Ice Thickness

[arcticcatsnow]

With all this talk about the snow and opening trails up and the fact that someone already fell through the wolf river on a snowmobile i was wondering how the ice conditions are up north with all this snow.. Becuase to me its not worth opening the trails if the lakes arent safe yet.

[Old Cat Man]

We were up in Townsend and our lake is at least 4-5" of ice. I mean we can't base things one two people out way to late and a couple of drinks going in the water. I mean what is a pregant woman doing out at 2:30AM?
And it should be colder all week so should be making ice now for sure.

[arcticcatsnow]

ya i know that they shouldnt have been out that late, but it got me wondering how thick the ice is because i havent been able to make it up since deer hunting when the lakes were still open

[kuczala_21]

If i remember correctly most of the lakes have 4-6.. I know someone has a shack out over in crandon. also a few friends went out fishin the other weekend..

[Sleddog600]

Rivers freeze last and this is not far north. All kinds of questions: How many beers did it take to think riding on the semi-frozen Wolf River in early December is a good idea? What is a 6-months-pregnant woman doing driving a snowmobile, on a semi-frozen river at 3:00 in the morning? Who's sled WAS it?


:brrrr:

###News Story###
Man, pregnant woman swim 50 yards for help after snowmobile goes through ice
Gannett Wisconsin Newspapers

A 22-year-old pregnant woman and a 29-year-old man were cold but otherwise unharmed after their snowmobile fell through the ice on the Wolf River early Sunday morning.

Jennifer Pliska of Stevens Point and Shaun Wenzel of Fremont had to swim about 50 yards to get help after their 2001 Ski Doo snowmobile went through the ice at 2:59 a.m. Sunday.

Pliska, who is six months pregnant, was taken to Riverside Medical Center in Waupaca, said Winnebago County Sheriff's Department Lieutenant Todd Christopherson.

"They were driving on the Wolf River and fell through some thin ice," he said. "The snowmobile is currently at the bottom of the Wolf River."

Pliska was listed as the driver of the snowmobile and Wenzel as the passenger, but the snowmobile was not registered to either user.

Paul Jenson, spokesman for Riverside Medical Center, said Pliska was treated and released from the hospital after the crash.

Christopherson said the ice is not thick enough for people to be using their snowmobiles on the water yet.

"That's not a very good idea right now, especially on a river with the currents," he said. "That's the last you place you want to be and even when the lakes freeze, the rivers are always the last to freeze."

Typically, ice should be at least 12 inches thick before people ride their snowmobiles on it, Christopherson said.

[Dreadan]

sounds like whoever was driving was going for a darwin award

[05FireCat600SP]

[QUOTE=Sleddog600;6533]Typically, ice should be at least 12 inches thick before people ride their snowmobiles on it, Christopherson said.[/QUOTE]

OK....I dont think I fully agree with this 12 inches. IMO, ice that is 6" with no snow on top of it is plenty safe for a snowmobile but with snow on top give it 2" more and I wouldnt hessitate. Well to me im on the ice with my sled with 4" of ice provided I can get traction and keep my slids wet.

[arcticcatsnow]

hell, if people walk on the the lakes to ice fish with only 3" then i think it would be safe enough for a snowmobile to go across (as long as there arent springs, like lucerne)

[toolman]

They say 4" for Walking / Ice Fishing
5" for Snowmobiles / ATV's
8" - 12" Cars and small trucks
12" - 15" Trucks

[url]http://www.nwosta.ca/icethicknesschart.php[/url]

[arcticcatsnow]

i would think that snowmobiles would need less ice than people walking because the weight more displaced over a greater region. During my snowmobile saftey i thought it said something like 1 sled = 100 people standing or something... i could be wrong though.....