Ice-Out 2026
 

How's it looking to be on the water by April 6?

Not good, drove from Alton to Laconia yesterday and didn't see any open water. Also saw a portable ice house out off Silver Sands.

I guess it will depend on where you want to fish...I would assume Alton Bay will have some fish-able water by then and I/m hoping the area around Belknap Point will also.

The next couple day will tell us a lot...

Still keeping my fingers crossed!

Dan

I am anxiously awaiting the sound of the first spring peeper. Usually around the first of April in these parts, but it may be a little later this year. Spring can't come quick enough for me!

Lily Pond
 

As of today there is some open water in the northwest corner of Lily Pond and she is starting to give up her shoreline….

Dan

Alton / Paugus
 

Yesterday’s high wind opened up some water in Alton Bay! Looks like there will be some fishable water there come April 1st!

Also saw a couple boats in the Paugus channel the other day! They couldn’t go far and were probably Marina boats but it was still nice to see!

Dan

April 24
 

Looks a ways away. I told everyone I would be guessing April 24 midday, and then I forgot to submit my guess to the contest on time.

SO, it is pretty much a lock that ice out will be called on April 24, thus extending my streak...

You have to play to win.

Ice
 

Yesterdays warm weather and the upcoming rain has and should continue to put quite a dent on the ice!

Lots of new open water on Winnisquam seen south of Mosquito bridge as well as along route 3. Wouldn't doubt if this entire area is fully open in the next day or two.

Lily Pond is 50% + or- open...

Broads on Winni are extremely dark and ready to give way. Wouldn't doubt we see some open water there by the weekend! See pic below...

Dan

Crystal
 

I have friends in Gilmanton who claim that Winnipesaukee follows Crystal Lake by 10 days. Anybody here from Gilmanton? How is Crystal?

Lily Pond
 

Well the rain took care of Lily Pond and it is now 100% ice free!

Too foggy on the big lake to see what effect it had…

Dan

Was down at LSP around 4pm and was still pretty locked in. About 5-10 feet off shore had water but then another 4ish inches of ice from what I could tell around the edge of the water line. Tonight's rain may help take some of that down. Don't think that I will be kayaking for Easter this year, unless I go over to Winnisquam, can probably get around by the river there for a small paddle.
There were some fly fishermen fishing in the water at Ellacoya.

There were 5 boats in Alton Bay fishing this morning and many fishing from the docks, bridge and wall at Downings. Ice was about out to the pavilion.

Ice-Out 2026
 

"Ice-Out", as in 'no more ice and the Mount can get around' is a physical thing, but 'ice-out' with respect to April 1st, is a mental thing, and as long as there is enough open water to launch a boat, there will be boats for the first day of fishing season. I have seen cases wherein there was so little open water that if you did catch a fish, it might just land in somebody else's boat.

You probably remember as I do when ice out didn't mean the mount could get to all ports. It just meant plain old ice is out of the lake.

Most likely there will be ice in Lake Winnipesaukee long after the ports have opened up.

It used to be called from each port rather than a fly over.

April 1st is about fishing... specifically salmon.

Broads have started to break up between Welch and Ellacoya. If we had some wind it would be gone! Should have some open water very very soon!

Dan

Lots of movement last night. A big area has opened up north of Diamond, with many water spots around Rattlesnake showing. I think this may turn into one of those years where the Broads blow out first followed by Alton Bay. Usually, I see it reversed.

Anyone have any updated on Paugus Bay?

Between Belknap Point and Welch just needs a good wind as Dan said, maybe not until Monday.

Smith Cove is close.

The Eastern is splashed.

Alan

And so it begins….
 

And just like that, I woke up to all this beautiful open water this morning!
Hopefully launching the boat today!

Dan

Launched and Fishing!
 

Have a great season all!!

Dan

Guess I had better get my butt in gear!

Alton Bay status
 

Anyone have the ice status on Alton Bay beyond pavilion or Sandy Point

Thanks

The big lake typically goes out one week after Lilly Pond. We'll see it that holds true this year.

Congratulations Dan! Great to see you got out. I took a chance that we'd have a late ice out and will not be getting my boat for a few more weeks. Hopefully some of the smaller areas I like to fish will be open by then.

Finally made it to Welch today!

The ice sheet behind our slip at Fay's gave in to some pushing.

Other than at Fay's, no ice in sight.

Alan

19 Mile Bay
 

No ice at the Pier 19 docks today, but still some dark ice in the bay.

Wind!!
 

I’m on Welch Island now and the wind out here is crazy! Whatever ice is left on the lake will most likely be gone by tomorrow!

Dan

lake level
 

No one is mentioning it but the lake level is extremely low for this time of year. hopefully we get a bunch of rain soon or it will be a very short boating season for many-including me.

Lake Levels have risen rapidly in the last week or two
 

The lake was low, but it has risen rapidly, as you can see in this graph:

https://www.des.nh.gov/sites/g/files...-graph2026.PDF

It's also at the upper end of the standard deviation for this time of year. So, fingers crossed, they manage it on the high end all season.

