IDEAS FOR AN EAST SIDE SESSION?

[JRN]

DID THE SNOW KILL THE ICEBOARDING & SKATING? WHAT ABOUT: Snowkite Jamaica Prk. in Cottage Grv? The City Park Launch in Forest Lake? Someplace far enough to the North & shallow enough for safe ice? What do you think?

[JAE]

I'll be out on Green Lake in Chisago around 1:00. My bay has great ice, its shallow and its on the south end of the lake which should be good for a north wind.

651 twoeightthree 5132

jeff

[markh]

Forest Lake looks good for a launch at the city park if you stay south of a line between the beach and the point to the east. We've been skating along the south shore for over a week. Looks like less than an inch of snow, so skating should still work.

--mark 6 5 1 four six four 3 4 1 6

[Mike W]

Kurt and I are talking about Turtle Lake in Shoreview. It is a shallow lake which is set up nicely for N wind.

[Mike W]

Turtle is good to go with the exception of a pressure ridge out near the middle. Unfortunately, Geoff W. plunged through it on skates. The ice was about 4 inches thick where I measured. I had not trouble blasting over the ridge on skis.

[JRN]

I'M GLAD YOU GUYS GOT OUT! I got mired in "HONEYDO" haven 'til it was too late. Thanks for checking out conditions.
Tell Geoff not to take "BREAKTHROUGH" so literally.

[Geo]

Today was the 1st time for me on mostly ice on both skis and then skates. There was some bonded snow, so it helped with the edging. I can tell you that skis are not real comfortable going semi-sideways, but they have their advantages. I have heard of water skiing, but not water skating.
Water skating: not so easy.
Luckily, sounds worse than it was: only got wet to my knees - the kite did pull me out right away...after doing a semi faceplant. Wet feet were my way of getting to quit the "dignified" way rather than wussing out for no reason (like not being good enough).

Sort of "forgot" to tell my wife about falling through.

[Eric Bro]

I just finished a session on Big Marine Lake (northern Washington Co) where I used the county park access off May Avenue on the SE side, and set in an ice anchor about 150 yards offshore in smooth ice. Ice was 4-5" thick, black, and nice, with about 20% covered with snow drifts to 5". Was pretty easy on skates to navigate around drifts and enjoy the mostly smooth surface. It's great looking down through the ice into the clear water.

I stayed pretty much on that south reach between the boat launch and the new county park. I didn't notice any thin areas, though I would explore carefully before venturing into yonder areas of the lake!