The air is warmer, the sap is running, and the Canada geese are flying – all harbingers of spring. But for many, spring hasn’t truly arrived – despite the date on the calendar – until the ice is out.
What date that happens varies from year to year depending on how harsh the winter has been and how quickly the temperatures begin to rise. Predicting ice-out date is part science, part luck and all fun, says Algonquin Outfitters (AO) marketing manager, Randy Mitson.
The retailer holds an annual ice-out contest with the winner or winners – anyone who correctly guesses the ice-out date – receiving a $25 coupon toward a canoe rental and the chance to win a $100 AO gift card. (If there’s more than one winner, a name is drawn for the prize; a single winner gets it automatically.)
The ice goes out earlier on some lakes than others so AO measures it on Algonquin Park’s largest lake, Lake Opeongo. The date that an AO water taxi can safely navigate from the dock at the south end of the lake to the top of its north arm is declared the winner.
In the past, the ice has gone out on Opeongo as early as March 29 (2012) and as late as May 15 (1972) – the average is April 20. On March 27, the ice on Opeongo was estimated to still be 20 inches thick.
Courtesy of the Friends of Algonquin Park. Click the image to see their ice-out page
To help with your predictions, AO provides past ice out data and regular reports with pictures – that’s the science part. You have to enter your guess on the AO website before it becomes obvious when the ice-out date will be (this year, before April 9 or earlier if the ice starts to melt fast) – that’s the luck part. And then you get to dream about and plan for your summer paddling trips while you wait to hear if you’ve won – that’s the fun part.
“It’s an exciting way to celebrate the arrival of spring and the start of the paddling season,” says Mitson.
When else do you have a shot at accurately predicting the future? Get your guess in at algonquinoutfitters.com/2017-algonquin-park-ice-contest before the contest closes.
This is a sponsored story paid for by the featured advertiser
Lisa, if you haven’t already, be sure to enter your guess in the contest form on AO’s website (see the link in the post above). Guesses on Doppler’s page won’t be included in the contest.
April 22nd
Bruce, if you haven’t already, be sure to enter your guess in the contest form on AO’s website (see the link in the post above). Guesses on Doppler’s page won’t be included in the contest.
Shayne, if you haven’t already, be sure to enter your guess in the contest form on AO’s website (see the link in the post above). Guesses on Doppler’s page won’t be included in the contest.
April 18 2017
April 24.