Apostle Islands Ice Caves Walking Tour

• Ice Cave Tour
• Departure location: 20755 Lost Creek Rd, Herbster, Wi.  54844
• Duration of the tour: 3 hr (3 miles)

The ice in Chequamegon Bay is thicker and forms sooner than anywhere else in the Apostle Islands. We require 10″ of ice before we begin the ice cave tours.  If the ice gets thick enough we may offer an ice cave tour to Romans Point.  Romans Point is on the same side of the Bayfield Peninsula as Meyers Beach, where conditions are quite unpredictable and it is unknown if they will open on any given year.  The last time any ice caves were open on the West side of the Bayfield Peninsula was 2015 for about a 2 week period.  The Chequamegon Bay Ice Caves are on the East side of the Bayfield peninsula where the ice is much thicker and conditions are more predictable.   You can count on the Chequamegon Bay Ice Caves opening in late January or early February and ending in March.

When you sign up for an ice cave tour you will have a guide with you that is briefed on the ice conditions and ice thickness for that day.  They will show you where all the best ice caves are and where to find the most intricate and massive ice formations.  While you are on a tour you are welcome to do your own exploring or abbreviate your adventure but if you are doing your own exploring you must stay behind the guide.  The guide will determine the furthest distance that the group can travel for any given day, but if the conditions are good it is around a 4 mile round trip tour.

 – Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the best time of year to see the ice caves?  February is best because January is the coldest and darkest month and by March the ice shows signs of melting
• Are these the ice caves that are in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore?  No, the ice caves that we do tours to are outside the AINL boundary and
  provide an amazing Apostle Islands ice cave experience without having to deal with the crowds and parking issues at Meyers Beach.
• Where are the best ice caves in the Apostle Islands?  Devil’s Island has the best ice caves but Lake Superior needs to entirely freeze over before we go to the Devil’s Island Ice Caves.  Any ice caves on an island ( Devil’s, Sand, Madeline) are the least likely to open up because they are the most exposed.  The ice caves that most people have been to are on the mainland peninsula aka Bayfield peninsula.  The best ice caves on the peninsula are on the West side (Roman’s Point and Meyers Beach) but they have not been open since 2015.  The ice caves in Chequamegon Bay are on the East side of the peninsula and look to be opening around mid to the end of January for the 2021 season.

 –  Advice for bringing children to the ice caves

• Pick a day with more moderate temperatures (20s or more) and no wind. Under cold conditions, especially when there’s wind, frostbite can occur on exposed skin within minutes, especially with children. Be sure they are bundled up so they don’t get cold.
• Consider bringing a sled so you can pull the children when they get tired.
• They may get wet, consider bringing extra clothes.  Kids love playing on the ice, but parents need to keep things under control (don’t climb on ice, crawl in small spaces, break off formations, stand under big chunks of ice, etc.)

TERMS OF SERVICE AND TOUR AGREEMENT

This Terms of Service and Tour Agreement governs all bookings, reservations, and participation in tours and related activities offered by the Company.

By booking, paying for, or participating in any tour, the customer acknowledges that they have read, understood, and agreed to the following terms.

1. ALL SALES ARE FINAL, NO CUSTOMER INITIATED REFUNDS

All bookings are final.

The Company does not offer refunds at the request of the customer for any reason, including but not limited to changes in personal plans, failure to arrive, late arrival, weather preferences, discomfort, illness, transportation issues, or a decision not to participate.

If a customer requests a refund, no refund will be issued.

There are no partial refunds, credits, reschedules, or rain checks initiated by the customer.

2. SOLE EXCEPTION, COMPANY DISCRETION ONLY

The only circumstance under which any refund may be issued is if the Company, at its sole and exclusive discretion, chooses to issue a refund.

If the Company elects to issue a refund, it will be a one hundred percent refund of the amount paid.

The Company will never issue partial refunds.

The Company is under no obligation to issue any refund and retains full discretion to deny all refund requests.

3. CUSTOMER CANCELLATIONS AND NO SHOWS

Customer cancellations result in forfeiture of all amounts paid.

Failure to appear for a scheduled tour, late arrival, or inability to participate for any reason results in forfeiture of all amounts paid.

Leaving a tour early or choosing not to participate after arrival does not entitle the customer to any refund.

4. WEATHER AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

Tours operate in natural outdoor environments.

Weather conditions, water conditions, wind, temperature, ice, wildlife, and other environmental factors are inherent to the experience.

Discomfort with conditions does not constitute grounds for a refund.

The Company reserves the right to modify, relocate, delay, or cancel a tour for safety or operational reasons.

Any refund related to Company cancellation is governed solely by Section 2.

5. ASSUMPTION OF RISK

The customer understands and acknowledges that outdoor tours involve inherent risks.

By participating, the customer voluntarily assumes all risks associated with the activity.

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The customer releases and holds harmless the Company, its owners, employees, contractors, and affiliates from any claims related to participation in the tour, including financial loss related to non refundability.

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The Company reserves the right to contest chargebacks using this agreement as evidence.

Customers who initiate chargebacks may be barred from future bookings.

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If the customer does not agree to these terms, they must not book or participate in any tour.

END OF AGREEMENT