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Dan Kraker and Derek Montgomery
Duluth

Photos: Lake Superior's annual ice-breaking ritual

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Alder breaks ice to create navigation lanes.
The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Alder breaks ice and creates navigation lanes for the opening of the maritime shipping season on Friday in the Duluth-Superior harbor, "taking all the bigger pieces of ice that we find, making them a little bit smaller, and just grooming a path, just like your cross country ski path," said Lt. Daniel Kubasch, the executive officer onboard.
Derek Montgomery for MPR News

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Springtime in Duluth isn't signaled by birds or butterflies or flowers.

Duluthians know it's spring when the Coast Guard icebreakers arrive, announcing the start of another Great Lakes shipping season.

Last week, two cutters carved a track from the Soo Locks on the eastern edge of Lake Superior all the way to Duluth. The Mackinaw then cut a path up the North Shore, breaking open paths in the ice and clearing the way for thousand-foot freighters to carry their first cargo of iron ore, coal and grain.

But the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Alder stayed behind to break up the ice in the Duluth-Superior harbor.

Gallery
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The sun sets on Duluth's aerial lift bridge and the route left in the ice.
The sun sets on Duluth's Aerial Lift Bridge and the route left by U.S. Coast Guard cutters Alder and Mackinaw in Duluth. After the Alder's successful day of breaking up ice Friday, three ships that left the harbor over the weekend got stuck in the ice outside Knife River. The Alder then made an unexpected trip up the shore Sunday morning to free them. Two more ships are scheduled to navigate through the ice into the harbor Wednesday, including the 1,013-foot-long Paul R. Tregurtha headed to Duluth to pick up a load of coal.
Derek Montgomery for MPR News
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The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Alder breaks ice to create navigation lanes.
The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Alder breaks ice and creates navigation lanes for the opening of the maritime shipping season on Friday in the Duluth-Superior harbor, "taking all the bigger pieces of ice that we find, making them a little bit smaller, and just grooming a path, just like your cross country ski path," said Lt. Daniel Kubasch, the executive officer onboard.
Derek Montgomery for MPR News
2 of 9
Chief Petty Officer Ben L'Allier directs navigation of the ice cutter.
Chief Petty Officer Ben L'Allier watches a monitor while helping direct navigation of the Alder Friday in the Duluth-Superior harbor. As the conning officer, he gives commands to the helmsman in order to keep the Alder in safe water, while still breaking ice that needs to be broken.
Derek Montgomery for MPR News