Earliest ice out ever on Shagawa Lake

[Lee Borgersen]

4/9/2010 2:36:00 PM   
Earliest ice out ever on Shagawa Lake

by Anne Swenson

The official notice of Shagawa Lake Ice Out, as attested by Grand Ely Lodge employees Mike Haney and Clarence Jordan, is 6:45 a.m. on Saturday, April 3, 2010.

This appears to be the earliest ice out on Shagawa, besting the 1998 date of April 13.

Submitting his entry during the final entry week, winner Bob Wilmunen, White Iron, Ely called April 3 at 10:30 a.m. Coming up with the right day but later times were: 11:23 a.m., Darren Visser, Ely; 1:25 p.m., Ralph Palmer, Babbitt; 2:10 p.m., Judi Budke, Orange Park, Fl; 3 p.m., Nick Murray, Sartell, MN; 3 p.m., Paul Butter, Cohasset, MN; and 3:24 p.m., James Lohman, Maple Grove, MN.

Wilmunen wins the $100 Grand Ely Lodge prize.

The Ice Out Contest has been a staple of the Ely Echo for many, many years and originally began with a package of Polish sausage as the grand prize. It has often been won by people living elsewhere in the United States.

Looking back at past reports, the ice went out on Shagawa Lake as could be found as follows:

1966 - Mid-May

1991 - April 22 at 1:15 p.m., Joe Mattson, ME

1995 - April 26 at 6:44 p.m., Jason Estenson, ND

1996 - After May 6

1997 - April 29, 12:50 p.m.,

1998 - April 13, Joan Weckman, Ely

1999 - April 24 at 5:30 p.m., Ross Buffington, Ely

2000 - April 17 at 4:17 p.m., Shane McKenna

2001 - April 29 at 6:45 p.m., Olin Mefford, AL

2002 - April 24 at 10:29 a.m., Kevin Dobbins, Ely

2003 - April 27 at 3:20 p.m., Linda Richards, IA

2004 - April 27, at 4:41 p.m., Karson Otness, MN

2005 - April 17 at 1:46 p.m., Sharon Geiger, Ely

2006 - April 16 at 1:23 p.m., Ann Mobilia, Ely

2007 - April 25 at 5:41 p.m., Carol Krunkkala-Surma, MN

2008 - May 8 at 6:41 p.m., David LeVesseur,MN

2009 - April 28 at 1:50 p.m., Pat Ferderber, Ely

2010 - April 3 at 6:45 a.m., Bob Wilmunen, Ely