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Ice Palace exterior open

The Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Ice Palace is seen gated Friday as the exterior only remained open due to recent rain and warm temperatures. (Enterprise photo — Jesse Adcock)

SARANAC LAKE — Warm weather from the February thaw canceled a tube racing event Friday morning and deteriorated the Winter Carnival Ice Palace on the shore of Lake Flower.

The enormous ice structure with a staircase, several dinosaur sculptures and an ice maze was constructed over the past few weeks by a crew of volunteers. However, a few days of temperatures into the 40s and rain has put the structure in jeopardy, melting the “2” in 2019 and making officials rope off the structure to keep anyone from getting too close.

Friday got cold enough for the exterior to be opened to the public, according to Ice Palace Coordinator Dean Baker. Baker said the decision to open the inside may be made Saturday if temperatures remain cold enough.

The National Weather Service said Friday night that wind gusts on Whiteface Mountain in Wilmington reached 84 mph.

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