Lake Minnetonka Ice Out is the official start of spring

For those of us who use Lake Minnetonka year round ice out is the official start to spring! The winter lake activity's end in February weather permitting because it is no longer safe to drive on the lake.  Lets hope we get an early ice-out so we can have cocktails on the deck at  Fletcher's  . For Lake Minnetonka Buyers and sellers Spring, Summer, and Fall is the best time to view property's, because you can see the kind of lake shore a property has to offer.

                                                                                                                           

Declaring Minnetonka Ice-Out

Ice-out is declared on Lake Minnetonka by the Commander of the Water Patrol: currently 
Lt. Steve Hartig. Ice Out does not necessarily mean "Ice Free".

Ice-Out is declared by Lt. Hartig   when he can take a boat from Water Patrol Headquarters 
in Spring Park, through the Narrows and around Big Island without having to significantly 
alter course to avoid ice or ice floes. This is the same method that has been used since 1855 
for lake boat captains to start the summer navigation season.

Earliest Ice-Out: March 11, 1878
Latest Ice-Out: May 8, 1856
Earliest to Latest: 59 days
Most Common Ice-Out: April 17 & 18 - 9 times.
Average Ice-Out: April 15 (Ice-Out has never occurred on this date.)

1855 - April 18 1856 - May 8 1857 - May 5 1858 - March 30 1859 - May 4 1860 - April 4 1861 - 1876 - Unknown 1877 - April 14 1878 - March 11 1879 - 1886 - Unknown 1887 - April 14 1888 - April 25 1889 - April 1 1890 - April 16 1891 - April 21 1892 - April 11 1893 - April 28 1894 - April 9 1895 - April 5 1896 - April 5 1897 - April 18 1898 - April 18 1899 - April 24 1900 - April 16 1901 - April 23 1902 - April 1 1903 - April 13 1904 - April 25 1905 - April 2 1906 - April 16 1907 - April 8 1908 - April 12 1909 - April 26	1910 - March 27 1911 - April 1 1912 - April 13 1913 - April 18 1914 - April 17 1915 - April 17 1916 - April 19 1917 - April 18 1918 - April 14 1919 - April 6 1920 - April 17 1921 - April 3 1922 - April 17 1923 - April 23 1924 - April 24 1925 - April 7 1926 - April 18 1927 - April 12 1928 - April 18 1929 - April 7 1930 - April 5 1931 - April 6 1932 - April 14 1933 - April 18 1934 - April 10 1935 - April 7 1936 - April 20 1937 - April 19 1938 - April 9 1939 - April 17 1940 - April 25 1941 - April 14 1942 - April 4	1943 - April 12 1944 - April 23 1945 - March 30 1946 - April 2 1947 - April 19 1948 - April 11 1949 - April 13 1950 - May 2 1951 - April 28 1952 - April 22 1953 - April 8 1954 - April 12 1955 - April 12 1956 - April 21 1957 - April 20 1958 - April 11 1959 - April 10 1960 - April 16 1961 - April 14 1962 - April 25 1963 - April 10 1964 - April 13 1965 - May 1 1966 - April 4 1967 - April 9 1968 - April 1 1969 - April 17 1970 - April 19 1971 - April 17 1972 - April 26 1973 - April 4 1974 - April 19 1975 - April 28	1976 - April 3 1977 - April 10 1978 - April 17 1979 - April 23 1980 - April 19 1981 - March 27 1982 - April 19 1983 - April 22 1984 - April 13 1985 - April 13 1986 - April 8 1987 - March 21 1988 - April 7 1989 - April 17 1990 - April 4 1991 - April 8 1992 - April 10 1993 - April 19 1994 - April 11 1995 - April 3 1996 - April 24 1997 - April 20 1998 - April 3 1999 - April 2 2000 - March 19 2001 - April 20 2002 - April 16 2003 - April 12 2004 - April 5 2005 - April 9 2006 - April 9 2007 - April 3 2008 - April 23 2009 - April 14
			2010 - April 2 Brian Monette SALES EXECUTIVE Wayzata 125 Lake Street West Wayzata, MN55391 brian.monette@results.net Cell: 612-964-3433 Main: 952-475-8000 Office: 952-475-8000 Direct: 952-475-8008 Fax: 952-475-8010