Known ice-out records have been monitored for Upper Saranac Lake since 1998. Since 2012, the Upper Saranac Foundation has taken up the maintenance of these records and has added ice-in and ice duration statistics. These records help in our ongoing work to study and understand changes occurring to Upper Saranac Lake.
Ice–Out:
Ice out occurs when the entire lake surface is free of ice and can be navigated from one end to the other without impediment. The earliest ice-out recorded was on March 24, 2012, and the latest in 2018 on May 2nd.
Ice-in:
Ice-in is defined as when the entire lake surface is covered with ice. The earliest ice-in recorded was on December 5, 2014, and the latest in 2016 on January 5th.
Ice Duration:
Ice duration is counted from the ice-in date of the one year to the ice-out date of the next year. The shortest duration of ice occurred in 2020-21 winter with 110 days of ice coverage. The longest duration occurred in the winter of 2013-14 with 147 days of ice cover.
While USL’s ice duration records are very limited, nearby lakes such as Mirror Lake have records dating back as far as 1903. Their records indicate a significant reduction in the duration of ice cover over time, with current ice cover on average 24 days shorter than it was in 1903. Mirror Lakes’ mean duration of ice cover over the entire record is 140 days. The mean duration since 2000 is 124 days. Research has shown that warming water temperatures and prolonged stratification are a threat to Lake Trout across their native range. The changes observed in the local ice record data reflect similar changes observed across North America. These changes represent a potential change in the habitat suitability for cold-water fish, such as Lake Trout.
Ice Records:
Ice records from 1998 to 2011 were provided by Jim Dalhiem. From 2012 to the present, records were recorded by the Upper Saranac Foundation Lake Manager.
1998: Ice Out- 4/13/1998
1999: Ice Out- 4/15/1999
2000: Ice Out- 3/25/2000
2001: Ice Out- 4/27/2001
2002: Ice Out- 4/15/2002
2003: Ice Out- 4/26/2003
2004: Ice Out- 4/19/2004
2005: Ice Out- 4/14/2005
2006: Ice Out- 4/15/2006
2007: Ice Out- 4/23/2007
2008: Ice Out- 4/15/2008
2009: Ice Out- 4/14/2009
2010: Ice Out- 4/4/2010
2011: Ice Out- 4/23/2011
2012: Ice Out- 3/24/2012, Ice In – 12/23/2012
2013: Ice Out- 4/19/2013, Ice In – 11/29/2013, Duration – 118
2014: Ice Out- 4/24/2014, Ice In – 12/5/2014, Duration – 147
2015: Ice Out- 4/29/2015, Ice In – 1/5/2015, Duration – 146
2016: Ice Out- 3/29/2016, Ice In – 12/16/2016, Duration – 115
2017: Ice Out- 4/15/2017, Ice In – 12/13/2017, Duration – 121
2018: Ice Out- 5/2/2018, Ice In – 12/8/2018, Duration – 141
2019: Ice Out-4/22/2019, Ice In – 12/16/2019, Duration – 136
2020: Ice Out- 4/6/2020, Ice In – 12/18/2020, Duration – 113
2021: Ice Out -4/5/2021, Ice In – 12/20/2021, Duration – 110
2022: Ice Out – 4/12/2022, Ice In- 1/9/2023, Duration – 114
2023: Ice Out – 4/14/2023, Duration – 96