The Outhouse Daily News Presents

Canoe Lake Ice-Out

Spring 2004 Edition

 News & Updates

It's official... the ice went off Canoe Lake some time last night. Word from Al and Jan at the Canoe Lake permit office is that the ice was starting to break up late yesterday afternoon, and that a storm blew up last night and finished things off. There is still some ice in bays and other areas on the lake this morning, but the majority of the lake is open.

Since we don't know for sure if the ice was "out" before or after midnight last night we're making an unprecedented call this year and giving equal credit to those who picked either April 21st or 22nd--which is a lot of people. But the official winners this year are Jan Richmond, Al Clare, and Don Lloyd--all long-time Canoe Lakers. And yes, Jan and Al won last year too!

Congratulations also go to the following people who chose the 21st and 22nd... Peter Matthews, Alexander Thompson, Laurie March, Larkin Ridpath, Murray Wolff, Chuck and Dot Gray, Drew Matthews, John Rose, Scott Rowe, Catherine & Jim Brackley, Alex Statten, John Arbour, Chris White. In total there were 18 people who chose one of the two dates.

Here are a few pictures from Tuesday afternoon--before the ice had really started to break up...

Toasting ice-out 2004. Looking north-west.

Jeff & John on the cottage dock with the south end of Canoe Lake in the background.

Looking north at the P-Store bay from the cottagers' dock

Looking south from the cottagers' dock

Well, we're heading up to Canoe Lake tomorrow for a day, or two, or three to see what's happening and hopefully catch the last of the ice. It's a tough call at this point--and this might be the first year we're early and have to return to the city with ice still on the lake. But the word is that as of yesterday the north end was open up to Mowat, and the Oxtongue was open from Bonita up to the south end of Canoe Lake. With the warm weather and especially today's wind I think we'll see the ice go out before the end of the week.

I'm not taking a laptop with me this year so there will be no live updates, but stay tuned to this page for news and photos as soon as we get back, some time in the next three days.

This just in from Libby up on the river between Bonita and Tea Lake: "There are big open water areas on the channel, but I don't know how far up the channel to Canoe it goes...sorry! They seem to be getting bigger and bigger each day, so it should be soon when all the ice goes! Smoke Creek is wide open, side to side! Tamakwa is still socked in, so I'm going to assume that Canoe still has a bit there too."

Based on Libby's reports--and a few from others in the area-- I think we're on our way. It looks like it will be above freezing at night for the next week at least, and there are a couple of days each of sun and rain in the forecast. Daytime temperatures in Algonquin should be in the 12°C to 17°C range.

At this point I think we'll see the ice go out on Canoe Lake some time next week--between April 18th and 23rd. Stay tuned...

The deadline for submitting dates passed at midnight last night so the polls are closed.
Good luck to everyone.

Here's this year's poem from our friend Murray...

The word from our friend Newf (a.k.a. Chris Stafford) in Whitney is that he thinks it will be late April at least before the ice goes out this year. He reasons that since the ice was formed in cold weather with little snow it is thicker and more dense (and pure) than usual.

I just received an email from Libby von Neumann who lives on the river between Tea Lake and Canoe Lake. (Libby provided us with all the photo updates last year.) She has chosen April 10th as her date (again)--just 11 days from now! Here's what she says...

"I'm going to have to go with an early date. It's raining as I type and the Oxtongue channel has some major open water areas due to such warm temps. Haven't seen freezing in about a week now, even at night. And we are supposed to have rain for the next few days."

I must admit that I've been watching the weather and noticing that the temperature hasn't dropped below zero in Algonquin for a week now--even at night--and isn't likely to for at least another week. I'm starting to think we could be in for a very early break up. (Of course, we had a similar situation four years ago and the ice didn't go out until April 26th :-)

I've received over 35 emails already and the dates are filling up. The Matthews clan has all the bases covered with Sandra on April 15th, Sarah on May 2nd, and lots more in between.

We seem to have moved into a warm spell here in Toronto (and up north judging by the weather sites). I had an email from Hugh Statten who was up on Canoe Lake last weekend and he reports little change since my visit two weeks ago--still lots of ice. But if these warm temperatures continue for more than a week we might be looking at an early breakup. I've decided to split the difference and go with April 20th this year.

And welcome to all those who have come across this page from the Algonquin Adventures or Outdoor Adventure Canada websites, or just by Googling around.

As you can see from the photo at the top of this page, there is still lots of ice on Canoe Lake. (It was taken on Sunday, March 14th.) The conditions are very similar to those in 2001--three layers of ice with water between. I'm sure this is, in part at least, a result of the recent warm spell which saw temperatures in Toronto reach 18°C one day.

With conditions up on Canoe Lake and in Toronto similar to--though perhaps a little colder than--recent years at this time, I'm going to go way out on a limb and call for another 'average' late-April ice-out this year :-)

So the poll is open--send in your dates. (But please note that while I have posted this page and sent out the notice to my "ice-out" email list, for the next few days I will be giving "first position" rights to family and close friends.)

Here is a shot of Canoe Lake last week... still a way to go.

Looking south on Canoe Lake (March 13th, 2004)

 Current Weather for the Canoe Lake Area

 Predictions for Spring 2004

Multiple people on the same date are listed in the order in which their choices were received
at the worldwide headquarters of the Outhouse Daily News.

(The previous year's ice-out date is marked with an asterix.)

 Past Ice-Out Dates

 The Rules

 Previous year's ice-out pages