The Official 2011 Ice-in Thread

[DRH]

Originally Posted by Island Girl

When the lake cracks and groans, the ice is growing!!!

For those of you who have never heard the ice "talk", it is really quite fascinating. As the ice grows, expands, contracts and cracks, it makes a variety of sounds ranging from a watery "whale talk" noise to loud booms that sound like gunshots. Sometimes on a cold winter night the "whale talk" sounds create a constant background din that goes on for hours. When stress cracks form, they are often loud enough to wake you up from a sound sleep.

[Smith Point]

DHR, thanks for the shot,(your making me smile) are those ice traps off of sleepers? And did I see 4weeler track’s in the foreground?

[Lucy Goose]

First house is out and saw 3 people out there digging holes or whatever it is they do. I personally am petrified of it. Haven't seen any snowmobiles yet though.

[DRH]

Originally Posted by Smith Point

DHR, thanks for the shot,(your making me smile) are those ice traps off of sleepers? And did I see 4weeler track’s in the foreground?

Nope ... that's the red/white marker off Sleepers near the Castle, and what looks like ATV or snowmobile tracks are just cracks in the ice. You're not the first one to ask me about the ice cracks!

[Ropetow]

Was that you out there this afternoon, Riverat, with the ice house proudly flying the Stars & Stripes?

[riverat]

Originally Posted by Ropetow

Was that you out there this afternoon, Riverat, with the ice house proudly flying the Stars & Stripes?

That was me, the shack is back! going out today and tidying up a bit. Broke my thumb during the unloading but it is worth having my seasonal house on the lake with a fabulous view.

[This'nThat]

Bob houses and sleds are all over Alton Bay, now. Drilling shows ice thickness between 4- 8 inches on 10 Jan. Need a few more inches before trusting a truck on the ice. Except for our Jimmy folks, of course. All they need is insurance and a cell phone to call for help.

[Grant]

Research has revealed that 100% of vehicles that fall through the ice were driven on ice. Therefore, a direct correlation can be drawn between vehicles that are not driven on the ice and those that need not be retrieved by Dive Winnipesaukee.

[Lakesrider]

Wolfeboro bay is skimmed over enough that there are a few Bob houses over near the Brewster Boat House side. I was down there this morning listening to the ice making noise. Sounded like African Drums....

[John A. Birdsall]

Originally Posted by Lakesrider

Wolfeboro bay is skimmed over enough that there are a few Bob houses over near the Brewster Boat House side. I was down there this morning listening to the ice making noise. Sounded like African Drums....

I am sorry to inform you but that was FLL who trying to get his boat out fell in and is trying to get out from under the ice. Ya al have a great day up there and lets not hear of any soaking trucks in ze lake.

[rander7823]

Originally Posted by Grant

Research has revealed that 100% of vehicles that fall through the ice were driven on ice. Therefore, a direct correlation can be drawn between vehicles that are not driven on the ice and those that need not be retrieved by Dive Winnipesaukee.

Maybe all trucks should have warning labels on the dashboard

Do not drive on lake with less than 10 inches of ice. Water is very cold and could cause death after short exposure.

That may help minimize frivilous law suits

[BoulderBronco]

Originally Posted by rander7823

Maybe all trucks should have warning labels on the dashboard

Do not drive on lake with less than 10 inches of ice. Water is very cold and could cause death after short exposure.

That may help minimize frivilous law suits

10"? No thanks. Minimum 14" for me. Remember it may be 10 where the hole is but 20' over it may only be 8. With 14" it's a pretty safe bet all the ice around you is thick enough for a truck.

[Lakesrider]

I drove around the lake tonight and it looked pretty well frozen up everywhere I could see. But I was driving so I could have missed some still open water. I thought I saw a thin sliver of open by Ames Farm. Not sure. I'd say Ice in.

[Slickcraft]

Still some open water between Welch and Diamond.

[DRH]

Some neighbors were skating on the ice near the shoreline just northwest of Minge Cove yesterday. They estimated the ice thickness at around 5" in that area, but they said it was thinner just inside the mouth of the cove.

[lakefr]

Has anybody been on the ice between Bear and Browns? I'm itching to walk across, but I don't want to make the drive unless it is safe.
Thanks!

[Mink Islander]

Originally Posted by lakefr

Has anybody been on the ice between Bear and Browns? I'm itching to walk across, but I don't want to make the drive unless it is safe.
Thanks!

Thinking about trekking out to Mink on Saturday. Cattle Landing is always the question mark early in the season. So FLL, any sleds running thru there? Cut any holes? Inquiring minds want to know!

[Bear Island South]

Originally Posted by Mink Islander

Thinking about trekking out to Mink on Saturday. Cattle Landing is always the question mark early in the season. So FLL, any sleds running thru there? Cut any holes? Inquiring minds want to know!

MI - Let me know if you make it out there, we are itching to get up there too.

[Merrymeeting]

With nothing but white showing on all the active webcams, 15+" of snow on the ground, and temps not expected above freezing for a long time, I think it's time to declare it's in.

[DRH]

Originally Posted by Merrymeeting

With nothing but white showing on all the active webcams, 15+" of snow on the ground, and temps not expected above freezing for a long time, I think it's time to declare it's in.

Unfortunately, the lake isn't completely frozen over yet. Today we saw a fairly large area of open water from the scenic view on Rt. 11 in Gilford, between Ellacoya State Park and the Belknap Point Motel. It's hard to judge, but I'd estimate it was about 1/2 acre - 1 acre in size. It appeared that there were one or two other areas of open water as we looked across the lake as well. I didn't have my camera to take a photo of this area of open water, but it is clearly visible from the scenic view.

[fatlazyless]

Originally Posted by Mink Islander

Thinking about trekking out to Mink on Saturday. Cattle Landing is always the question mark early in the season. So FLL, any sleds running thru there? Cut any holes? Inquiring minds want to know!

Have yet to see any snowmobiles travel through, going past buoy 3

Offshore from Mark Island, there's an area of black all surrounded by the white ice which sure looks like open water as seen from about a half mile away.

Have not drilled any holes so have no idea as to thickness.

[Mink Islander]

I'm going to wait another week -- need to get those home projects out of the way so I'm free for a few weeks after anyway....


I'm sure the sleds will be all over that part of the lake this weekend.

Thanks for the undate Les.

[Merrymeeting]

Which gets us back to why it is so hard to define "ice-in".

I certainly didn't mean to imply that the ice was safe to journey upon, and I hope that no one trys anytime soon.

But if we go by the proposed definition that the Mount couldn't get to any of it's ports without hitting ice...

[JB Long Island]

Originally Posted by This'nThat

Bob houses and sleds are all over Alton Bay, now. Drilling shows ice thickness between 4- 8 inches on 10 Jan. Need a few more inches before trusting a truck on the ice. Except for our Jimmy folks, of course. All they need is insurance and a cell phone to call for help.

Sounds good ! If anyone happens to be off Harilla's would love to get a report on the ice thickness -hoping its safe for next weekend.