A few weeks ago it seemed like Lake Minnewaska would remain ice-covered well into May.  

But some timely rain, warmer night and day-time temperatures and the ice deteriorated very quickly.

Early last week, the ice turned very dark, indicating that it was mostly water and by Saturday, after a day of rain and windy conditions, the most ice was gone, except for the stubborn ice sheets on the south side.     

By Sunday morning most of the ice disappeared and signaled that the open water season here to stay.  The first ice-free day for the lake in 2023 was determined to be Sunday, April 30.  

Pelican Lake was ice-free on Thursday, April 27, indicating that Lake Minnewaska wasn’t far behind.