Here are some ice conditions of local Ely lakes on the Echo Trail.
(lake name with corresponding pictures below it.)

North Arm of Burntside Lake













Slim Lake
Slim’s ice was pretty ‘rotten’. I think it will be out in the next couple days.




















South Hegman
This ice near shore was still thick enough to walk on.













Fenske
Fenske ice is out, including the big part of the lake behind this bay.









Other nature notes:
-Saw mallards, hooded mergansers, and wood ducks. No loons.
-I saw two groups of sand hill cranes flying through. That was a surprise.
-Heard many grouse drumming
-Saw many whitetail deer eating in all of the road shoulders that have been cut recently.
-Saw an orange butterfly. Maybe a Mourning Cloak, but I couldn’t tell.
-Water levels did not seem low. Thanks to recent snowfall and sprinkles, the Smokey Bear fire danger signs switched from “high” to “moderate”. Hopefully the rain continues through Spring.

Thank you for sharing.

Sorry for the double post

On my weekend trip:
Lots of Trumpeter swans!
Even more bald eagles. Lots and lots of them.
No song birds yet. A few robins.
Lots of cowbirds. I love cowbirds.
Plenty of ducks of all types.

Tom