Boating season has begun-
Fishing, floating, water fun!
The winter season is now done
We welcome the summer warmth to come.

March 30, 2026 the ice is out - and Perry Forster won the guessing pool right on the nose! Congratulations!
Our dock went in last year on April 6th. It's fun to see the docks appear around the lake. Look for the loons to come back, usually very soon after the ice is gone. Here's a question: which will we see first, a fishing boat or a loon?

Happy Spring, everyone!
Anne

Observing the lake yesterday, I thought, "This is a real ice-in day, with the whole lake becoming frozen at once!" I did see some swans in the bay in the distance, but I felt that if nothing opened up with wind or changed, yesterday would be THE DAY.

This morning confirms it, seeing the snow covering the whole lake and not revealing any dark water left open. So as I looked over the frozen scene this morning, I confirmed yesterday's ice-in, December 4, 2025.

Ford Halvorson has won this ice-in pool with his guess of 12/4 in the afternoon - 
Congratulations!

How fast does ice form on a lake? Here's some math for you all to do:

Estimating Ice Growth with Freezing-Degree Days 
You can estimate ice growth using the Freezing-Degree Day (FDD) formula: 

1. Calculate the average daily temperature (High Temp + Low Temp) divided by 2.
2. Calculate FDDs by subtracting the average temperature from 32°F (or 0°C).
3. Estimate new ice thickness by dividing the total accumulated FDDs by 15. 

Example: If the average temperature for a 24-hour period is 20°F:

• FDDs = 32°F - 20°F = 12 FDDs
• Estimated new ice growth = 12 / 15 ≈ 0.8 inches in that day. 

Safety First
These calculations are only guidelines. Ice conditions can vary dramatically even within a few feet. 

• Snow Cover: Even a thin layer of snow acts as a thermal blanket, significantly slowing the freezing process.

As always, be careful on the ice, folks. The Minnesota DNR's standard ice warning emphasizes that NO ICE IS 100% SAFE, but provides thickness guidelines for clear ice: 4 inches for walking/fishing, 5-7 inches for ATVs/snowmobiles, 9-12 inches for cars, and 13-17+ for trucks, advising you to double thickness for white ice, wear life jackets, carry ice picks, and check conditions often as factors like snow and currents make ice unpredictable. The MN DNR has a great webpage about ice safety:
https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/safety/ice/index.html, and do check out the
video on what to do if you fall in: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/safety/ice/survival.html

Happy Winter to you all!
Anne

"Day is done...
Gone the sun..."
...and with it, the swans have left their final open spot of water off the point by the Busheys. I call ice-in this afternoon. If there are remaining pockets of open water, it's not much, and not likely to open up any more with below zero temps forecast tonight, even with the wind.

Ice-in afternoon of December 11, 2024 - AND THE WINNER IS...
huh? No one guessed December 11th!

Karen Schatz - you guessed yesterday, but there was still a little open water and swans a'swimmin' so the prize goes to DEB BRYAN, who guessed December 12th. 

As a matter of record, I never look at the guess board before I call it. This notice was already half-written before I took a peek. So the fact that Deb is married to the current LRIA President had NOTHING to do with my call. 😄

I want to remind everyone, as I do every year, that the ice is far from safe right now. The lake has been freezing up, opening up, and freezing up again, so the ice thickness is really spotty right now. Walking, ice fishing, ice skating, or other activities on foot need 5 to 7 inches so be cautious, be safe, and live to win the ice-out guess in the spring.

Happy Holidays to All!
Anne Florenzano

As we've discussed in the past, calling the ice-in and ice-out is not a science. There is the technical aspect of the presence or absence of ice. But today is the perfect illustration of the PRACTICAL aspect of calling ice-out.

I can see that there is still some dark ice floating in the north bay and along the north shore, but with the loons back and calling to each other and then a fishing boat motoring from the launch all the way across the lake, it's game over! I call ice-out today, April 14, 2023. Scott Bryan wins! Ed Goff (guessed 4/13) and Norm Kruse (guessed 4/15) just missed out. I suspect that what little ice there is left will be gone by the end of the day.

Star Tribune's Tony Kennedy wrote in an article yesterday about MN lake ice-outs, "Minnesota's long, snowy winter has delayed the onset of spring, but this week's blowtorch of warmth has eased some anxiety felt by anglers and resort owners who count on northern lakes to be open in time for the state fishing opener." 

Wow, wasn't it a blowtorch of warmth? That is the perfect description. No question it sped up the Lake Riley ice melt.

The latest ice-out on record was on May 1st, 2018. The earliest was on March 8th, 2000. 1997 is the only other year it went out on April 14th. 

Enjoy the lake, everyone!

Anne Florenzano