About a full month earlier than normal, reports of “Ice out” were heard echoing throughout the North Country this weekend (not to be confused with all the woo-hoos and yee-haws.)

Clear Lake in Ely is.. well, all clear. And Voyageur Canoe Outfitters have reported that most of the small lakes on the Gunflint are free of ice as well, with the larger ones like Saganaga soon to follow. Sweet!

Speaking of which, even the maple syrupers are reveling in the unseasonably warm spring. This warmest March on record is seeing record harvests of the stuff.

Wow, an extra month of paddling… the mind reels. See you out there!