Tuscarora Lodge & Canoe Outfitters

Daniel went out paddling on Round the evening of May 4th and took some photos:

Still plenty of ice at the start.

But he watched it melt as he paddled.

And took photos of the reflections. Nothing like still waters.

Today, only one soggy sponge layer is left out in front of us on Round Lake (10am). Andy and Shelby paddled to Missing Link last night: no ice on Missing Link. The way is clear into Tuscarora!! Bigger lakes are also breaking up—-the ice just can’t hold up against the intense sun we’re getting today!

I remember last year- Saturday, May 5th, 2007 we woke up ready to scurry around and prepare for an upcoming season when the Ham Lake fire interrupted our busy important plans. Nearly one year later, —we woke on Saturday May 2nd ready to scamper around and help with the big Gunflint Green Up tree planting event in our neighborhood. 2-3 inches of snow were on the ground. OH NO! We had to laugh, even as we sympathized for those who had spent months preparing to make the event absolutely perfect What now???
We were reminded AGAIN that we don’t have all that much control—(how is it that we can forget that, living where we live?—so dependent upon weather, and ice and wind….) We’re like hamsters in a little wheel, our tasks can seem so very significant…and here we were—what else could we do but let it snow?

At 9:30, the people came. Over slippery roads, in the snow. I understand more than 500, people of all ages, came to different sites along the Gunflint Trail.
And we worked, and the snow stopped, and the sun came out.
Our planting group had to cross a stream to get to our section of woods—we constructed a temporary bridge (my favorite part). Then we scurried around our assigned acres, planting white and red pines. On Saturday night, when all of the people gathered, it was an extraordinary experience to connect with so many who love these woods. I looked at all of these people who spent their day volunteering in this neighborhood, and I was grateful to be a piece of it. It felt as though we accomplished an awesome thing, bigger than all of us, even bigger than the sum of all of us. I was proud that my kids could be part of that. We can hope that in 100 years there will be a legacy for them, some of the 50,000+ white/red pines that we planted yesterday. But really, we don’t have control over that. The experience, the honor to be ingredients of this thing, that was enough.

What is it about Spring? It can’t just be the sun??? Great morning!! She found a partner!

You can tell even Denali feels like that Bubbly song.

Maybe we’re living in Narnia under the rule of the White Witch. We’re in the never ending winter. The lake turned from black to white (snow) again…….rats! The moose pond is water for the afternoon busstop, and ice again in the morning.
Yet the ice keeps melting, some days slower than others. The businesses along the trail have been reporting in—as of Sunday/Monday:
Cross Bay River-open water
Gunflint Lake-16-22 inches
East Bearskin lake: hopefully it won’t be long!
Poplar Lake: Still frozen
Hungry Jack Lake: Something less than 16 inches
Sawbill Lake: 14.5 inches
Clearwater: Still Frozen
Round Lake: The skating rink was wide open last week—and now it is frozen again. With snow on it…sigh….
I’ve been watching closely for only four years, not enough time to develop reliable ice-out knowledge. So, I’ve been informally surveying other peoples’ wisdom. Maybe I’m learning more about the people than the ice…?
Hungry Jack Dave was measuring the ice/slush during the warm sunny days of last week, he figured the ice was melting 3 inches a day. At that rate, it should disappear in less than a week. But we’ve had cold nights this week than last week—so far. Some say it has more to do with the amount of direct sun that the lakes get than anything else. It’s cloudy today.
I have one friend who is sure that all she has to do is think positively about it, and it will be gone by May 10th. Without a doubt!
Some of the less optimistic ones say that the big lakes won’t be out by fishing opener. Many say that it is so very rare to have ice on fishing opener—of course the ice will melt.
John Hughes says that usually the South Brule River is the indicator—3 weeks after the South Brule is out, the rest of the lakes are ice free. I forgot to ask him exactly what day the South Brule went out, but he doesn’t think this will be an indicator this year anyway
The ice almost everywhere has pulled away from the shore. I understand floating ice has the melt advantage. All I can tell for sure is that the Cross Bay River is open–so let the paddling and portaging (at least one portage) begin!!!!

This mallard is hanging around the open spot on Round Lake. It is warm in the sun, she’s definitely been avoiding swimming.