Following a cold snap the week before, Lake Minnewaska was completely ice covered by Tuesday, Nov. 22.  Single-digit temperatures at night caused the lake to be mostly frozen over by Monday, with only a few pockets of open water being used by waterfowl.  By Tuesday, it was completely iced over.

With warmer temperatures over the Thanksgiving weekend, the lake may reopen, but once it freezes solid, it will likely make more ice throughout the winter months.  

At right are the ice-on dates for Lake Minnewaska, recorded since 1958.      

Lake Minnewaska ice-on dates dating back to 1958.

2022 – Nov. 22

2021- Dec. 7

2020 – Nov. 30

2019 –  Nov. 12

2018 – Nov. 13

2017 – Nov. 22*

2016 – Dec. 8 

2015 – Dec. 19

2014 – Nov. 14 

2013 – Nov. 24 

2012 – Dec. 10 

2011 – Nov. 26* 

2010 – Nov. 26 

2009 – Dec. 5 

2008 – Nov. 21 

2007 – Nov. 27 

2006 – Nov. 30 

2005 – Nov. 30 

2004 – Dec. 4

2003 – Nov. 25 

2002 – Nov. 25 

2001 – Dec. 20 

2000 – Nov. 21 

1999 – Dec. 13 

1998 – Dec. 20 

1997 – Nov. 14 

1996 – Nov. 17 

1995 – Nov. 12 

1994 – Dec. 1 

1993 – Nov. 23

1992 – Nov. 15 

1991 – Nov. 4 

1990 – Nov. 30 

1989 – Nov. 18 

1988 – Nov. 30 

1987 – Dec. 4 

1986 – Nov. 13 

1985 – Nov. 21 

1984 – Dec. 2* 

1983 – Dec. 3 

1982 – Nov. 13

1981 – Dec. 4 

1980 – Nov. 24 

1979 – Nov. 30 

1978 – Nov. 21 

1977 – Nov. 15 

1976 – Nov. 12 

1975 – Nov. 30 

1974 – Dec. 1 

1973 – Dec. 5 

1972 – Nov. 28 

1970 – Nov. 22

1969 – Nov. 17 

1968 – Dec. 5 

1965 – Nov. 27 

1964 – Nov. 25 

1962 – Dec. 9 

1961 – Nov. 23 

1960 – Nov. 29 

1959 – Nov. 13 

1958 – Nov. 26

*In 2017 Lake Minnewaska froze Nov. 22, but reopened on Nov. 25 and didn’t freeze again until Dec. 8.

* In 2011, Lake Minnewaska froze Nov. 21, but reopened and froze over for the winter on Nov. 26.

* In 1984, Lake Minnewaska froze Nov. 19, but opened again on Nov. 26. It froze over for the winter on Dec. 2.