British Columbia·Video

Stunning video captures hockey game on frozen B.C. lake

Cole Cooke made the most of B.C.'s cold snap with a game of hockey on a frozen lake near Maple Ridge.

Cole Cooke took his drone up to Whonnock Lake during last week's cold snap

Cole Cooke shot a drone video of his family members playing hockey on a frozen Whonnock Lake near Maple Ridge, B.C. on Dec. 16, 2016. (Cole Cooke)

A recent cold snap on B.C.'s South Coast led to some snarled commutes and a few cranky locals.

For Cole Cooke, however, the chill created an opportunity to play some pond hockey on a frozen lake near home.

The 20-year-old university student found out that Whonnock Lake near Maple Ridge had turned to ice sometime last week. By Friday, he'd called his brother and his girlfriend to organize a trip.

The trio ended up skating on untouched ice just before sunset, and Cooke filmed the game with his drone.

Drone footage of skating on Whonnock lake

8 years ago
Duration 0:25
For Cole Cooke, a cold snap was a chance to play some pond hockey on a frozen lake near home.

Parts of the video show other skaters taking advantage of the weather, including someone dressed in a Santa suit.

Typically, footage shot on frozen lakes has backdrops filled with snow-capped mountains and frosted trees — but Cooke's has a long row of green, proving just how short and sweet snowfalls in the Lower Mainland can be.

"We pretty much got in there at the perfect time ... I heard it's turned to slush now," the student said. "It was sweet."