4/19/09 – After a couple of days of summer-like weather, today is 33 degrees and snowing. We measured the lake ice this morning and it is 28″ thick. Only about a foot of it is really solid though. The top layer is still fairly solid, but clearly degraded.

Our newest Sawbill crew member, Dan Shirley, on the business end of the ice auger. Dan hails from Santa Fe, recently returned from spending his senior year in Chile and is graduating with a degree in chemistry from the University of Montana this spring. Welcome Dan!