Feb 01, 2008 — This is the time of year that people celebrate winter by going ice fishing, sledding, skating, and skiing. It's also the start of the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival. Now in its 111th year, it's the longest running event of its kind in the Eastern U.S. The centerpiece for this year's event is the Ice Palace. For more than a week, large chunks of ice were harvested from Lake Flower, and slush was mixed as mortar. It's extreme masonry during what is typically one of the coldest weeks of the year. The ice castle team dealt with wind, rain and relatively mild temperatures this week. Todd Moe spoke with Dean Baker, chair of the Ice Palace committee, while his crew of volunteers was adding some final touches Thursday.