Tagged: ice out

Shy Spring

2014.04.21 001

Tow dock on Sag

I’ve been wanting to post something spring-like for a while to give everyone hope and fresh dreams of canoe trips.  Unfortunately, the weather has not been conducive to such pictures.  Spring is coming, I’ve been told, but she is just not very photogenic yet.  Every time I think Spring is popping her shy little head from behind winter’s cloak, BAM, it snows again.  There are signs, yes, but you have to look and listen a little closer.

2014.04.20 043

Round Lake this morning

The question on everyone’s mind is – when will the ice be out?  I’m hearing reports around the county of ice depths in the 20 – 30 inch range depending on the size of the lake.  Round Lake no longer has a snow blanket and the slush is deep and dark.  Last week was in the 20 degree range which did not help, but this week is suppose to be in the high 50s.  A lot of predictions are flying around, but really, it all depends on the combination of the sun and the rain and the wind— today is sunny, windy and 59 so I have hope for sooner rather than later.

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The Cross River that runs along Round Lake road is running rapidly.  Where the current is strongest, the water is open.  Yesterday we spotted a male common goldeneye duck doing his funny little dance for his lady friend.  The pileated woodpeckers that hang out around camp have been busy drumming and excavating cavities for new nests.  Their piles of wood splinters litter the nasty old snow piles hanging around in the shade.  A pair of ravens are working on a nest in one of our large white pines.   A number of bald eagles have been spotted soaring high above.  Easter morning we heard robins, happy little nuthatches, bald eagles, a Canada goose and all sorts of cheery chickadees singing their spring songs.  It was nice enough to have the windows open through which we heard a pack of wolves who we hope were not perusing the Easter bunny.

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The snow is melting.  Ephemeral waterfalls and creeks are springing up along the roads.  That beautiful music made by dripping water can be heard as it jumps off the roofs.  The beaver pond by the road, filled to the brim, gave up last weekend and washed away part of the road.  A deep, tire grabbing trench cut us off from the world for a day.  A sure sign of spring is when the potholes and road washes start turning up.  The Cook County highway department guys straightened things out in no time.

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The wind has been strong with all these snow squalls roaring through.  Saturday’s storm was strong enough to finally blow over the large white pine struck by lightening last summer.  Once again the Cook County guys came out and cleared the road.  Thanks guys!

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Spring is coming, slowly and shyly, but she is coming.  Hang in there.  We’ll let you know when you can dip your paddles again in Round Lake!

Round Lake Is Open!!!

Round Lake is officially open!!! This group just left our beach and paddled across to the Missing Link Lake portage. They are hoping to reach Tuscarora Lake. We are looking forward to hearing how they did!

2013.05.13 ice out

Melting!

Suddenly, spring is in a big hurry to get here.  Starting Thursday, the temperatures have been up into the high 50’s, low 60’s.  The sun is shining warmly, the birds are singing, and Denali is basking on the deck.  The 2 feet+ of snow that is on the ground has been melting with force.  Round Lake road is suffering a bit from the rapid melt.

2013.04.27 washed out road (7)

The driveways and outfitting yard are clearing nicely.  At first the melt was dammed in by the snow banks creating a slushy pond in the center.  This morning things are looking much better.  The mud is pretty thick but at least everything is flowing in the right direction now.

2013.04.28 spring melt (1)
The Cross River, just down the road, is open and flowing down the center.  The ice is still around the dock, but it is looking more and more slushy each day.  The open water is attracting all sorts of birds who arrived looking for spring but are now forced to wait it out with the rest of us.  So far I’ve noticed common & hooded mergansers, common goldeneyes, Canada geese, mallards, a kingfisher, bald eagles, and a turkey vulture all hanging out around the open water.

2013.04.27 cross river (5)

Round Lake is covered in watery slush.  Almost a good foot of it.  Ice reports in the area still are in the 20″+ range, but at least things are starting to move in the right direction.  The snow may be in a hurry to melt, but the ice can’t be rushed.  We still can’t tell when the ice will be out for sure.  The forecast calls for rain and wind, both will help.  If the temperatures stay warm, that will help as well.  We need to wait and see how things progress, but it is feeling decidedly spring like around here!  ~Rachel

2013.04.26 spring melt (9)

2013.04.26 spring melt (7)

 

 

 

Ice Conditions

We sure have been having a chilly spring this year!  The temperatures feel a lot more like what a northern Minnesota springs should be like.  We have been a little spoiled the past few springs!  A slow moving weather pattern has been dumping some wet, heavy spring snow on us for the past week now.

2013.02.12 ice fishing with Jen and D (5)

I went out last week to drill a hole in the ice on Round Lake.  We still have a foot of snow on top the ice which is keeping it very insulated (this was before received about 18″ of snow on Thursday night!).  The ice is still around 26 inches thick.  Reports from Sagananga Lake and Gunflint Lake are reporting around 30 inches of ice as well.

For those of you concerned for you upcoming canoe trips, we will keep you posted!  It is a little to soon to tell for sure when the ice will come out.  What the weather decides to do next week will make a lot of difference.  We do know that the late spring should keep the water temps down making for some nice fishing opportunities.  All this snow should keep the water levels up for the spring and the fire risk down as well!

The DNR has a nice website that shows ice out conditions across the state – http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/ice_out/index.html.  Keep your eye on that and on our blog, we will let you know as soon as the ice goes out!