MINNETONKA, Minn. (WCCO) – The winter of 2011-2012 may well go down in history books as the year ice passed over the state of Minnesota.

Throughout the season, residents were frequently reminded that the ice was too thin on area lakes to be safe.

Then, roughly a month before the time authorities typically do so, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office declared an official ice out for county lakes.

Declaration of ice out means there’s enough open water for boats to get around.

Usually, the designation doesn’t arrive on Lake Minnetonka until mid-April.

The last time ice out was declared in March was back in 2000.