The Red Door ice access is now open, unless conditions change, for ATV and walking travel only.
We checked the ice thickness today as well as where the good ice meets the bad ice areas.
We, consistently, found 11 to 11.5 inches of ice on the "old" ice. That ice is out from the Red Door and to the east. (we never did find a legit 12 inches.) If one goes out to the south of our access, at least a half mile, it is fine. To the east is fine. But there is a very defined ice ridge from west of the access about 500 yards, that runs to the southeast, that borders the "new" ice. That new ice is 1.5 inches thick today and surely will not be able to hold walkers, let alone an ATV, for several days. At least that long!!
We put out stakes with red markings, every 100 ft. for about a half mile along the east edge of that old ice to new ice border.
DO NOT CROSS OR TRAVEL WEST AND SOUTH OF THOSE MARKERS NOR TRY TO CROSS THAT ICE RIDGE! 2 GOOD CHOPS WITH A CHISEL IS HOW THICK THAT ICE IS TO THE WEST AND SOUTH OF THOSE MARKERS AND ICE RIDGE.
In places that thin ice area is several 100 yards wide!
THE MUDFLATS, INCLUDING THE EAST FLAT, IN OUR OPINION BASED ON WHAT WE SAW TODAY, SHOULD NOT BE ACCESSED BY WALKING NOR ATV'S.
So, our advice is to fish south and east of the Red Door along the shoreline breaks--out to about 28ft. of water and all should be fine. In other words. the Knox Point area is OFF LIMITS for now.
Thanks for your cooperation and patience! Please stop in at the office before accessing the ice. No charge for parking and access but just check in to make sure all is okay to go. Please! Good luck fishing!!
-------------------- Red Door Resort - North Shores of Mighty Mille Lacs Ph. 866-444-2453
Because of extreme north-northwest winds predicted for today (Wednesday) and tomorrow(Thursday), the Red Door ice access is closed to ALL forms of travel.
We still have large amounts of open water south of our access, way out on the lake. We have a live crack running east and west along shore, only 30 yards out from the bank. Those two aspects of present conditions create potential for our ice to break loose and strand anyone on the ice.
Therefore, we will continue to err on the side of safety and common sense and close until the wind dies off and the cold front, hopefully, locks up the main sheet of ice, once and for all.
Thank you for your patience! By The coming weekend, we are hoping all of these types of concerns are off the table the rest of the way.
