Lake Shetek is now free of ice, after the latest spring ice break-up in more than a half-century. Ice disappeared from the lake late Monday night, April 30, and early Tuesday, May 1. The latest previous Shetek ice-out date recorded by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources was April 24, 1962. Strong southerly winds Saturday, Sunday and Monday hastened the the removal of ice from the lake, but also left dramatic piles of ice chunks along some sections of Shetek’s north shore. Terry Strand, right, says he’s never seen anything like the ice piles, which pushed far enough onto shore to damage docks and boat lifts that were parked well off the lake.