Dave

The boating season may be somewhat shortened in any event if the price of gasoline doesn't come down soon.

I'm guessing we're looking at over $5 per Gallon for boat gas this year (maybe even $6 per gallon).

The price at the gas docks at Pier 19 was in the upper $6 range ($6.79 if I recall correctly) yesterday. It was in the upper $5 range most of last season.

Thanks for posting this Mike. This is my go to launch and there are no cams in the area and nobody ever posts from here. Next step is for ice to be gone from Moultonboro bay and also out to the Broads either under the LI bridge or out past Harillas. That area of the lake seems to hold on longest.

That graph is only part of the Story... I looked at the DES watershed page... the Dam is currently releasing 250 CFS, so they are still trying to let the lake fill......But it is higher than normal for this time of year, and usually there is more water flowing by now out of the dam....

So what does that all mean...... Well I would start hoping for rain.....the output of the Dam will remain at a minimum of 250CFS.... weather the lake fills completely or not. Once the lake peaks and starts going down, the only thing that will help is rain.... The good news is normally April and May bring Rain.....What you really want to see is them open the dam and let more water down stream.... because that will indicate an aboundance of water, and that more of what is coming down is making it to the lake.... after a drought the soil is absorbing water, and not as much of the snow melt or rain is making it to the lake.....

Recovery from Drought is not a quick turn around.......

Completely clear today. The entire bay is open.

Same here. I've often wondered if the store owners might be interested in putting up a camera there? It would be good advertising as well.

Oops. This was in response to the MikeF-NH post about 19 Mile Bay above.

Meredith Bay is open
 

The wind pushed the ice out of Meredith Bay this morning. Just some ice around the edges.

Wolfeboro Bay is only 1/4 open. You might be able to sneak down the west side
(Sewall Road) But no way passable for The Mount

Here is a photo just taken few minutes ago by a commercial pilot I know well. It still looks pretty socked in back towards Center Harbor.

Laconia Daily Sun Article
 

Ice Out Declared!
 

From Emerson:

Stop the presses! Ice out is declared at 5:20 April 8th. Yes there is ice but it is along the west shore of Meredith Neck and would not impede the MS MT Washington's route if it were to sail right now. The wind has shifted to allow what ice is left to clear the route.
Happy Spring everyone.

Damn! or Dam! Lost $10 again this year. Has there ever been a year when there was ice out and then another re-freeze? Second chance?

Emerson? I didn't see this.

Just looked at Center Harbor Web Cam and it looks pretty iced in to me. Hard for the Mount to get out. Not sure about being declared Ice Out yet?
Or does Center Harbor not count because it's not a stop anymore on their Cruises? But the Mount would still need to leave, so you would think that it is still technically a port?

I’m not seeing any announcement on Emerson’s Facebook page, website or in the media. As soon as I can get confirmation I’ll post an announcement here.

" As for the impending ice-out, Emerson said this will be on the earlier side, but definitely not the soonest. It has ranged from March 17, 2024 — when ice-in actually only lasted for a single day" - from the LDS article.

100% My Bad! That was from an old post. Sorry for the error.

You're forgiven this time, but next round is on you.

Ice-out
 

No, I am not declaring Ice-Out but I just finished reading the 2026 Schedule for the Mount Washington, and it only refers to Weirs and Wolfeboro for the "big boat", and other ports for other boats. So...does this change the rules for Ice-Out since the Mount isn't going to Alton, or other places this season. This morning Wolfeboro Bay was pretty covered with ice, albeit, broken and irregular, but nevertheless, ice. Of course, this also raises a question, since the Mount has 2 gigantic engines, and is in and of itself rather heavy, it seems to me that even with some ice still in place, the Mount could trash its way through and make it to the dock in Weirs and in Wolfeboro.

I would think by changing the rules of the game (not including Alton or others as a port) this would really screw up historical data and earliest and latest ice out would have little to no meaning any more. I personally would not want to see that...

Dan

If you look above at my previous post, I brought up this question as well, but then pointed out that the Mount is in Center Harbor now, so to me that is a Port of call technically speaking.

The Mount likely could operate on April 10th however I wouldn't think that the revenue would be there to justify the extremely early opening trip.

I think a lot of seats would be vacant due to the chilly weather encountered at this time of year.

I hope no one wants to change the rules of the contest. It should always be that vessels could travel between the five major ports of call on the lake.

If (God forbid) the Mount ever had financial issues or irreparable issues and it stopped traversing the lake all summer, ice out would (should) still be declared the same way, regarding the five ports of call. Right?

Its currently iced in, stuck in Center Harbor, so it doesn't really matter as it can't reach any port, active or not. They aren't ramming their way out.

Ice
 

I was surprised to see this morning that the barberpole channel was locked in with ice. Also, still quite a bit of ice off Chase point. The ice off Chase point could’ve been blown there with last night’s and today’s heavy wind.

Dan

The Center Harbor bay was clear of ice this morning but the channel into the bay, near Mile Island, was still ice. Wind may help break it up.

Ice out 6:59 am this morning.