Ice is starting to move out on local lakes, like Two Island Lake. (Photo Cook County Star)

As of April 28th, most Boundary Waters lakes were still frozen.  Minnesota Climatology reported Lake Vermilion (St Louis County), Fall Lake (Lake County), and Saganaga Lake (Cook County) all as ice covered.  As of April 30th, Lorraine Anderson reported that most lakes up the Gunflint Trail were still ice covered, with the exception of Star Lake, which was wide open.  

Ice went off East Bearskin Lake May 2. Docks are being attached, boat and motors put into the lake, life jackets, paddles and canoes are coming out of storage. Bearskin Lodge is gearing up for the summer season and opener!  Abundant wildlife to view, moose, lynx, rabbits, several duck, and birds returning and today our first bear of the season!
A few trees and bushes are budding and the grass is turning green, spring flowers will be out soon.  A great time to be in the Northwoods before the bugs come out!

Thank you to those who posted your ice-out guesses for Gunflint Lake.  Robert from Gunflint Lodge reported that ice went out during the night on 5/4/03.

2003 Ice Out Poll
When will the ice go out on Gunflint Lake?
percent  1.)  March - April 5 1%  2.)  April 6 - April 12 2%  3.)  April 13 - April 19 6%  4.)  April 20 - April 26 11%  5.)  April 27 - May 3 19%  6.)  May 4 - May 10 30%  7.)  May 11 - May 17 16%  8.)  May 18 - May 24 8%  9.)  May 25 - May 31 4%  10.)  June 2003 3%      1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Minnesota Climatology reported ice-out on Saganaga 5/6, Lake of the Woods 5/6 and Rainy Lake 5/5.

send us your ice-out reports.

--Data courtesy Minnesota Climatology Group, Burntside data courtesy Mark Cherne

Image Courtesy of the Minnesota DNR

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