In the winter months of January to May, 50-foot-high turquoise ice hummocks can be seen on Lake Baikal in Siberia. At least 25 million years old, the lake is one of the largest and deepest in the world, holding one fifth of the world’s freshwater and more than 1,700 species of plants and animals. The lake’s water is so clear that when it freezes over in winter you can see over a 100 feet below. Temperature, wind, frost and sun cause the ice crust to crack and form ice hummocks on the lake’s surface.
Ice thickness on Lake Baikal can reach 2 m. Ice with a thickness of 40 cm can withstand weight up to 17 tons, and human weight can easily withstand ice of only 20 cm. In winter, ice crossings are officially opened on Lake Baikal, which significantly facilitates the logistics of movement. So, having arrived at Lake Baikal in mid-February and driving on the ice, you can feel yourself on an icy highway on which car traffic does not subside. Once in the winter of 1903, a rail track was laid on the ice of Lake Baikal, and loaded wagons were driven along the ice track individually by horse-drawn traction.
Ice on Lake Baikal has important practical applications – not only for tourists but also for residents. It is so dense and strong that often people simply ride along with it to the most beautiful shores in cars, snowmobiles, or amphibious boats. In summer, the number of car routes is very limited: there are few roads around the lake, driving along them is a dubious pleasure, and you have to walk or fly by helicopter to the most dizzying and untouched places. And in the winter – got into the car and drove directly. True, winter roads – roads on ice, monitored by the traffic police and the Ministry of Emergency Situations – are laid only along the most popular routes. Otherwise, driving on a frozen surface is at your own risk, risk, and good luck. Usually, the strongest ice is from mid-February to early April. And the main advice completely contradicts the traffic rules: while riding on ice, in no case should you buckle up, it is better to steer only with your right hand, and with your left, at any time you need to be ready to open the door handle to jump out of the car if it suddenly starts to go underwater. And these are not just horror stories: there are several dozen such cases on Lake Baikal per year.
Credit : Best Wonder Store
Picture Credit : Google
