Hi All,
I will be in MN next spring. I have not done a spring trip in about 30 years, So, my question is about when does ice-out occur in the Gunflint Trail area? I usually go through Tuscarora Lodge. I sent them a message a while ago, but never heard back. Thanks for any help.

The last couple years it's been May 15th-ish. Usually it's the last week of April/first week of May though. That's the "typical".

https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/ice_out/index.html?year=median

Rockwood has a string of photos on their website from April 30 each of the 8 years they’ve owned it. They are on Poplar Lake 1/2 way up the Gunflint.

In 2016, 2017, and 2021 the ice was out by then. As mentioned above it didn’t go out until May 14th/15th the last 2 years. In 2018, 2019, and 2020 it went out sometime early May.

In 2016 I entered a few days after ice out on May 4 and it was awesome. Only saw 2 people (rangers) on a normally busy route and saw 4 moose and 2 wolves. Portages were tough with lots of downed trees from a winter storm.

Not only do I know where Alstead is, I’ve actually been there (we lived in Milton for 17 years). With the possible exception of a certain Mainiac, I might be unique among the other bwca.com members in that achievement. :-)

Ice-out varies enough in the BWCA to make it an annually entertaining subject for prognostication on this forum and the Trip Planning forum. Until April 1 arrives, everyone who claims to know the date in advance will be lying to you.

gravelroad: "Ice-out varies enough in the BWCA to make it an annually entertaining subject for prognostication on this forum and the Trip Planning forum. Until April 1 arrives, everyone who claims to know the date in advance will be lying to you. "

Except white wolf… he never lies… he’s a weatherman!

gravelroad: "Not only do I know where Alstead is, I’ve actually been there (we lived in Milton for 17 years). With the possible exception of a certain Mainiac, I might be unique among the other bwca.com members in that achievement. :-)


Ice-out varies enough in the BWCA to make it an annually entertaining subject for prognostication on this forum and the Trip Planning forum. Until April 1 arrives, everyone who claims to know the date in advance will be lying to you.


"

Alstead is the center of the universe. Einstein proved it!

Thanks all for the advice. Turns out Tuscarora did reply but it went to spam, for some reason.
It is looking like I may be out there a bit too early for a BWCA trip. Bummer.

seagull outfitters have a web cam on the lake , so you can see the ice slowly melt ;) it the last 30 years i'm guessing maybe 3 or 4 times ice went out after opener.
the one's i can recall , just 2 or 3 years ago another was 2013 and 1 in the mid 1995 ? (last pic looking at seagull from the rog portage)