The latest streak of warm weather, although pleasant, has turned most of Cook County into a skating rink. Flooded parking lots, caused by the powerful daytime sunshine, have turned to ice overnight as the temperatures drop below freezing—which creates a dangerous situation for both pedestrians and drivers.
A couple of our neighbors on Devil Track Lake decided to take advantage of both the ice-covered lake and the bright moon Saturday night as they ice skated to the lodge for dinner. The lake has been making a lot of intimidating noises lately while it expands and contracts throughout the day, which is very usual behavior for larger lakes when they are making ice. The drastic temperature changes and high winds we have been experiencing this week will cause the ice to make even more noises as it builds a little more each day with the ensuing cold snap.
Warm streaks are now a memory, according to the forecast, with temperatures reaching the single digits and enough wind to make white caps in my coffee mug. It is hard to tell if it is snowing outside, or just drifting in the strong winds that have been ripping down the lake. We are at the far east end where five miles of open water come to an abrupt stop. The wind was so strong this week that it created numerous little white tornadoes which danced along our shoreline as we sat by the fireplace enjoying the warmth—the best way to watch a storm.
Cory Christianson has worked as a fishing guide on the Gunflint Trail since 2000. If you have any fishing or wildlife reports or stories to share, send an email to: christiansoncory@hotmail.com. You can also visit Cory’s website at Gunflintfishingguide.com.
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