Opening and closing calendar
When we usually open and close, by shore
These are typical windows, not promises. Ice-out and the first hard freeze set the real dates, and we call you before either one.
| Fall closing | Spring opening | |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Michigan shore: Empire, Frankfort, Benzonia | Fall closingLate October to mid November | Spring openingLate April to mid May |
| Leelanau and Grand Traverse Bay | Fall closingMid October to early November | Spring openingLate April to mid May |
| Elk Rapids to Bellaire and Torch Lake | Fall closingEarly October to late October | Spring openingEarly May to late May |
| Glen Lake and the inland lakes | Fall closingEarly October to late October | Spring openingEarly May to late May |
| Kalkaska and the inland hills | Fall closingLate September to mid October | Spring openingMid May to late May |
| A place with a dock line or sprinklers | Fall closingAdd a day or two to blow out those lines | Spring openingAdd a few days for the dock and the yard |
A year at the lake house
From ice-out to the last winter check
Dates move a week or two each year. The order doesn't.
- 01April
Step 1: Ice-out and thaw
The bay and the inland lakes open up, the frost leaves the ground and we start calling the people on the opening list.
- 02April to May
Step 2: Spring opening
Water on, every fixture tested, outdoor taps open. We book by shore, starting with the Lake Michigan side.
- 03June to September
Step 3: Summer calls
Houses are open and full. We take the calls summer people make: a slow drain, a running toilet, a dock line that weeps.
- 04October to November
Step 4: Fall closing
We watch the forecast. When a hard freeze is coming for your shore, we close the houses on that shore first.
- 05November to March
Step 5: Winter checks
Plan members get a walk-through every two weeks or every week, with photos by text.
What moves your date
Five things that change your window
We ask about each one when you book.
Frost
How deep and how early the cold gets in. Inland sites freeze first, and the Lake Michigan shore holds on longest.
Lake or well
A lake intake line has to come out of the water before the ice does. A well pump and pressure tank need draining.
Dock and yard
Dock hydrants, outdoor showers and sprinklers add a few days at each end of the season.
Wind and exposure
A house on an open point loses heat faster than one in the pines. We close it earlier.
Heat in the house
A house kept above freezing all winter can stay open late. A house with the heat off closes at the first hard freeze.
Put your house on the list
Tell us the lake or road and the weekend you want the water on. We'll tell you which week we can open.