Plate ice along Lake Superior, Grand Marais, Minnesota, United States Dec. 27, 2025

Plate ice along Lake Superior, Grand Marais, Minnesota, United States

When winter tightens its grip on Lake Superior in Minnesota, the shoreline transforms into a landscape of tilted, glass-like shards known as plate ice. Thin sheets fracture under shifting temperatures, then drift and stack as the wind presses them toward land. The result is a field of translucent blues and silvers, catching the light at sharp angles and making the water"s edge appear sculpted rather than frozen.

© wanderluster/Getty Images

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