Today after daylight I will be heading out and checking ice conditions. We will be opening our access to a limited area.(Drawing a line from North Twin Island, running east to Spider Island, Gull Reef and the end of Popes Reef.) North of that line will be the  “No Go” area and will be marked on the map you receive  when you check in. More than likely it will remain that way over the weekend. As I get ice depths and cracks located and marked it will get extended.

There will be plenty of parking available in the normal area, (field along driveway marked by a sign.  The Red House by the Lake will be the Office until our new office/bathrooms/showers is completed in the near future.  This year I widened the driveway so vehicles can meet the entire length except fort the entrance off the county road, and the short stretch between the swamps.(There is clear visibility from both ends of that so it easy to see each other and take your turn).

The strong west winds we had the 36 hours have let up somewhat, but the main lake ice did move and a large portion of the west and NW corner of the lake has open water which I’m sure is freezing up fairly fast with this colder weather.  Never the less we will be cautious about venturing out very far even though that is miles away from us.  I’ve seen situations like this in the past where a wind change broke ice out in front of us Just past the Islands and moved it to the  northwest creating open water.  A couple times as much as a 1/4 mile.  I’m to old for that stuff, and alot wiser.

Keep a Tight Line!

Eddy