Ice in 2021 ?

[MAXUM]

Ice Report:

Walked out to BI yesterday. Access to the ice from Sheps is good for now, seems the ice eaters for the docks are not going as aggressively as they were last year so access down the bank next to their docks is good and solid. Ice measured a number of times on the way out... measured between 8-10" of good hard solid black ice. Layer of about 3-4" of snow on top of that. Ice eaters along the south\western facing shores of Bear (facing Sheps) is maintaining a lot of open water along the shore making access to the island from the ice difficult but there are spots where it can be done.

Far side of the island.... cut a hole out there and measured 7-8" again solid black ice with 3-4" of snow on top. Evidence of folks running around on sleds out there on both sides as well as quad tracks. Folks out ice fishing in several locations out there and a couple bob houses deployed between 5 and 6 mile islands.

Gap between bear and pine is a bit sketchy there is a large pressure ridge that runs between the two and while sleds have passed through there and I walked through on my way back to shore, if I were passing through on a sled I would be hammering it. The best place to cross is closer to the red top off of Pine IS staying well away from BI and the post office - walking along that pressure ridge closer to Bear it did not look good from a distance and there was evidence it has been wet then froze.

Careful out there check your course of travel. Ice conditions from where I checked seemed to be pretty consistent however that doesn't mean this is true everywhere!

Be safe out there and for those headed out for the fishing derby next weekend GOOD LUCK!

I'll be headed out by sled next weekend.

[Biggd]

3 snow machines went through the ice on New Found this weekend, be careful, be smart!

[MAXUM]

Originally Posted by Biggd

3 snow machines went through the ice on New Found this weekend, be careful, be smart!

Could not agree more, I was amazed to see how much activity there was out there where I went and I was concerned being out there on foot only because I know in front of my place it was open water just a couple weeks ago and there were sled\quad tracks all over the place.

The worst thing that can happen is for there to be a false sense of security that the whole lake is perfectly safe! Especially around those pressure ridges. Those things always scare the hell out of me.

I hope those that venture out for the derby are careful.

[dippasan]

I'm thinking about making a trip by snowmobile from WAM to Sleepers this Saturday.

Does anyone have any info on ice thickness, bob house sightings, sled traffic in that area?

Thanks in advance!

[MAXUM]

Originally Posted by dippasan

I'm thinking about making a trip by snowmobile from WAM to Sleepers this Saturday.

Does anyone have any info on ice thickness, bob house sightings, sled traffic in that area?

Thanks in advance!

With the fishing derby this weekend - there will be increased traffic out on the lake, even without first hand info you could take a chance and head up with your sleds hoping to see somebody has taken the path you need to go. Not that just cause somebody did it's safe per say... but it beats making first tracks :-)

[Mink Islander]

I got on at Sheps this morning — easy access — and rode over to Mink Island along the south side of Bear Island. Cattle Landing was solid. No pressure ridge so far this year, which is nice. A fair amount of snowmobile tracks approaching Cattle Landing but most of it has been blown away by the wind beyond there. There were a few low spots along the way with some slush due to the weight of the snow, etc. Nothing unusual. Ice measured 7-1/2 to 8 inches of black ice consistently through this corridor. I had expected a bit more — closer to a foot — but the cold weather in the forecast is going to continue to make ice so conditions should only improve in coming days. 3 inches or so of fluff on top.

Be safe and cautious out there folks — and tight lines for the derby!

[MAXUM]

Excellent news... thanks for the report.

Will be headed out first thing in the morning.

[fatlazyless]

Ok, so I crashed through the lake ice today and it was totally no big deal except the water was only 3.5 feet deep. Was holding an open box of Cheez-it originals and did not spill even one Cheez-it.

About two hours later, took a good look at the hole in the ice where I crashed through; it was about 2' wide and 1' front to back and the ice there was only about 1/2-inch thick. Is close to the rocky shoreline, only ten feet out from shore, there.

What was I doing there? Had just refilled two bird feeders nearby, attached to a tree and thought I would spread Cheez-its out on the safe looking icy surface where my dock goes in the summer for the crows, ducks or eagles ..... come and get it!

It looked very strong and safe ..... looked like hard, solid ice .... but I just crashed through in a split second and banged my left thigh up with a bruise. Fortunately, it was only 3.5 feet deep so I just stood there for 15-seconds, collected my thoughts, and decided to stand there for a minute and toss the Cheez-its all across that area before stepping up and out and back to shore. .....

[WinnisquamZ]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

Ok, so I crashed through the lake ice today and it was totally no big deal except the water was only 3.5 feet deep. Was holding an open box of Cheez-it originals and did not spill even one Cheez-it.



About two hours later, took a good look at the hole in the ice where I crashed through; it was about 2' wide and 1' front to back and the ice there was only about 1/2-inch thick. Is close to the rocky shoreline, only ten feet out from shore, there.



What was I doing there? Had just refilled two bird feeders nearby, attached to a tree and thought I would spread Cheez-its out on the safe looking icy surface where my dock goes in the summer for the crows, ducks or eagles ..... come and get it!



