns of ice, and abundant ice crystals.

You can learn more by accessing the Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/RUSTICMAKWADEN/