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2026 NICKERSON LAKE ICE-OUT CONTEST

Time Left to Enter the Ice Out Contest

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March may come in like a lamb and leave like a lion… but at Nickerson Lake, we know one thing for sure — ice-out season is officially here!

Our annual Nickerson Lake Ice-Out Contest is now open!

While winter still has its grip on us, spring is quietly making its way across the lake. Enjoy these last beautiful icy days — one more snowshoe, one more ice fishing trip — and then place your best guess for when the ice will officially go out.

Who will win the legendary Nickerson Lake Treasure Chest this year?

Submit your guess and let the countdown to open water begin!

Last day to enter your prediction will be March 31, 2026.

Enter your prediction for the Nickerson Lake Ice-Out date. Take a chance to become the 2025 Nickerson Lake CHAMPION!

Certified as

Having

Achieved

Mastery of

Prognostication on

Ice-

Out at

Nickerson Lake

CLICK HERE TO ENTER CONTEST 2026

CLICK HERE TO SEE HOW YOUR PREDICTION COMPARES TO OTHERS

Ice-Out Contest Past Winners

🏆 2026 – ???

🏆 2025 – Bella Wadia
🏆 2024 – Marc Austin
🏆 2023 – Jim Brown (Massachusetts)
🏆 2022 – Martha McLaughlin
🏆 2021 – Joann Inman
🏆 2020 – Al Cowperthwaite

A little background

The high-tech apparatus shown in the picture was designed by the late Paul Porter, whose ingenuity helped create a system that determines the time of ice-out with split-second accuracy. He and Al Cowperthwaite built the device, setting a new standard for ice-out detection equipment.

Resources for better prediction:

To help in this year’s prediction, refer to this record of ice-out dates since 1949. The Maine Dept. of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry has compiled information on state-wide ice out dates and similar information is on this page, provided by Lake Stewards of Maine. The US Geological Survey has issued this paper on the New England ice-out date trend.

Read the article: Two Magic Maine Words: Ice out! in the Bangor Daily News from 2014 featuring Nickerson Lake’s elaborate system to make our annual ice-out contest more official.

2014 Ice-Out Apparatus

Paul Porter designed the high tech apparatus shown above that will determine the time of ice-out with split second accuracy.

Ice-Out Schematic Drawing

Paul and Al Cowperthwaite built the device which sets a new standard for ice-out detection equipment.

Explaining Time!

Paul explaining some of the more technical details of the Porter 2000X Ice-out-ometer to Jerry Hammond who maintained the equipment.