February 18, 2021
UTICA – Ice-falls at Starved Rock State Park are attracting thrill-seekers to ascend the formations. Ice climbing is allowed at Wildcat, LaSalle, and Ottawa Canyons, but at your own risk. Avid ice climber and Illinois Valley Community College Mathematics Instructor, Wes Black, doesn’t recommend anyone to take a stab at the vertical venture without a guide.
Photo by Kelli McClintock on Unsplash
Chicago is fully entrenched in winter and most indoor attractions and establishments remain closed, but there’s no need to hibernate. There are a handful of ways to get out and enjoy activities that don’t involve you having to stay planted on your couch. Let’s take a look at a few of them.
Ice skating
Always a wintertime favorite, ice skating rinks are adapting quite well this year. Many already had capacity limits to preserve ice conditions and avoid overcrowding, so lowering those a bit for COVID has been no sweat. But lowered capacity does mean reservations could be more important than ever, depending on the rink, so make sure to plan ahead. Skate rentals are typically less than $10, while admission isn’t even charged at some rinks. Check out rinks in many suburban locations run by both private operators and park districts. In the city, consider looking beyond the popular Maggie Daley Park downtown, where getting a reservation has b
Geologists and meteorologists call it pancake ice. Some observers call pancake ice winter’s lily pads, because they look like the green floating leaves of lilies on lakes in summer.