For many of us around the globe, winter can feel endless. But on the plus side, this biting cold does bring with it bizarre and beautiful natural phenomena. When freezing temperatures hit, lakes across the globe offer up a treasure-trove of photo opportunities that Local Guides like you can capture. We’ve featured some of our favorites in a global tour of frozen lakes in Google Earth.
Here are some of the top sites from the tour.
Abraham Lake photographed by Local Guide Yiannis pavlis
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**A vast green valley in Clear Water County was engulfed by water in 1972, transforming it into this man-made lake. All plant life was plunged underwater and, over time, began releasing methane, a flammable gas. In winter months, bubbles and lightning-like cracks are caught in the lake’s turquoise-blue waters, which makes for some pretty mind-blowing sights.
Houhai Lake photographed by Local Guide Preston Pittman
Take in the sights at this popular winter hangout in Beijing where, far from letting the freezing weather get them down, visitors slip on their skis to celebrate the winter season. Traditional buildings housing bars border the city-center ice rink, where activities include bumper cars on ice and ice-bike racing.
Khuvsgul Lake photographed by Local Guide Димтрий Гольберг
Horse racing, wrestling, and ice carving are just some of the activities offered at this Mongolian lake, which freezes solid in winter months. (Even in summer, its waters are freezing cold!) Travel by horse-drawn cart and join the colorful festivities in Google Street View. Aside from the festival, this lake also hosts a wintertime expressway for trucks carrying goods across one of the world’s most sparsely populated countries.
Which lake would you want to visit in winter? Let us know in the comments below.
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