The Image Present : NPR

[ad_1] <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/8640x5760+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F38%2F97%2F1993047d431f8d22af1131a2da8b%2Fice-festival-59.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/8640x5760+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F38%2F97%2F1993047d431f8d22af1131a2da8b%2Fice-festival-59.jpg" class="img" alt="People gather on Lake Mendota near an inflatable Statue of Liberty crown and torch at the Winter Carnival at UW-Madison on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, in Madison, Wisconsin. Photo by Kayla Wolf" fetchpriority="high"/> Folks collect on Lake Mendota close to an inflatable Statue of Liberty crown and torch on the 2026 Winter Carnival on Feb. 7 in Madison, Wis. Kayla Wolf for NPR conceal caption

toggle caption

Kayla Wolf for NPR MADISON, Wis. — Earlier this month, Madison, Wis., was host to the town's 14th annual Frozen Belongings Competition. "When our lakes are frozen, they're really our best asset," says James Tye, government director and founding father of Clear Lakes Alliance, the nonprofit that hosts the competition.

This time of 12 months, frozen lakes are part of life right here. The town was constructed on an isthmus — a skinny strip of land between two our bodies of water. Lake Mendota and Lake Monona border the town's historic downtown on both facet, with the strip of land working a few mile vast at its thinnest. The lakes are seen from many locations on the town. In wintertime, ice fishing, skating, ice crusing and snowshoeing are all frequent sights.

Traditionally, folks valued the ice for different causes. "There is a lengthy historical past of ice harvesting on this area," says Hilary Dugan, a limnologist — somebody who research inland waters — on the College of Wisconsin, Madison. "So [there was] simply lots of business exercise on these lakes, slicing blocks of ice out of the lakes all winter."

Frozen lakes have been so vital to the town that information of when the ice froze annually return greater than 100 years. At this time, there's even a contest the place folks guess the day Lake Mendota will freeze. On common, that date is getting later.

<img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5044x3363+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F56%2F5d%2F7218af9f411ea3f6319ae0decb6d%2Fice-festival-38.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5044x3363+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F56%2F5d%2F7218af9f411ea3f6319ae0decb6d%2Fice-festival-38.jpg" class="img" alt="Hilary Dugan, a limnologist and associate professor at UW-Madison, poses for a portrait behind a hole she drilled with an electric auger during the Frozen Assets Festival on Lake Mendota on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, in Madison, Wisconsin. Photo by Kayla Wolf" loading="lazy"/> Hilary Dugan, a limnologist on the College of Wisconsin, Madison, poses for a portrait behind a gap she drilled on Lake Mendota throughout the metropolis's annual Frozen Belongings Competition on Feb. 7. Kayla Wolf for NPR conceal caption

toggle caption

Kayla Wolf for NPR "We have really misplaced a few month of lake ice length right here in Madison," says Dugan. And the ice that does type is not at all times secure. "Historically, these have been lakes that froze actually safely each winter. And that is turning into much less — we're much less assured in that, going into the long run."

As local weather change accelerates, fluctuations in winter temperatures enhance, which ends up in unpredictable ice circumstances. That was the case two years in the past, in 2024, when the on-ice portion of the Frozen Belongings Competition was cancelled. "At that time, it was simply too heat. There have been bizarre little issues happening [on the ice], and so we known as it to be on land," says Tye.

This 12 months, Lake Mendota had over a foot of ice in early February, which was greater than sufficient to carry the competition's 1,000-plus attendees. The occasion featured kite flyers, sky divers, ice hockey and the one 5K that takes place solely on ice.

