Betting on Ice!

In some parts of the world, people choose brackets in basketball, in Canada most definitely hockey pools.  On Gun Lake it is all about when the ice will disappear into the beautiful clear pristine water.



March 22, 2013



Right about now the ice starts to show signs.  Even though it is still a foot thick, to the eager and yearning eye, it LOOKs weaker!  A few frozen cracks appear.  The ice loses its coating of snow and looks more like ice.  On a super warm day, puddles occur.  You start to think about it when you walk or ride out there.

And then there is the movement.  The wind comes up again with the stronger spring storms and takes advantage of any crack, opening or weakness. The wind can push and pull huge slabs with such force that it moves docks off of their moorings and can push sand and dirt in banks 3 feet high.  Amazing mother nature!

In some years hilarity has ensued, with the ice's forceful ways showing up later with docks floating aimlessly around in the middle of the lake after the ice is gone.  In the era of Facebook, pictures are posted and everyone manages to speculate on whose it is as it slowly moves its way down the lake. 

Back to betting... there are prizes for the bet that comes closest to matching the day that the ice disappears.  Flutters of excitement occur as each person's day comes and goes, some days look more hopeful than others that the entire lake will be free of the freezing hard stuff.  Parts of the lake are water others not.  There is disagreement as to whether or not "it is gone".   Oh the challenge of it all!


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Ice,  its coming and its going, is part of the rhythm of living in the wilderness.  Nature and the seasons can be so entertaining and entrancing and enveloping.  As interesting in its day to day fascinations as any TV Show or Video game, it just takes time to follow and note. 

So....this far out...its a bit of a sketchy bet....I'm going for April 16!  

Past Ice Off Dates!   What is your bet?