[1] Emerson flies two to three times a day over Lake Winnipesaukee to check on the ice.
Ice-Out is declared when the MS Mount Washington can make it to every one of its ports: Center Harbor, Wolfeboro, Alton, Weirs Beach and Meredith.
[3] Ice-Out records have been kept since 1887 as a way to keep track of when both commercial and passenger transportation lanes became usable in the lake.
In 1974, Dr. William K. Widgert compiled data from known records to create a list of past dates.
Since his death in 2002 it has been exclusively called by his son Dave, except in 2003 when it was declared by flight instructor Steve Sydorwicz.