2022 Lake Winnipesaukee Ice Out

14 Apr 2022 Lake Winnipesaukee Ice Out

Ice out on Lake Winnipesaukee was officially declared on Friday, April 8, 2022 at 5:20pm. Each year locals and vacationers await the announcement of Ice Out, an event which signifies the point in which the M/S Mount Washington cruise ship is able to navigate to all five ports along the Big Lake located in Weirs Beach, Wolfeboro, Meredith, Alton Bay and of course, right next dock to us in Center Harbor. Pilot Dave Emerson takes multiple flights over the lake around the period of ice out to get a bird’s eye view of the phenomenon to help make the official announcement. This a tradition that has been in Dave’s Family for over forty years now, but Ice Out has been monitored long before then, dating back to 1887 for the first ever Lake Winnipesaukee Ice Out announcement which was decided from shore.

Ice Out declaration has a wide range of dates with the earliest Ice Out date of March 18th in 2016 and the latest date of May 12th in 1888, the year of the second annual Ice Out announcement. The most common dates of Ice Out have been April 24th with twelve years observing Ice Out and April 20th with eleven years. Typically, the ice covering the waters in front of the Center Harbor Inn area is the last to disperse, however this year the ice located near the Meredith port was the last to melt. With the Ice Out announcement comes the unofficial start of the much-anticipated spring season. The warmer weather is upon us, flowers are starting to bloom and soon we will start to see an abundance of watercraft travelling over the sparkling lake waters. There is no better time than now to start planning your vacation at the Center Harbor Inn. Take a look at our current promotional packages to take full advantage of our lakeside luxury lodging including full access to our boutique amenities such as our outdoor, four-season hot tub overlooking the iceless lake!