Here's a number of pictures from this 12 months's competition:

<img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4563x3042+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff7%2F9c%2F5f4a6cd34c929413cb0dbc28ec83%2Fice-festival-09.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4563x3042+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff7%2F9c%2F5f4a6cd34c929413cb0dbc28ec83%2Fice-festival-09.jpg" class="img" alt="A competitor runs in ice skates during a 5k race at the Frozen Assets Festival on Lake Mendota on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, in Madison, Wisconsin. Photo by Kayla Wolf" loading="lazy"/> A competitor runs in ice skates throughout a 5K throughout the Frozen Belongings Competition on Lake Mendota on Feb. 7 in Madison, Wis. Kayla Wolf for NPR conceal caption

toggle caption

Kayla Wolf for NPR <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4455x2970+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa8%2F88%2F8b36ff054735b4884005b1cae107%2Fice-festival-07.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4455x2970+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa8%2F88%2F8b36ff054735b4884005b1cae107%2Fice-festival-07.jpg" class="img" alt="Runners warmup before a 5k during the Frozen Assets Festival on Lake Mendota on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, in Madison, Wisconsin. Photo by Kayla Wolf" loading="lazy"/> Runners heat up earlier than the annual Frozen Belongings Competition's 5K. Kayla Wolf for NPR conceal caption

toggle caption

Kayla Wolf for NPR <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4875x3755+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F02%2F14%2F40b6a98f43538bd39b5558741036%2Fice-festival-16.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4875x3755+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F02%2F14%2F40b6a98f43538bd39b5558741036%2Fice-festival-16.jpg" class="img" alt="Competitors run during a 5k at the Frozen Assets Festival on Lake Mendota on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, in Madison, Wisconsin. Photo by Kayla Wolf" loading="lazy"/> Rivals run on Lake Mendota in Madison, Wis., throughout the annual Frozen Belongings Competition's 5K on Saturday, Feb. 7. Kayla Wolf for NPR conceal caption

toggle caption

Kayla Wolf for NPR <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4420x3336+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F5e%2Ffe%2F6c3dbbeb4d70a87b15847fe8a0d4%2Fice-festival-19.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4420x3336+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F5e%2Ffe%2F6c3dbbeb4d70a87b15847fe8a0d4%2Fice-festival-19.jpg" class="img" alt="Lincoln Haldeman, right, and his sister Piper, center, measure ice thickness with Helen Schlimm, left, a researcher at the UW-Madison Center for Limnology, during a science demonstration at the Frozen Assets Festival on Lake Mendota on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, in Madison, Wisconsin. Photo by Kayla Wolf" loading="lazy"/> Lincoln Haldeman (proper) and his sister Piper (heart) measure ice thickness with Helen Schlimm (left), a researcher at UW-Madison's Middle for Limnology, throughout a science demonstration on the annual Frozen Belongings Competition on Lake Mendota on Saturday, Feb. 7. Kayla Wolf for NPR conceal caption

toggle caption

Kayla Wolf for NPR <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4808x3205+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff7%2Fa7%2Fee281dbf45f7a3580c86fffaad38%2Fice-festival-32.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4808x3205+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff7%2Fa7%2Fee281dbf45f7a3580c86fffaad38%2Fice-festival-32.jpg" class="img" alt="Bill Quackenbush of Ho-Chunk Nation, right, teaches Praneeth Kolli, left, how to compete in the snow snake competition during the Frozen Assets Festival on Lake Mendota on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, in Madison, Wisconsin. Snow snake is a traditional Indigenous winter sport where players slide handcrafted wooden sticks down a trench made of snow for distance. Photo by Kayla Wolf" loading="lazy"/> Invoice Quackenbush, of Ho-Chunk Nation (proper), teaches Praneeth Kolli (left) the best way to compete within the snow snake competitors throughout the metropolis's annual Frozen Belongings Competition on Lake Mendota. Snow snake is a standard Indigenous winter sport the place gamers slide handcrafted picket sticks down a trench fabricated from snow for distance. Kayla Wolf for NPR conceal caption

toggle caption

Kayla Wolf for NPR <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4414x3000+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F16%2Fa4%2Fc60701c3437fafd70c19182b3a8c%2Fice-festival-28.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4414x3000+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F16%2Fa4%2Fc60701c3437fafd70c19182b3a8c%2Fice-festival-28.jpg" class="img" alt="People ice skate during the Frozen Assets Festival at the Edgewater Hotel ice rink on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, in Madison, Wisconsin. Photo by Kayla Wolf" loading="lazy"/> Folks skate throughout the Frozen Belongings Competition on the Edgewater Resort's ice rink on Saturday, Feb. 7, in Madison, Wis. Kayla Wolf for NPR conceal caption

