Raven Lake Cottagers' Association

06/01/2026

FIRE RATING HIGH: Please note that with an absence of precipitation, the fire rating within the Township of Algonquin Highlands has been moved to HIGH.

Please remember that no daytime burning (between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.) is permitted in the Township of Algonquin Highlands between April 1 and October 31 and that grass fires are strictly prohibited.

If you are burning at nighttime, please take extra care and ensure you have adequate tools or enough water to contain the fire at all times. Always ensure your fire is FULLY extinguished.

You can find more information, and view the Township's Open-Air Burning By-Law here: https://www.algonquinhighlands.ca/our-community/fire-services/

05/22/2026

05/09/2026

Kicking off the season in true Raven Lake fashion, we present our 2026 Newsletter to take you into the May long weekend. We hope you find the time to sit, relax and peruse all that it has in store for the entire family. A message below from our President to kick off the season ahead. Enjoy!

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Dear Raven Lake Friends and Neighbours,

Our 2026 spring newsletter is ready — please find the digital edition below or view it on ravenlake.org. This year’s stories quietly track the rhythms of our lake and community — the projects, events, and small changes that mark each season and keep Raven our shared refuge.

A few quick notes:

🔹️ Many thanks to Maia Thompson and the entire newsletter team (Cheryl, Ross, Katie, Maia, Amanda, Dawn and all contributors and photographers) for another excellent edition. Their work brings our community to life.

🔹️ Volunteer help needed: the board and committees benefit from fresh voices — please consider getting involved.

🔹️ Leadership note: I plan to step down after the 2026 AGM; if you’ve thought about helping guide our community, now is a great time to reach out.

🔹️ AGM details are still being finalized and will be shared as soon as confirmed.

RLCA Newsletter 2026 - found on https://ravenlake.org/news/13629857

See you at the lake.

Sincerely,

Sean Hungerford
RLCA President

The Raven Lake Cottagers' Association is excited to share our website, including some members-only features. In particular, members who are logged into the site have access to a member directory to help you connect with friends and neighbours. 

04/25/2026

Congrats to our 3 winners of the ice out contest!!! Cara Hellinga, Madison Vandinten and Zoe Donoahue. You get bragging rights and also have your name printed in the Spring Newsletter!!

The Spring Newsletter is currently in production and getting ready to hit your emails before the May long weekend!! Can't wait to see this year's edition! Make sure you have paid your membership dues so we have your current email on file.

Also as a reminder, just because the ice is officially out does not mean it is completely gone fromt the lake. There will still be some bays with ice that can shift quickly. If making a trip up to check on your cottage be safe and watch for floating items like ice, docks, logs, canoes and anything else that could come loose from the shores as the snow melted.

Looking forward to a fun and safe boating season!!!

04/02/2026

ICE OUT 2026 CONTEST BETTING: Here are a few ideas to shape your predictions and to guess that exact date!! Thanks to the past 33 years of actual history since 1993, and A.I. as the source for this. 📈🗓📉

Picture shared taken this morning from the Hungerford's "lake cam” facing north towards the sandy beach.

So based on historical trends and 2026 spring forecasts, betting on an ice-out date for Raven Lake for late April is optimal, likely between April 15 and April 30. 🤞

While recent years have shown variability, a "sluggish" start to spring in 2026, with cooler-than-average temperatures predicted for Ontario, suggests a later rather than earlier melt.

Key 2026 Considerations for Ice Out Betting:

- Historical Data: Recent ice-out on Raven Lake occurred on April 24, 2025.
- 2026 Weather Forecast: Spring 2026 is expected to be cooler-than-normal in Ontario, keeping temperatures lower through March and mid-April.
- Most Likely Timeframe: Late April (April 20-28) appears safer than early April given the slow warm-up predictions.
- Watch the Weather: Warm spells in late March/early April followed by rain can break the ice quickly, but in 2026, those warm spells may be offset by cold.
- Disclaimer: Ice out is highly variable. This is based on typical conditions and long-range forecasts, not guarantees.

