Vehicle ban on Upper Red Lake will remain following several ice rescues
BELTRAMI COUNTY, Minn. — Beltrami County officials decided Wednesday to continue a ban on motor vehicles on Upper Red Lake.
Last Friday, more than 100 fisherman were rescued from Upper Red Lake after they were stranded on an ice floe.
Following the incident, the Beltrami County Sheriff Jason Riggs said that the lake would be under restricted access, barring all vehicles from going on the lake. Violating the order is considered a misdemeanor.
During Wednesday's meeting, resort owners expressed concerns over safety, saying there are several "football field" size openings in the lake because of ice movement.
Several incidents have occurred on Upper Red Lake in the last month, including an ATV falling through the ice, a plane breaking through the ice after landing on the lake and more anglers drifting from shore on broken ice chunks.
Greater Minnesota Rental has been on the lake 17 years, but told WCCO that they've closed their lake access for safety reasons.
"I've never seen a year like this," said Marlys Lord Carlson, Marketing Director for Greater Minnesota Rental. "We're just not able to feel safe for our anglers to be out there."
MORE NEWS: Lake Minnetonka Klondike Dog Derby canceled due to unseasonable winter warmth
The county says some parts of the lake have nearly a foot of ice but it is not consistent due to the lake not being fully frozen and continued ice movement.
Resort operators and guide services on the lake have permission to operate vehicles on the ice "for the wellness and well-being of their customers" to prevent anglers from driving beyond what has been evaluated by the resorts, where many of the ice rescues have occurred.
"Many of you [resort operators] are your customers' first responders and you assist them. That is why I'm allowing you to serve your customers," Riggs said at the meeting.
Private parties are prohibited from operating motor vehicles on the lake for the time being. However, the sheriff says airboats, hovercrafts and buoyant vessels are allowed.
No checks will be conducted on the lake until Monday to give the lake time to heal, county officials said.
Riggs said that "each time the conditions are evaluated, that will be taken into consideration of when the order is rescinded and to what extent."
Ice has struggled to form across Minnesota lakes due to an unseasonably warm winter. According to the National Weather Service, December 2023 was the warmest on record for the Twin Cities.
The lack of snow and ice, and above average temperatures has lead to multiple popular winter events, such as the 2024 John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon and the Minnesota Ice Festival, to cancel.
