2023 Ice-Out Competition
The 2023 Lake Wesserunsett Ice-Out Competition
Scroll to the bottom of page for Ice-Out Updates from 2023.
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.
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?
The latest conditions (April 14)
Report from the lake: “Lots of openings and fissures so a big wind would probably take it. Or it could be a few days.”
What are the current ice conditions on the lake? (March 12)
See photos below, all taken March 12, 2023. The first two photos are taken from the outlet/boat launch; the second two photos are taken from the beach at Lakewood. There are reports of two ice shacks on the lake visible from Lakewood, but no cars or trucks. Fisherman reporting ice 2.5 feet thick on March 12, 2023.
Ice Condition Updates 2023
March 25 & 29
East Madison Boat Launch & Beach (first three photos - March 25). Update from Eric: Not a lot of change except you can no longer get on the ice from the beach. An ice fisherman yesterday said there was about 16” out away from shore. A young kid went through this morning trying to get on the ice at the beach. No harm done except cold! Water came up a few inches after last rain. A fair amount going over the dam now.
Lakewood Beach (last three photos - March 29)
April 1
Mother Nature loves a good joke! About an inch of snow overnight, giving us these gorgeous views of the lake from the East Madison (thanks Eric!). Snow has since disappeared as it turned to rain.
April 3-9
Progress! Still solid out in the middle, but Eric reports there has been gradual progress on ice melting along the shore, which should speed up this week. A bitterly cold wind on the lake Saturday 4/8, but weather.com is predicting a high of 77 degrees in East Madison this upcoming Friday 4/15. Good thing Gifford’s opened this weekend.
Images below from the outlet in East Madison (April 9) and from the Lakewood beach (April 8). And thanks to Jay M., new this week: views from the south cove! First photo from April 3, second from April 7, showing some definite ice melt during that time.
April 13
We are getting closer to ice out! Big changes on both sides of the lake since this past weekend.
From Eric: “Beautiful day for the first paddle of the season! My guess is that it will be a week, maybe less, for the lake to clear! Sun and wind do wonders!” 1) Looking NW from outlet area. 2) Geese on ice w/ Black Point in background 3)Open channel where there was a pressure ridge. 4) Ice still at shore going towards Thompson’s Point.
Photos taken from Lakewood, courtesy of Margo. Lots of water, and the ice is looking dark.
Ice-Out 2023: April 16
It is now official: 2023 Lake Wesserunsett Ice-Out was Sunday, April 16!
We were close on Friday, but ice in the north cove between the two campgrounds and ice down by the art school kept us at ice in. We were so very close on Saturday, April 15 (a favored date among submissions), but the ice was still packed in down at the art school. By late in the day on Sunday April 16, the warm weather had worked its magic on the ice down by the art school, which meant we met the definition of ice-out: the main body of the lake was open from the north end (by the marsh and campground beach) to the south end (Art School beach).
Congratulations to our winners: In the under 18 competition: Emma K. and Emma G. In the over 18 competition: Larry M., Nancy G., and Richard T.
Many thanks to the crew monitoring & photographing the ice: Jay Conway, Greg Dore, Mark Doty, Eric Lahti, Jerry Lynch, and Will Reid. And thanks to Eric Lahti, Jay McGuire, and Margo Reid for photographing the lake over the past month, and for Elissa Tracey for posting those photos on social media.
And finally: thanks to everyone who participated. We had 72 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!
