Winter has arrived in a big way on Madeline Island.

Approach to the ice road on Madeline Island

On New Year's Day, the Madeline Island Ferry Line made its last trip before freeze-up, slogging through the slushy passageway which threaded through the forming ice between Bayfield and La Pointe, Wisconsin.  The much-anticipated ice road is now forming across the two miles of Lake Superior that connects the mainland with the Island.  And Islanders are thrilled about it.  They see the ice road as a bonus, something that saves them from the expense of ferry (and windsled) fees.

Within the past few days, the Island has received over a foot of snow.  And over the New Year's holiday, nighttime temperatures were as low as -10 F.  Now, shrouded in white, Madeline Island is settling into its winter routine.

Until this season's ice road oficially opens, Islanders will be choosing between snowmobiles and the windsled for transportation options.  But this year's transition between ferry service and the ice road could be one of the shortest in recent memory.

One of my Islander friends told me he's predicting that the ice road will be in by the tenth of January.  A few others are saying it will be more like mid-month, but that is still considerably earlier than last year when it took nearly until the middle of February for the ice road to open to cars and light trucks.

Stay tuned and we'll keep you up-to-date on the opening of the 2009 ice road!