Frozen Over

We went to the Prineville Reservoir yesterday because we heard it was frozen.  That just sounded crazy so we went to take a look.

Sure enough, all but around the edge had a thick layer of ice on top.

While we were there we first heard, then saw, a helicopter doing something far off in the distance.  Click on the picture to enlarge.  You can see the helicopter in the middle of the sky and in the reflection of the lake and it has a long cable attached.

We had to test the thickness of the ice (to a point).  We threw a large rock up into the air so it would come down with some force.  You can see where it hid on the left side and then skidded to the center.  If ice has a sound then the ice sounded thick.

Looks like there was another visitor not long before we were there (raccoon tracks).

I liked the reflectiveness of this picture.

Here you can see where someone or something at one time went across the ice to the other side.

This was at the edge.  I had my high waterproof muck boots on and stepped on the edge of the ice. I would have gone out a little further but the water was threatening to go over the top of my high muck boots.

Headed back to the parking area we saw this interesting rock.   

It looks like maybe a part of a lava tube at one time.

We did have to walk up the slope towards the car and I was made painfully aware of how out of shape I am. I was huffing and puffing by the time we got to the car.

Then it was back home and getting ready for work.  :-(