A juvenile bald eagle used one of the last remaining ice floes on Highland Lake to enjoy a quick fresh-caught meal. Photo: Donna Baker-Hartwell

Ice Out on Highland Lake happened this year on March 16. There was still an ice jam at the public beach and one at the mouth of the channel, but both were gone in the night.

For many years when my mother, Madelyn Baker, was alive, our family had a tradition of guessing the date of Ice Out. My mother would tape a piece of paper to her refrigerator, and anyone who happened to come by could get in on the contest. Mom would buy a pizza for whomever came closest to the actual date of Ice Out.

Now the decision as to what constituted Ice Out had to be decided. Mom decided that if the ice was out as far as she could see across the lake, and there was no ice from the island to Abbott’s Point, than the ice would be declared out.

This year’s Ice Out is the earliest that I have found in our records. These records are gathered from family journals that both my mother and I have kept.

My mother wrote in her journal in 1992 that “ice went out about two weeks before Easter.” Easter was on April 19 that year, so I am taking some liberty here by putting the date for 1992 as the fifth of April. Every year thereafter, she was more specific in entering the date in her journal. \

I have tried to put together a list of Ice Out dates, but I do not have every year from 1992 to 2016. If someone else is able to help, I would love to hear from them.

For me, Ice Out is a magical time. I remember one year in particular – the ice had all broken up into little pieces and was “tinkling” like shards of glass. The sound was quite remarkable as I stood on the shore and listened.

This year, the ice broke up in large sheets and floated about for several days. On March 18, I observed a juvenile Bald Eagle on board one of them. He or she was feasting on a rather large fish. Several crows landed alongside, hoping to get a piece of the meal, but were unsuccessful.

Many geese and ducks have been busy getting reunited, as well. Pat Baker spotted “our” pair of loons within hours of Ice Out. Somehow, they know when the lake is open and arrive back within hours.

Ice Out Dates

1992: April 5

1993: April 21

1994: April 22

1995: April 1 (PM)

1996: April 15 (half out)

1997: April 24

1998: April 10

1999: April 9

2000: April 5

2001: April 27

2002: March 31

2003: April 21

2004: April /11

2005: Sometime after April 10

2006: April 1

2007: Unknown

2008: April 21

2009 : April 9

2010: March 21

2011: April 20

2012: March 19

2013: April 11 (PM)

2014: April 19

2015 : April 17

2016: March 16