[looking4home]

I don't know how to post links on here, but I just read about the latest snowmobiling accident that killed three people, including a mother and her child. They were on a lake, and the ice broke. It was an AP story and I can't remember the name of the lake. Anyway, the article said that this has been a bad year for snowmobile fatalities in Vermont. The others involved falls or crashes into trees, but this was the first on a lake. How does one determine if the ice is thick enough to hold snowmobiles?

[BrokenTap]

4 inches is a minimum...more for sea ice obviously (but not an issue in VT) and preferably more.

Must be a bad winter in NE...here in Maine I know of two deaths due to thin ice already.

[Robhu]

Sadly it seems to happen every winter.
There are a lot of lakes around where I live plus Lake Erie north of us.
The only true way to know if the ice is safe is to use an ice auger and drill through to determine the thickness. Even then it doesn't mean the ice is safe all over the lake due to currents, and other things that can cause water to not freeze uniformally.
Almost every year we hear about an ice fisherman, snow mobile, atv rider, fall through the ice. Even dogs.
A local weather man made a comment about if you hear the ice crack, it will support you. If you feel it bend or feel spongy under weight the person is in immediate danger of falling through the ice. Personaly, if I hear ice crack I am heading for shore or at least laying down in a spread eagle position to distribute weight over a wider area.
My Dad was an ice fisherman all his life. He always took a heavy metal bar with a sharp point on it with him. If he could pound it through the ice with a couple sharp jabs he didn't go out any further. He tested the ice every few feet with his metal bar. And he had his auger to drill a hole to fish through. So he knew the thickness of the ice.
I guess the best policy is to consider any ice unsafe untill it has been checked and known to be thick enough to support whatever may going out on it.
My own theory is 4 inches for a person.
Eight inches for atv's, snow mobiles, etc.
There are two causes of death that absolutely panics me. One is falling in a frozen lake with no escape possible and the other is by fire.
I had a serious burn on the job I did for years. Thankfully it was treatable and eventually healed up. But I know how much burns hurt. I don't even want to imagine the pain that a full body burn would cause. And I don't want to die in freezing water either.
No one should take safety for granted. Know what you are venturing onto. If there is any doubt, don't go there.
Just assuming something is safe can make you end up dead.

[Drover]

I do competitive ice racing in winter. Over the last few years we've lost a couple of cars. That can ruin your day. Plus it costs about 3 grand to get it out of the lake, which you better do RIGHT NOW because the Wisconsin DNR fines you $600/day until you do.

[Summerz]

Very sad indeed.

Snowmobiles go through ice on Vermont lake, 3 die - USATODAY.com

Happened about 5 minutes from where I live. I used to be on rescue, those are difficult situations.
No way I would trust the ice yet.

[Logs and Dogs]

That is tragic.

Another reason I like to stay to all land routes on VAST.

[harry chickpea]

Tragic of course, but also a Darwin award. Lakes that are fed by springs can have upwellings of warm water that create areas of thin ice. If you don't know a lake well, don't go out on it.

[mustmove]

Is Lake Dunmore known for not freezing up? The ice runway on Alton Bay, Winnipasaukee opened yesterday.

[Summerz]

Originally Posted by mustmove

Is Lake Dunmore known for not freezing up? The ice runway on Alton Bay, Winnipasaukee opened yesterday.

Most years it does,, eventually.
As always it depends on the weather.

I have never been a fan of going out on lakes/ice in the winter, been there done that, just wasn't my cup of tea lol.

[arctichomesteader]

Up in Alaska and in Northern Canada ice gets thick enough for driving on but even there, there's accidents like this...New England isn't as cold as up there either...

I get nervous enough beaver trapping on the ice, I'd avoid snowmobiling on one here unless necessary...