Ice-Out Week

There was ice on the lake at the start of the week. It was mostly confined to a mile long sheet that populated the north end of Lucerne. It would not last long.

There was just enough open water on the north shore for a very thin/short ski run.

By Wednesday morning, the sheet had shrunk enough to be pushed around by a strong wind. Then the wind picked up.

The quickly moving air broke the sheet up and pushed it into the shoreline. The gale died down by sunset and the ice was gone.

Before it was gone there was quite the parade of ice chunks on the lake side of Knott Lane.

At the peak of the ice parade, a lone eagle made a very low pass along the north shore.

This lift was about 6 inches above the ice before the storms and melt. The lake seems to be going back up.

The ice is gone, but the trees did not celebrate. Hills around Lucerne are still leafless.

The tapping cleanup crew, mostly seen here, finished the last of the bucket lids as the parade of ice drifted by.

The Great Ice Storm of '25 was almost 4 weeks ago. The campfires around the lake should be well stocked by the downed trees and limbs for most of the summer.

After the ice left us, it rained. It's getting more than a little soggy out there.

The NCC golf course is open...well at least the front nine and the clubhouse.

All the melt and rain has produced new water hazards on some fairways and roughs.

The old water hazards are all very full.

Picking Great Ice Storm and holiday refugees out of the lake is becoming a springtime thing. Again, campfires this year will not go hungry.

Our local squirrels are becoming more well mannered as of late. They give a little bow now before getting on with their evil.

Congratulations to this year's ice-out contest winners. The first place winner entered the contest on the day the contest was posted and has now won 2 years in a row. If you need tonight's winning lottery numbers, I might know a guy. The lake's level may be going up, but its temperature remains un-swimmabley low. Now is the best time to stock up on Benadryl® and ibuprofen for the coming months along with Bactine and tourniquets for those REALLY fun summer days.

-Nemo is enjoying the mosquitolessness while it lasts.

Ice-Out Week

April 21st through 27th, 2025