Lake Cadillac, Mitchell frozen a few days apart

CADILLAC — An annual rite of the season has occurred in the Cadillac area and it seems to be right on schedule.

The Cadillac News determined Lake Cadillac was frozen over on Dec. 1 and Lake Mitchell on Nov. 28, thanks to some help from Dave Foley, who lives near the now-frozen waters of Lake Mitchell.

Each year since 1934, the Cadillac News has kept track of what day Lake Cadillac is more than 50% free of ice in the spring. The Cadillac News also has kept track of when the lake is 50% covered with ice in the winter, but those records only date back to the early 1980s.

The Cadillac News determines the lakes are frozen if more than half the lake is covered with ice. The lakes usually freeze by the first week of December and thaw by mid-April. The earliest recorded freeze-over of both lakes was Nov. 14, 1995.

The record for the latest freeze over was recorded on Jan. 3, 2016.

Last year, the Cadillac News deemed Lake Cadillac was frozen over on Dec. 13 and Lake Mitchell on Dec. 11. Last year’s dates were roughly a week later than during an average year. In 2021, Cadillac News deemed the lakes frozen over on Dec. 7, but unseasonably warm temperatures and gusty winds completely melted the ice, although a cold snap a week later brought it back for the remainder of the season.

There is no official declaration given, by any organization public or private, that ice is considered to be safe. The decision to walk out on the ice is the responsibility only of whoever decides to take the risk.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources also does not recommend the standard “inch-thickness” guide used by many anglers and snowmobilers to determine ice safety because ice seldom forms at a uniform rate.

Three or four inches of ice on a shallow farm pond with no inlets or outlets, for example, cannot be compared to the same amount of ice formed over a river with a strong current, or to ice covering the bays of the Great Lakes where ice cover always will be more fragile.

Deep inland lakes take longer to freeze than shallow lakes. Ice cover on lakes with strong currents or chain-of-lakes systems also is more unpredictable.

On the big lakes, ice cover in some spots may be thick enough to safely hold a car while other areas of ice are little more than an inch thick. Conditions can change within just a few feet because of currents under the ice. Be especially careful around pressure cracks. When the currents are stronger, the ice gives way to open water.

Ice near shore tends to be much weaker because of shifting, expansion, and heat from sunlight reflecting off the bottom. If there’s ice on the lake but water around the shoreline, proceed with caution.

Avoid areas with protruding logs, brush, plants and docks. These structures can absorb heat from the sun, thus weakening the surrounding ice. Also, avoid aeration devices, such as warm water bubblers used near marinas.