The prairies are known as the Big Sky Country. In a boreal forest area the closest we can come to experiencing this is on the water. Whether you are in a boat on a lake, the ocean or whether you are lucky enough to do an ice hike, this is our Big Sky.Our everyday lives are bounded by the trees around us. They feed us, shelter us, warm us and ultimately give a boundary to our lives. Our view of the world around us is limited by the trees that form our horizons.
To head out onto the ice is to forge off on an adventure that is foreign to our experiences. We are used to being swaddled in trees, having a sense of surrounding security. Going out into the great wide open is in a sense a challenge to nature. It is our way of saying here we are, see us, we can't hide. It is a way of saying that we will meet any challenge head on, not head into the trees to hide. It is a rare feeling of freedom and exhilaration to see for miles and be seen for miles, to feel as though you are the center of your own universe. To be able to say that you are the only living thing in sight, and that sight line is long.
Heading out on the ice is a way to see nature as few before us have seen it, you may be in an area frequented by people in other seasons, but few have ventured where your footsteps are taking you now. You get to see a familiar area from a completely different perspective. 
Islands in a lake become oases in a snowy desert. Thick brush is covered by snow and is passable to venture ashore to see these islands. We can see where other wildlife has left its mark in the past.
Gone are the sounds of cars and motorboats, only the crunching of the snow underfoot and the boom of the ice keep you company.
Occasionally you hear a faint sigh of contentment and realize it is yours. The faint hiss of a fresh breeze slicing through the leafless trees is the soundtrack to your day on the lake. The only sign that you are not alone are the tracks left by animals who are also using the ice as a shortcut to better feeding.
This sense of contentment can mask hidden dangers. There might be a predator lurking just inside the trees watching you. The snow that has painted the land with a uniform blanket of white might hide a thin patch in the ice waiting to trap the unwary traveller. This sense of possible danger adds to the sense of adventure, but should never be ignored. You are a long way from any help, you are like a pioneer surviving on your wits and experience.
As we move across the ice, the perspective is ever changing and every step brings a fresh viewpoint, it is never boring because it never repeats itself.It is this constantly changing scenery that makes us feel so lucky to head out onto the ice and view a piece of nature as few others get to experience it.
It is our Big Sky day.
