Utah Lake Ice Stacks

Welcome to my first blog! On here I want to share my experiences with the locations I visit and the knowledge I gain along the way with you all.

For a few years now I’ve been seeing people posting photos of these ice stacks down at Utah Lake, which is only like a 40min drive from where I live. The first time I saw a picture of the ice I had a hard time believing that it was taken in Utah. I’ve lived here my whole life and never knew that Utah Lake did that during the winter. Figured it would freeze over during the winter but to create some awesome photo opportunities I had no idea.

I would tell myself after first seeing them that next winter I would make my way down there and take advantage of the ice. But it still took me a couple years to find time to get down there when the ice was good. This year I finally got in my car and went down to check it out. I was too late in the season. When the sun came up there was barely any ice to be seen. No stacks at all. I still had a great morning even though I was almost too late for the sunrise. I had to just get out of my and find a spot off the river to take a shot of the sunrise. But after that I wondered around and didn’t find the ice. I was happy to bump into a couple other photographers from the Utah Lake Photography Club from Facebook. The little bay was iced over but not thick enough to walk on.

Sunrise from my first visit to Utah Lake this winter.

After a bit I was able to get a few shots that morning and even found a little bit of ice to shoot. Talking to the other photographers and even the park ranger I feared that I truly waited too long again and missed it and would have to wait another year.

A couple weeks went by and to my surprise I started seeing photos again of the ice. And one Saturday late afternoon I said to myself if I get the chance I will run down to a different spot. I got the chance and rushed down there. Getting there just in time to look around and find a composition. And it turned out to be one of my favorite photos I’ve captured in a long time. When I got home and was able to edit the photo I was beyond pleased with the result of the image. I finally got to see the ice in person. Wasn’t like the other photos I’ve seen but this one was mine.

After that photo I have been down there a few others times to check out the ice. Each time in the end I was happy I got out. I didn’t get an image every time. But this season I came away with a few good ones that are unique from most others I have seen. I still am seeking the image of the ice stacks that first caught my attention of Utah Lake and the ice. I will be visiting the lake many more times throughout the year especially during the coming winters.

This last visit my friend and I decided to try our hands with wildlife photography. I am by no means a wildlife photographer. All we saw were some duck and some geese. But it was a blast trying to capture something unique. I came away with two photos. One of which overall I am pleased with. It almost looks like a painting instead of a photograph. Which to me is unique. I printed it off on my photo printer on matte paper and it came out even better than on screen in regards of it looking like a painting. So you might be seeing more wildlife photography because I had fun shooting the birds and am looking forward to getting out more for wildlife and of course landscape photography.

I am looking forward to writing my next post. Not sure what that will be just yet. I have a few locations I want to go visit here soon and will be sharing about those as soon as I can. But in the meantime you can follow me on Instagram and on Facebook. And if you have any questions you can reach to me on there or click the contact and send me an email there. Enjoy the photos!