What could be better than walking on a frozen Lake Michigan in February? Nothing, that’s what.
A visit to Saugatuck State Park near, of all places, Saugatuck is just where I needed to go to have such an experience such. Up and down hills, through the forests, and besides ski track… because you don’t want to walk in ski tracks. Skiers are really sensitive to that sort of things – anger, denial, depression – they go through all the stages.
When I exited the forest onto the beach, there was no one else around, oddly enough. Only me, snow, ice, and the potential of frostbite. To me, that is a good afternoon. Frozen swells and snow-covered beaches, with a stiff wind thrown in for good measure.
I was able to walk a few hundred feet onto the ice, and I was still very far away from the waterline. I didn’t go too far, though, since if I fell through, no one would find me until spring, and I had nachos to make that night. Priorities.
Saugatuck State Park is also good to visit in the warmer months, if you’re into that sort of thing. There are lovely (warm) beaches and the Felt Mansion, and you can even see cactus that grow in Michigan. Yes, we have one.
But don’t look for them in winter.