Algonquin Adventures / 2018 Ice Out Predictions?

**Posted by nvm** 5/04/2018 6:13 pm

Driving from Ottawa to Bancroft along 28 today, there were many small and large lakes still iced in solid (seemed like 2 inches or so). But also some larger lakes that were open. We stopped at one that apparently had ice cover yesterday, and only about 10% today. As we got closer to Bancroft it looked like more lakes were open. It's very windy here now, which will help.

**Posted by breed85** 5/04/2018 6:19 pm

Very windy here in Dwight on LOB right now.
Dwight bay which was free of ice early today is now all iced in.
All floaters have blown into the bay.

**Posted by Chuck Enwinde** 5/04/2018 8:24 pm

Was Hardcore wrote:
breed85 wrote:
Just did a drive to oxtongue lake tonight. There is some open water south of the bridge, but alot of ice at the bridge. Generally not navogable yet.

Some smaller lakes North of LOB are still not navigable.

I would think by the end of the weekend alot of that will change.
Crap Im looking at lakes up Limberlost Road. for Monday. Let me know if things start opening up.

I was up there today Bella Rebecca dotty and Oxbow are all still iced in even after the rain but it looks like it's ready to go anytime. Big east was raging.

**Posted by ATVenture** 5/05/2018 5:47 am

Been at work for the last few days prepping for the season (Algonquin Basecamp), the other day one of our neighbors tried Rain Lake road on his ATV and he got stuck in 2+ feet of snow nowhere close to the access point by the sounds of it.
Haven't seen any signs of the rangers out there either, not even sure if they've been in the permit office yet.

Last edited by ATVenture (5/05/2018 5:48 am)

**Posted by vanslyke** 5/05/2018 7:52 am

Ya I'm thinking it won't be open until the 18th for the long weekend. Sucks but that's the way she goes.

**Posted by ATVenture** 5/05/2018 1:20 pm

Just got back from Kiosk.
I bet the majority of the lake will be open by Monday, 100% open on Tuesday. There have already been canoes in the water.
New Modis Image out now, you can see things are changing very rapidly. Bye bye ice.

Last edited by ATVenture (5/05/2018 2:03 pm)

**Posted by ATVenture** 5/05/2018 3:11 pm

Kiosk today :

The photo is taken from the closest canoe in campsite to the access point to the East down the rail bed. The wind is breaking off large chunks of ice which are floating around. To the left of the picture its wide open all the way to 'One Mile Bridge'. There were day trippers in the campground with canoes in the water.

I also tried out the Brent road which completely amazed me; I was there exactly 15 days ago on my snowmobile on 3+ feet of snow, today I made it 6(ish)km in with my car no problem.. the road was wide open for the most part but I got to a small sheltered hill that had some snow just a tad too deep for my car, if I was determined enough I'm sure I would have made it no problem. I walked passed that snowy section and it was clear again after, so I bet by Monday the road will be passable. There have been many vehicles in already.

**Posted by Was Hardcore** 5/05/2018 3:35 pm

This is all great news. Can't wait for my shift to end tomorrow. Looking at that latest modis image I should be able to find open fishable water.

**Posted by vanslyke** 5/05/2018 3:47 pm

Thanks everyone for the updates!
I'm down in Barrie and I'm tempted to drive all the way up the Tim access to check things out lol.

**Posted by Trillium16** 5/05/2018 6:17 pm

ATVenture wrote:
Just got back from Kiosk.
I bet the majority of the lake will be open by Monday, 100% open on Tuesday. There have already been canoes in the water.
New Modis Image out now, you can see things are changing very rapidly. Bye bye ice.

Sure are!! Like I say, ice-out Wednesday at the latest. Thanks for the great updates ATV. Almost wishing I had kept my original reservation to start from Kiosk next week. Been a few years since I was up there--this summer for sure!

**Posted by ATVenture** 5/05/2018 7:07 pm

I believe Fork Lake is mostly open on the Webcam?
Edit - Maybe Not lol. Might have been the lighting

Last edited by ATVenture (5/05/2018 7:17 pm)

**Posted by MartinG** 5/05/2018 8:32 pm

300!!!

**Posted by vanslyke** 5/05/2018 8:42 pm

It did look like fork had mostly opened, after tomorrow it will be wide open.

**Posted by Trillium16** 5/06/2018 5:49 am

"Algonquin Park's lake ice along the Highway 60 Corridor has survived a high wind event on May 4, 2018 caused by an approaching cold front. Wind gusts reported to 65km/h at the Park's West Gate did little to remove ice from medium and large lakes."

Anyone else feel like the Park, or whoever does these updates, is deliberately trying to build the drama about this ice-out LOL?

**Posted by perrythomas** 5/06/2018 6:19 am

I just wanted to chime in and say that I love this thread. It's awesome to know there are so many passionate (insane) people out there, it makes me feel slightly less crazy. My guess is that if there was a live ice out feed, we'd all have it on 24/7. When it's reported that the ice is finally out, remember to take deep breaths, we don't need anyone dropping dead at this point. See you out there.

**Posted by ATVenture** 5/06/2018 6:33 am

Check out these guys I seen on Pimisi Lake yesterday. The first portage of the Mattawa River is on the far shore just slightly to the right of the photo. That's where they were headed. Funny thing is I know they weren't the first people to run the entire Mattawa this Spring. Bill Steer ran the River from Pimisi to Mattawa on May 1st.
There were also around 10-12 kayakers playing in the Amable Du Fond yesterday, beside Highway 630 around the snowmobile trail crossing.

**Posted by Was Hardcore** 5/06/2018 7:48 am

ATVenture wrote:
Check out these guys I seen on Pimisi Lake yesterday. The first portage of the Mattawa River is on the far shore just slightly to the right of the photo. That's where they were headed. Funny thing is I know they weren't the first people to run the entire Mattawa this Spring. Bill Steer ran the River from Pimisi to Mattawa on May 1st.
There were also around 10-12 kayakers playing in the Amable Du Fond yesterday, beside Highway 630 around the snowmobile trail crossing.

I can remember doing stuff like this in the park back in the 80's when we would get our pemits regardless for opening week.