Small amounts of ice accumulating in the approaches to the Soo Locks are no match for two vessels and their barges preparing to pass through the Soo Locks enroute to Lake Superior March 24, 2021, the first day of the season. The Soo Locks, operated by the Army Corps of Engineers and located in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., help ensure safe, economical transportation of raw materials and other goods between Lake Superior and industrial hubs such as Detroit, Cleveland, and the Chicago region along the lower Great Lakes. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer John Masson.