It looked very strong and safe ..... looked like hard, solid ice .... but I just crashed through in a split second and banged my left thigh up with a bruise. Fortunately, it was only 3.5 feet deep so I just stood there for 15-seconds, collected my thoughts, and decided to stand there for a minute and toss the Cheez-its all across that area before stepping up and out and back to shore.

Glad to hear you are all wet and ok at the same time.


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[fatlazyless]

Two crows soon swooped in to check out those orange square things on the ice and quickly figured out they are food with a very cheesy salty taste. Was fixing the flat tire on the snowblower with Slime which worked out totally a good fix.

Crashing through the ice in 3.5' shallow water ....... not so bad.


Crashing through the ice way out in deep water somewhere ....... a horse of a different color!

[TiltonBB]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

Two crows soon swooped in to check out those orange square things on the ice and quickly figured out they are food with a very cheesy salty taste. Was fixing the flat tire on the snowblower with Slime which worked out totally a good fix.

Crashing through the ice in 3.5' shallow water ....... not so bad.


Crashing through the ice way out in deep water somewhere ....... a horse of a different color!

Did you have your ice picks with you and your noodle belt on?

[fatlazyless]

No, none of that stuff. Is same spot as my dock in the summer and I know the depth is 3-4' deep very well, there, but still was a very sudden surprise. I think when it happens in deep water, one can initially get smacked upside the head or face onto the ice which does not help any. It really happened very fast like in a half second.

[Descant]

Two items
1. Sound like noodles on your snow shoes could have been a benefit
2. If you were just LL instead of FLL, would the ice have let you pass safely?

[tis]

Originally Posted by Descant

Two items
1. Sound like noodles on your snow shoes could have been a benefit
2. If you were just LL instead of FLL, would the ice have let you pass safely?

He's not really F.

[fatlazyless]

Originally Posted by Descant

Two items
1. Sound like noodles on your snow shoes could have been a benefit
2. If you were just LL instead of FLL, would the ice have let you pass safely?

Will i repeat my misguided Cheez-it adventure again, today?

I can either toss the Cheez-its out onto the ice while standing on the shore, like a Frisbee, or set a ten foot plank across this perceived thin area of ice and walk the plank. For two days prior, I tossed Cheez-its out from shore, but yesterday the ice was looking much more secure and solid so I ventured out plus its easier to just walk out and spread Cheez-its then tossing them one by one.

At the time I was trying to fix my broken snowblower flat tire what with a snow storm predicted and that green Slime tube repair worked fantastic plus the weather warmed up a lot.

From about 75-feet away, I strongly suspect my neighbor's ice eater, water circulator propeller is sending its water energy along his breakwater and then my shoreline, thinning the ice out front my lot. ....... ha-ha-ha ...... .... Crashing through the ice like that is a good life time lesson to NEVER trust the ice too much plus I was able to quickly change out of my soaking wet shoes, socks, pants, and long underwear.

Cheez-it ...... hello, is this Perry Mason? ...... wells I tell ya Mr Mason ..... just Cheez-it golly gee willikers ..... just Cheez-it! .....

To toss, or not to toss a Cheez-it ...... this is the case of the 'Tossed Cheez-it' ..... and that is the case! ......

I just wish the local bald eagles were not so stand off-ish .... unlike the crows and ducks. Those eagles are very weary and maybe do not trust the Cheez-its? Ya know ...... just one salty bite ..... and the eagle would probably be hooked on Cheez-its, too. ....

Cheez-it originals in the giant Super Bowl party box work the best!

[WinnisquamZ]

I tossed a old baked potato I found in the fridge onto the ice from shore and something took it during the night


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[steve-on-mark]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

Will i repeat my misguided Cheez-it adventure again, today?

I can either toss the Cheez-its out onto the ice while standing on the shore, like a Frisbee, or set a ten foot plank across this perceived thin area of ice and walk the plank. For two days prior, I tossed Cheez-its out from shore, but yesterday the ice was looking much more secure and solid so I ventured out plus its easier to just walk out and spread Cheez-its then tossing them one by one.

At the time I was trying to fix my broken snowblower flat tire what with a snow storm predicted and that green Slime tube repair worked fantastic plus the weather warmed up a lot.

From about 75-feet away, I strongly suspect my neighbor's ice eater, water circulator propeller is sending its water energy along his breakwater and then my shoreline, thinning the ice out front my lot. ....... ha-ha-ha ...... .... Crashing through the ice like that is a good life time lesson to NEVER trust the ice too much plus I was able to quickly change out of my soaking wet shoes, socks, pants, and long underwear.

Cheez-it ...... hello, is this Perry Mason? ...... wells I tell ya Mr Mason ..... just Cheez-it golly gee willikers ..... just Cheez-it! .....

To toss, or not to toss a Cheez-it ...... this is the case of the 'Tossed Cheez-it' ..... and that is the case! ......

I just wish the local bald eagles were not so stand off-ish .... unlike the crows and ducks. Those eagles are very weary and maybe do not trust the Cheez-its? Ya know ...... just one salty bite ..... and the eagle would probably be hooked on Cheez-its, too. ....

Maybe you could modify one of those broken down snowblowers into a Cheez-it catapult...just thinking out loud.

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[Kamper]

FLL:

Muscle mass is dense. Cut back on the workouts and eat more Cheeze-its!