We started keeping records in 1986 but they were a little vague back then! In 1991 Debbie started buying me the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Calendar. For obvious reasons I started keeping better records. So to answer your question we think the latest Spring was 1990.We could boat from Keewatin to South end of Scotties Island,South of this area all the way to Queer Island was solid ice on May 05.We tried Manitou and it was solid ice as well,boating down to French Narrows a week later. Here are a few years/dates we made it to Bare Point from French Narrows.April 16/2006,May 04/2007,May 09/2008,May 06/2009,April 14/2010,May 04/2011,And last year was earliest on April 10. We will be making another quad trip to town this week for fresh produce.We rec'd 1.5" snow by noon today and its been snowing all afternoon but melting on impact.

Not much happening in the way of melting! We went for a visit to Moore Bay on Friday by quad,Had to stick to ice roads as there is too much snow/slush to go cross country. On our return home coming into Dorian Marsh there were 20 plus Bald Eagles that took flight-very impresive to see that many soaring. There is a little more open water @ the Narrows and approximatly 50 Geese hanging out there. Fisherman are still driving trucks over 12 Mile but with season closing today I think truck travel will stop as well.Next weeks forecast does nothing for our melt with 10-20 cm forecasted and we do not reach double digets for a high till 26 th. The ice is honeycombed on our road South side of Island where it is sheltered,everywhere else still blue.Don't rush getting boats ready as I don't think you will need them till end of 2nd week May at earliest.

Took truck off the ice yesterday,roads are still in good shape.This is the first time we have taken vehicles off without running through a foot of water and rutted Portages! On the return trip from BarePoint I left the ice road on quad and tried to take a short cut,Broke through the crust of snow and the slush was too deep had to return to road.Woke up to a dusting of snow this morning.Still no sign of open water down here, Seagulls are back around Safeway.

I wasn't going to start posting until we took the vehicles off the ice,car is coming off on April 2nd and truck will follow later in week.The ice roads are still in good shape but landings are rutted and wet.Will travel with quad. On March 29th saw our first goose,crows have been back for a while. The lake temp. has gone from +1c to +3c always amazing with 2' ice and snow cover.I don't think we will be boating till end of 1st week in May or even into 2nd week?

Not much has changed in the way of ice making with these mild temperatures.There is now 2.5" of snow on the ice.Reports of 8 to 10" ice in Welcome Channel area,even Kaputsky Island has good ice so when the boys start plowing through Holmstrom's Marsh should be okay.Only 4" ice in Clearwater Bay area as well as Rocky Narrows. We are over 8" French Narrows.We have a lone grey wolf with white boots prowling around our Island,he has set off the motion lights several times.I keep moving the game camera to catch a glimpse of him but its like he knows its there and keeps avoiding it?The long range is promising sun and cooler nights to help build up our ice.If that's the case then the boys will probably start plowing around New Years. This will be our last posting for a while as we are heading to Arizona on 23rd-so the only ice I will be worried about is to keep my beer chilled!Hopefully as you come out to your camps you could leave a comment on conditions so others can be kept informed?Stay to the trails and if not check ice thickness often!

Dec.13th we traveled from our Island to BarePoint by snowmobile.From our place traveling North to Strawberry Portage there are 1/2 dozen pressure ridges ranging from little bumps to 18" high. On North side of Strawberry to BarePoint there are no ridges. Still only 1" snow on ice,more in forecast this weekend.Saw a truck on ice in Matheson Bay,and a friend used his truck to plow a road from his house in Welcome Channel to 10 Mile Island.Still a little early for trucks!

It was a beautiful day out here today,sunny,-19c,light N breeze. We went by snowmobile to visit friends @ Moore Bay Lodge. There are 6 pressure ridges to navigate around between our place and there's,following the same route the ice roads would take. We were only gone 2.5 hrs and in that time wolves took down a deer at French Narrows Portage.Talked with Lunny's last night and they were going to walk out to Scotties Island from BarePoint today,the least amount of ice they found was 3.5". Our supplies (beer/rum)are holding strong still no need to head to town.Its 3 weeks today since we were last in town by boat.This freeze up seemed to drag on this year,blaming the lack of sun shine? If anyone reading this is planning on going to there camps soon please check your ice conditions on your route,As of yesterday I found 9" to be thickest and 3" @ least.