My end-of-year ice-fishing outing in the Hiawatha NF was a no-go. The ice was just not safe-looking, especially on my wife's anniversary.

I looked at my winter campsite and it was missing me.

I hiked to another lake for a look around and just enjoyed the afternoon.

I stopped and checked-out a third lake nearby and the ice was half off. I had wanted to camp there earlier this season, but couldn't see a good site. I looked hard along the quarter-mile trail in to the lake for another potential site. A couple place looked likely, but each had issues... not level, no trees for tie-off, too low, etc.

I was a good day for scouting sites. But I was reminded, "Good campsites are found, not made".