Lake George Ice Castles Delayed Again! Warm Winter Foils 2nd Open
An unseasonably warm January has kept Upstate New York much more of a sloshy wonderland than a winter one. Now all the 40 degree days and rain are threatening what Lake George wants to be a new seasonal tradition.
Sub-optimal ice conditions have forced Lake George to push back the opening of the extremely popular Ice Castles attraction. Warren County announced the new opening date on Twitter, after the opening was already pushed back a week earlier this month.
Looking at that picture, it could be March in Charles Wood Park. Crews have been working on the Lake George Ice Castles for about four weeks now, the typical time to complete the structures in good conditions. Since December’s single digit cold gave way to near constant drizzle in January, the weather will decide whether even a February opening will hold.
The 2021 season only lasted into late February, so the new timetable would likely see this year's castles open for less than a month. The Ice Castles New York website only lists tickets for sale through the 20th. Ticket owners of dates before February 3 will be contacted to either reschedule for an open date or have the cost refunded.
There’s currently no word on if a shortened season this year would affect a return in 2024, but Ice Castles management says if sustained ice-friendly conditions haven't worked on in the past, they've had to find new locations.