toggle caption

Kayla Wolf for NPR <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3710x2473+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fca%2F00%2Fb767efaf42b7b1b5408695ad5ec6%2Fice-festival-40.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3710x2473+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fca%2F00%2Fb767efaf42b7b1b5408695ad5ec6%2Fice-festival-40.jpg" class="img" alt="A child plays in a sea of fish kites at the Frozen Assets Festival on Lake Mendota on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, in Madison, Wisconsin. Photo by Kayla Wolf" loading="lazy"/> A toddler performs in a sea of fish kites on the Frozen Belongings Competition on Lake Mendota. Kayla Wolf for NPR conceal caption

toggle caption

Kayla Wolf for NPR <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4583x3055+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F88%2F0a%2F238ea9a14ed9b9473950b081a09f%2Fice-festival-39.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4583x3055+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F88%2F0a%2F238ea9a14ed9b9473950b081a09f%2Fice-festival-39.jpg" class="img" alt="Tannia Serna, left, and Madeline Sudnick pose for a portrait with an owl kite during the Frozen Assets Festival on Lake Mendota on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, in Madison, Wisconsin. Photo by Kayla Wolf" loading="lazy"/> Tannia Serna (left) and Madeline Sudnick pose for a portrait with an owl kite on Lake Mendota throughout the annual Frozen Belongings Competition. Kayla Wolf for NPR conceal caption

toggle caption

Kayla Wolf for NPR <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5884x3923+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F34%2Fac%2Ff23b369e45ba93210a47c69d3889%2Fice-festival-43.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5884x3923+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F34%2Fac%2Ff23b369e45ba93210a47c69d3889%2Fice-festival-43.jpg" class="img" alt="A skydiver glides through the air during the Frozen Assets Festival on Lake Mendota on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, in Madison, Wisconsin. Photo by Kayla Wolf" loading="lazy"/> A skydiver glides by means of the air throughout the Frozen Belongings Competition above Lake Mendota and Madison, Wis., on Saturday, Feb. 7. Kayla Wolf for NPR conceal caption

toggle caption

Kayla Wolf for NPR <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/7001x4667+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F03%2F00%2F7926276248f0a8f5041b6947f281%2Fice-festival-72.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/7001x4667+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F03%2F00%2F7926276248f0a8f5041b6947f281%2Fice-festival-72.jpg" class="img" alt="Tony Pavlak scoops slush off the water surface of a hole drilled on Monona Bay while ice fishing on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, in Madison, Wisconsin. Photo by Kayla Wolf" loading="lazy"/> Tony Pavlak scoops slush off the water's floor in a gap drilled on Monona Bay whereas ice fishing. Kayla Wolf for NPR conceal caption

toggle caption

Kayla Wolf for NPR <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/6569x4379+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F18%2F19%2F6c0473344c0d93cb3edbe2c76839%2Fice-festival-70.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/6569x4379+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F18%2F19%2F6c0473344c0d93cb3edbe2c76839%2Fice-festival-70.jpg" class="img" alt="A blue gill and ice skimmer rest on the ice as Tony Pavlak ice fishes on Monona Bay on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, in Madison, Wisconsin. Photo by Kayla Wolf" loading="lazy"/> A blue gill and ice skimmer relaxation on the ice as Tony Pavlak ice fishes on Monona Bay. Kayla Wolf for NPR conceal caption

toggle caption

Kayla Wolf for NPR <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5719x3813+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc5%2F50%2F81b68f9846998eb26ba0741fcc8f%2Fice-festival-29.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5719x3813+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc5%2F50%2F81b68f9846998eb26ba0741fcc8f%2Fice-festival-29.jpg" class="img" alt="People gather on Lake Mendota during the Frozen Assets Festival on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, in Madison, Wisconsin. Photo by Kayla Wolf" loading="lazy"/> Folks collect on Lake Mendota for the 2026 Frozen Belongings Competition on Saturday, Feb. 7, in Madison, Wis. Kayla Wolf for NPR conceal caption