LETTING THE BETTING BEGIN BELOW...bragging rights go to the winner and potential posting in the RL newsletter 2026!!

Here's to the ice-drop and the start of our collective 2026 lake season!! Cheers. 🛶🚤

03/10/2026

The RLCA NEWSLETTER is being created, and we need YOU to help by being an active creator of content to share with your fellow Raven Lake cottagers / members!!

**Parents...please make sure to flag the idea below to your kids, should they not see this.

CALLING all CHILDREN, YOUTH, OR YOUNG ADULTS...what would you like to share, read or contribute to the newsletter? Imagine sitting on your dock and seeing the newsletter delivered with something you wrote or submitted. Maybe you have a awesome recipe to share, maybe a craft idea that you do at the cottage, maybe a game you love playing with family or friends or maybe it's a contest you enjoy particating in when friends come to your cottage! We would love to have you share and submit your ideas or picture. We look forward to seeing what comes in.

As well, A CALL FOR WINTER MOMENTS captured in pictures or an experience you'd like to share. We are looking for contributors to pass along either of these to be highlighted in our newsletter. It is always great to hear and see how cottaging looks during the months of December through to ice out!! You may spark ideas for others.

The newsletter team looks forward to your content and sharing with us to kick start the 2026 Season and our newsletter later this spring. Please send information to [email protected]. Please SUBMIT BY April 10, 2026.

02/14/2026

Calling All Raven Lakers!

The Raven Lake Cottage Association Newsletter is in the works, and we we’d love your help.

We are looking for ideas, article contributors, and photos that showcase our amazing lake community.

Interested in contributing or have an idea to share? Please reach out to Maia Thompson at [email protected]. We can't wait to hear from you! 💙

Happy Family Day weekend!

01/14/2026

Happy New Year to all the Raven Lake Cottage Association members. 2026 is off to a great start and hearing that the lake is staked for snowmobiling which opens up opportunities for winter cottage activites and access. Plus, the days are getting longer to boot! May your 2026 be filled with moments that matter, with the people who matter the most...at the COTTAGE.

10/15/2025

It's finally here — the 2025 Spring/Fall newsletter has arrived! Better late than never and we apologize for the delay. Despite the wait, we hope everyone had a fantastic a summer and is enjoying this beautiful fall weather!! We hope you enjoy reading this newsletter on those cool fall days.

Looking forward to "seeing" everyone at the RLCA AGM November 6th!

I envision many of you reading this year’s newsletter by a cozy fire on a cool autumn morning, taking a moment to reflect on the season behind us and look forward to the months ahead. It’s a perfect time to enjoy the changing leaves and start thinking about winter cottage closing.

10/08/2025

The MNRF have been notified about the increasingly large gaps between the square logs at the dam that is allowing a continuous flow of water. This is contributing to lower water levels and could get worse over the winter. In their reply below they indicate they will be doing something about it this month.

Here is the reply received...

Thank you for your emails regarding water levels on Raven Lake.

We have received several inquiries within the past couple of weeks about water levels that are lower than normal on both managed and unmanaged lakes and rivers. The following information may be beneficial in understanding current conditions.

Lack of precipitation and hot conditions have contributed to lower water levels over the summer and into the fall. MNR has done limited dam operations to maintain the minimum flow requirements where they exist. Precipitation can be very isolated.

Evaporation does impact water levels. Warmer air and water temperatures will accelerate evaporation of surface water. We have generally estimated evaporative losses in central Ontario at 0.3 cm / day from June through August (about 27 cm over the summer).

No operations have been conducted at the dam on Raven Lake over the course of the summer, it is at its full log compliment since May . Minor leakage does allow for a minimal flow downstream of the dam into Wren Lake. The Ministry is undertaking maintenance of the dam this month to replace the stop logs. This should not impact water levels as the sluice will be dewatered, the logs replaced and jacked to seal leakage.