Photos: A frozen adventure

A bizarre weather phenomenon coated the campus, city and bluffs.

Posted 11:29 a.m. Monday, Feb. 1, 2021

Trees are coated with rime ice in Grandad Bluff Park.

In early January, many people woke up in the La Crosse area to a scene from Disney's Frozen. The bizarre weather phenomenon is called Rime Ice. It is created when fog, made up of tiny water droplets, and freezing temperatures, freeze the droplets to solid surfaces like trees, creating the spectacular needles of rime ice.


Centennial Hall is adorned by morning light.
A morning walker cruises by Hoeschler Tower in early January.
  • Hoeschler Tower in the morning light after a recent overnight frost.
  • Student athletes from the Cross Country team shovel a few track lanes after a recent snow.
  • The Eagle L is surrounded by frosty limbs near Roger Harring Stadium.

Top left, Hoeschler Tower in the morning light after a recent overnight frost. Top right, student athletes from the Cross Country team shovel a few track lanes after a recent snow. Bottom, the Eagle L is surrounded by frosty limbs near Roger Harring Stadium.

A frosty wonderland in the bluffs as construction continues on the field house.


An aerial view of Roger Harring Stadium at Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex.
A student meticulously shovels the snow off of the Eagle L at Roger Harring Stadium at Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex.
Rime ice forms on a railing in Grandad Bluff Park.

A view looking west toward the shelter in Grandad Bluff Park.

A view of UWL from Miller Bluff.

A view south looking toward Grandad Bluff.

The sun sets over Roger Harring Stadium at Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex.