Winter's Epitaph

Last week, Winter passed. Purists argue that Winter ends on the equinox, but for those that live and shovel snow in the northwoods, we know this to be mildly to extremely inaccurate depending on the year. In 2023, Winter was admitted to the ICU with a dangerous fever on Monday and died shortly afterward. It's impolite to speak ill of the dead, but most agree Winter will not be missed.

Winter was over, but Winter's wraith continued to cover the forest floor to the point where tracks were still required to gather late season sap.

To the surprise of many a sugarman, the trees did not stop running.

The warm weather was great, but combined with the deep snow, it made tromping from tree to tree to empty buckets tough even in snowshoes.

Much more sap than expected was hauled from the sugarbush.

A thin layer of smoke floated over the lake as all that sap was boiled down to syrup.

Getting the sap back to the cookers required fording the many rivers that were once roads between the woods and the camp.

The mighty flow at the final turn of the formerly named West Shore Drive could push the lake level up a few inches all by itself.

With the air getting hot, it was thought that ice-out would be sooner rather than May. Lake Wabikon usually goes out a week or so before Lucerne so we trekked to Wabikon's boat landing to check its ice. There was some open water, but there was also a lot of ice.

There were also a few shoes. Oddly enough, they were all right shoes.

Water fowl were seen taking advantage of the unfrozen bits of the lake.

The eagles were also getting more active over the north end of Lucerne.

By the end of the week, many had the itch to golf. Holes 1 and 2 were in good shape, but several of the others were still covered in snow.

The melting snow has also greatly expanded many of the water hazards.

Late in the week, the drone was put up to check on the state of ice-out on Lucerne and other local lakes. To our surprise, Devils Lake does not look close.

Lake Wabikon looks to be half way there.

Metonga ice looks like Lucerne's.

The north end of Lucerne was breaking up on the weekend.

A storm hit late on Saturday and left the lake with less ice and more fog.

A breeze picked up. The fog was blown off and piled up on the north shore.

There was a nice sunset between storms.

By Sunday the lake was almost an inch deeper.

Just before and after the rain, the bar's wild turkeys disappeared. Blue jays seem to have taken their place.

In other "Summer is Coming" events, Crandon Water Shows held a practice in the FCC field house during the rain on Sunday.

Choreography was learned and practiced.

Pyramid-ship was also accomplished.

Winter is over. The snowmobiles are summer-ized and trailered. Melt damage is being assessed and repaired. If we would get another week like this last one, the title of the next summary page will be "Ice-Out 2023". It looks like next week will be cooler. This will extend the life of the lake ice and also lengthen the tapping season. Hopefully not by much.

-Nemo's ready to pull spiles and get a tee time.

Winter's Epitaph

April 10th through 16th, 2023