An e-mail circulating in Northern Minnesota and beyond reports a grim outlook on ice-out conditions in many border area lakes.

According to the email from Becca Manlove, an information officer with the Superior National Forest, pilots flying over areas "from Jackfish west and south to Birch and Vermilion Lakes" found that many lakes were still frozen right to the shoreline:

· Fall Lake had the most open water around the edges but was still 80% ice covered.

· Birch, Vermilion, Burntside, western Basswood including Pipestone and Jackfish Bays, S. Farm, and White Iron were frozen.

· There was a little open water near the bridge on the northern end of White Iron and a little open water on the southeast end.

Sawbill reportedly had 23 inches of ice on it Tuesday morning.

Manlove apologized for the report: "Sorry to spread such cold, hard news," she wrote.