Catherine

One old guy at the gas station near our drop-off said it had been a weird winter, warmer than usual, unstable ice. He told us to stick to the main routes, and if we heard anything strange, especially after dark, to stay in our tent and don't follow it. I figured he meant wolves. Or maybe he was just trying to spook the out-of-towners.

We started from Myers Beach and trekked out across the frozen surface of Lake Superior, dragging two sleds behind us loaded with cold weather gear, food, a small camp stove, and a portable ice drill Danny insisted we bring. The wind cut like broken glass, and the sky was that grayish white that makes it impossible to tell what time it is. Still, it was beautiful in its own dead way.

We started from Myers Beach and trekked out across the frozen surface of Lake Superior, dragging two sleds behind us loaded with cold weather gear, food, a small camp stove, and a portable ice drill Danny insisted we bring. The wind cut like broken glass, and the sky was that grayish white that makes it impossible to tell what time it is. Still, it was beautiful in its own dead way.

After a few miles, the shoreline transformed. The caves started as small crevices, then yawning mouths of crystal blue ice, like nature had carved out cathedral vaults in frozen time. Some of the caves glittered with icicles the length of streetlights. Others had spiraling formations along the ceilings that looked like they were melting mid-scream.

After a few miles, the shoreline transformed. The caves started as small crevices, then yawning mouths of crystal blue ice, like nature had carved out cathedral vaults in frozen time. Some of the caves glittered with icicles the length of streetlights. Others had spiraling formations along the ceilings that looked like they were melting mid-scream.

We made camp in a narrow inlet near Swallow Point. No one else was out there. It was too far from the main areas, and the ice had a habit of cracking unpredictably this time of year. Danny, of course, thought that made it perfect. "'No crowds, no rules,' he said. That night, just after we'd crawled into our sleeping bags and zipped the tent, we heard something.'

We made camp in a narrow inlet near Swallow Point. No one else was out there. It was too far from the main areas, and the ice had a habit of cracking unpredictably this time of year. Danny, of course, thought that made it perfect. "'No crowds, no rules,' he said. That night, just after we'd crawled into our sleeping bags and zipped the tent, we heard something.'

It wasn't the wind, it was deeper, more drawn out. A low wail, like a scream that had been drowned under fifty feet of water. It echoed across the lake, bounced off the caves, and then faded like it had never been there at all. Danny laughed it off. Ice shifts. Caves make noise. That's science, man. I nodded, but my stomach didn't buy it.

It wasn't the wind, it was deeper, more drawn out. A low wail, like a scream that had been drowned under fifty feet of water. It echoed across the lake, bounced off the caves, and then faded like it had never been there at all. Danny laughed it off. Ice shifts. Caves make noise. That's science, man. I nodded, but my stomach didn't buy it.

I'd been in enough backcountry spots to know what natural sounds felt like. That didn't feel natural. It felt aware. The next morning, the sun never really came out, just a dim glow behind clouds. We unzipped the tent and Danny cursed under his breath. I stepped out after him and froze. There were tracks in the snow, leading straight to our tent. They weren't boot prints.

I'd been in enough backcountry spots to know what natural sounds felt like. That didn't feel natural. It felt aware. The next morning, the sun never really came out, just a dim glow behind clouds. We unzipped the tent and Danny cursed under his breath. I stepped out after him and froze. There were tracks in the snow, leading straight to our tent. They weren't boot prints.

They were off, long, narrow, like something walking upright but dragging weight behind it. Claw marks at the front of each print, digging deep into the crusted snow. No animal I'd ever seen moved like that. The prince circled the tent once, then disappeared toward the caves. Danny stared at them, then shrugged. Wolf dragging a deer, maybe. Ice plays tricks.

They were off, long, narrow, like something walking upright but dragging weight behind it. Claw marks at the front of each print, digging deep into the crusted snow. No animal I'd ever seen moved like that. The prince circled the tent once, then disappeared toward the caves. Danny stared at them, then shrugged. Wolf dragging a deer, maybe. Ice plays tricks.

They probably look weird because of the snow melt. But the snow hadn't melted. It was below zero all night. Still, he convinced me to push on. We packed light and went deeper into a cave network on the far side of the point. There was no trail, no signs, just a narrow opening barely tall enough to duck into.

They probably look weird because of the snow melt. But the snow hadn't melted. It was below zero all night. Still, he convinced me to push on. We packed light and went deeper into a cave network on the far side of the point. There was no trail, no signs, just a narrow opening barely tall enough to duck into.

Inside, it widened into a winding corridor of ice that looked like it had been carved by fire, not water. Smooth and black in places, rippling and jagged in others. The deeper we went, the more I noticed the smell. A thick, wet stink, like rotting meat left too long in the sun. Danny lit a headlamp and aimed it at the walls. That's when we saw them. Symbols.

Inside, it widened into a winding corridor of ice that looked like it had been carved by fire, not water. Smooth and black in places, rippling and jagged in others. The deeper we went, the more I noticed the smell. A thick, wet stink, like rotting meat left too long in the sun. Danny lit a headlamp and aimed it at the walls. That's when we saw them. Symbols.

Carved into the ice, like someone had taken a hot blade to it. Circles. Lines. Rough shapes like stick figures with deer antlers and hollow bellies. One figure had its mouth open wide, almost cartoonish, but something about it made my spine go rigid. Danny found what looked like a shaft in the back, just a hole that disappeared down into blackness.

Carved into the ice, like someone had taken a hot blade to it. Circles. Lines. Rough shapes like stick figures with deer antlers and hollow bellies. One figure had its mouth open wide, almost cartoonish, but something about it made my spine go rigid. Danny found what looked like a shaft in the back, just a hole that disappeared down into blackness.

He dropped a rock into it, but we never heard it hit bottom. He laughed, called it badass, and said we'd come back tomorrow with rope. I didn't respond. I just wanted out of there. By the time we got back to camp, it was already dusk. The sun bled out behind the horizon like it was trying to escape, and the temperature plunged.