2024 Ice-Out Competition

When will the ice go out of Lake Wesserunsett this year?

Let’s think spring and the promise of summer lake days ahead! 

Enter the 2024 Lake Wesserunsett Ice-Out Competition! Submit your best prediction for when you think Ice-Out will be this year. Keep scrolling for everything you need to know: the rules, the online entry form, the definition of Ice-Out, and photos of the lake & ice as of March 8, 2024.

March 14: the entry deadline has passed. Check back later this week for updates on ice conditions.

Note: the photos on this page are from previous years except for those at the end under current conditions. Many thanks to Eric L. for sharing his photos.

Photo from a previous year

The Rules

  1. The competition is open to current LWA Members (and their kids & grandkids).  Not a member?  Join here!

  2. There are two entry categories: one for adults (those 18 and older) and one for kids (those younger than 18).

  3. One entry per person.

  4. Submit your entry through the Google Form. Entry form closed; deadline has passed.

  5. Entries must be submitted by Wednesday, March 13th.

The Prizes

The adult who comes closest to guessing the correct date can choose a gift certificate to either the Lakewood Golf Course or Giffords.

The child who comes closest to guessing the correct date will receive a gift certificate to Giffords.

Photo from a previous year

What is considered “Ice-Out”?

Ice-Out is when the main body of the lake is open from the north end (by the marsh and campground beach) to the south end (Art School beach). There may be some wind-blown fragmented ice along some shores, typically at the south end, and some coves may still be ice-covered. This is consistent with the State definition of Ice-Out as "when you can navigate unimpeded from one end of the water body to the other" even though there may be ice in coves or along the shoreline in some areas.

What are typical Ice-Out dates for Lake Wesserunsett?

The average Ice-Out date is approximately April 22.  The earliest Ice-Out dates on record are March 24.  The latest Ice-Out dates are May 10. Ice-Out in 2023 was April 16th. Click here to see photos from last year’s Ice-Out Competition.

A team of LWA members who have done this over the years will monitor ice conditions and reach consensus as to when the official Ice-Out is. (Team members are not eligible to participate in competition.)

Who will determine the Ice-Out date?

April 9th, 2024: Ice-Out!

It is now official: 2024 Lake Wesserunsett Ice-Out was Tuesday April 9!

We were close on Sunday and Monday, but once again ice in the north cove and ice down by the art school kept us at ice in. (Ice-out last year was April 16, 2023.)

Congratulations to our winners who predicted April 9! In the under 18 competition, our winners are Lauren K. and Emma G., and in the over 18 competition our winner is Ramona Q., who has kindly donated her gift card to the under 18 crew.

Many thanks to the crew monitoring & photographing the ice: Jay Conway, Greg Dore, Mark Doty, Eric Lahti, Jerry Lynch, Margaret Reid, and Will Reid. And thanks to Elissa Tracey for posting those photos on social media.

And finally: thanks to everyone who participated. We had 78 entries this year, including 14 from kids around the lake. Hope we can do this again next year.

And now that the ice is out, summer is just around the corner

What are the current ice conditions on the lake? (March 8, 2024)

See photos below, all taken March 8, 2024. Photos are taken from Lakewood beach, East Madison boat launch, and from the East Madison Road by Abnaki. No ice fishing shacks on the lake.

Ice Condition Updates

April 5th Ice Update

Looking open in front of Lakewood, but still socked in up at the north cove by Abnaki and down by the Art School. So, ice still in, but we are getting close.

April 4th Ice Update

Breaking news: the loons are back on the lake! Multiple reports of loon sightings around the lake yesterday. Ice still in, and heavy snow this morning (April 4), but lots of bird activity.

The update from Eric: Heard a loon calling from south end and another one flying which circled around and landed in middle. Was able to see both with binoculars. Still ice in south end and north of Lawrence Brook….3-4 Sandhills yesterday just north of Black Point. Parade of merganser drakes in channel this morning. Cheers!!

Photos below from April 3, before the snow.

April 1st Ice Update

Last year, Mother Nature gave us snow April Fool’s Day. This year, she gives us the forecast of 12-18 inches of wet, heavy snow for later this week. Yikes. If it does come, hopefully it won’t stay long. In the meantime, enjoy these this weekend’s photos of blue skies, blue water, and ice going over the dam..

March 24th Ice Update

In like a lamb, out like a lion? We still have a week for March to correct itself. Reports of folks waking up this morning to 19-22 inches of snow around the lake. Slushy ice in spots where there was no ice back on March 8th. Photos below from the boat launch, East Madison Road area & inlet by Abnaki, and the Lakewood Beach. Beautiful but brrrr. (And that’s almost 20 inches of snow on the yardstick.)

March 17th Ice Update

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! Today is Sunday, March 17, and while the ice is definitely still in, there has been some progress. A bit of snow earlier this week, followed by cooler weather, then a warmer day yesterday. Photos below take on March 14 (view from Lakewood Beach and Art School Beach); March 16 (view from the boat launch); and this morning (view from Abnaki Beach and the nearby East Madison Road inlet. Eric reports that the ice is starting to turn dark with holes developing and a lot has opened up in from of the East Madison Beach.