Almost There

There comes a point each winter when cabin fever really starts to take its toll. Luckily there are annual spring events in the North Woods that can take on almost a holiday type feeling. Early signs are subtle....a bit more daylight, a looser grip from a cold snap, dwindling snowbanks...each hinting of warmer days to come.  The grackles, red winged blackbirds and crows are some of the earliest spring arrivals. There are however, two things that happen each spring which truly give folks up North the feeling that, yes indeed "We made it through another winter".  First and foremost...ICE OUT! This is immediately followed up by seeing or hearing the first loon of the season.  It always seems like one of the most common spring phone and e-mail questions we get is "how's the lake look?

This spring's ice out seemed a long time coming but for good reason. You see, last spring the ice left many lakes in Minnesota, earlier than ever recorded. Out here on Moose Lake, we were able to wet a canoe by the 4th of April last year...almost a month earlier than this spring. In 2011, Moose Lake opened up between the 30th of April and the 1st of May....nearly dead center on average.  

There are some good things about a later ice out, however. For one, it curbs the urge to go "play" out in the woods when we should be getting towboats ready and re-assembling plumbing! For us at Williams and Hall Outfitters, ice out is our "starting gun" for another great canoeing season.   

Sunset Over Moose Lake

Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW).  

Quetico Park

Permits are issued on a first come first served basis exactly 5 months to the day before your desired start day.  This year the park will open May 20th, 2011.