options for tommorow

matt k · Post by **matt k** » Mon Dec 15, 2003 1:48 pm

I just drove by diamond lake in dayton today, the lake is looking good, right now there is hard pack on almost the entire lake, I didn't see any big ice spots like sweed.

After the snow tonight and the nw wind tommorow the lake should be perfect, there is a launch on the south side of the lake, it is a boat landing. I have kited there before a couple of years ago and the wind is usually steady because it is surrounded by farm lands, plus it sucks for fishing so there is usually no one on the lake.

To get to diamond go north on 169 and when you get to the bridge in champlin take a left before the bridge on dayton river road, take this about 1 mile and then take a left on s diamond lake road, this road will take you to the lake, go about 3 miles and the lake is on the right.

I plan on being there in the morning and kiting until I have to go to work at 4.

Eric S · Post by **Eric S** » Mon Dec 15, 2003 8:53 pm

sweed! I mean Sweet G!

I'm thinking of getting there in the morning. I need to tune up my board tonight. Hope to get to bed before 10PM. and hIt dIAmONd at breakfast time.

Small kite, snowboard, gusty winds. PARADISE!

I'll help launch any inflato kite tomorrow cause i'll be on my foil. I just figgure banking launches when my billow kite comes back from repair.

-ebs

Eric S · Post by **Eric S** » Mon Dec 15, 2003 9:16 pm

Hey biach, Here's some directions from the south to the lake
......

For all yo ho...

It sort of looks like this from MPLS on 94

Hwy 94 to N 101 (Rogers) exit

N on 101 to 141 Ave N

E (right) on 141 Ave N to Brockton Ave

(right) South Brockton Ave 1 mile then LEFT 133 Ave N

This road turns into S Diamond Lake Rd. Diamond Lake Rd
runs along the south shore of Diamond Lake.

-ebs
...

laters taters,

eric

Mike W · Post by **Mike W** » Mon Dec 15, 2003 10:11 pm

I need to stay closer to home. Anyone going out locally? How about Medicine? I hear that is good for NW? Anyone checked it lately? Who is headed to Swede? Turtle? WBL?

Tighe · Post by **Tighe** » Mon Dec 15, 2003 10:34 pm

Diamond actually looks a fair bit closer and definately less time than Swede for me. I might give it a try. Specially since it looks like the snow may be a tinge better up there.

I'll make the call in the am. It looks like it will be plenty windy.

fun fun

Tom L · Post by **Tom L** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 1:22 am

For kiters in western suburbs Tonka should be ready to got after this snow. If the drizzle does it's job there should be good traction for skis. The newest ice is at least 3 1/2" when I measured Sunday. There are ice fisherman out now and talking to them can lead to good ice info.

Try Wayzata Bay swim beach for S, SW, E or Spring Park boat launch for S, & Crescent Beach is great for SW, W, NW.

Map of Tonka area kite launches

Crescent can be a little tricky to find, but worth it. (kind of a local secret) It is .5 miles down Birch Bluff Rd off of Co Rd 19 about 2 miles S of Hwy 15 where they intersect in Navarre. Keep an eye off to the right at 2 miles from Navarre, the sign for Birch Bluff Rd is quite far off the road. When I looked last week the city plows had kind of sealed off the parking lot, so we need someone to blast through the snow bank with an SUV a few times. On the other side is a nice flat parking lot about the same size as Swede's.

Tom L · Post by **Tom L** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 9:03 am

Tonka didn't get the snow it needed. Ended up with half&half snow/ice due to drifting.

bmr · Post by **bmr** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 10:42 am

Mike W wrote:I need to stay closer to home. Anyone going out locally? How about Medicine? I hear that is good for NW? Anyone checked it lately?

Well, I can tell you there are approx 5-6 fish houses on the west bay area. However I can tell you the ice thickness is still spotty for the rest of the lake. I'll probally head out there after a couple weeks of single digit temps.

Update on field scouting:
Just obtained permission from farmer in Minnestrista to use his rolling fields for kiting. I will post the location after I (hopefully) convince him to let more kiters use it. Stay tuned...

Aloha,

Brad

Tighe · Post by **Tighe** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 10:51 am

Does anyone know the ice thickness on Diamond? Even though there is snow cover it still could be thin ice. Matt? Any ice houses?

Eric S · Post by **Eric S** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 11:01 am

oops, I reread Matt's post and didn't see a report on thickness. The lake is about 20mi south of me in Zimmerman on 169 so I'll go down there and check it out. Personally, I've never seen the lake and was excited that there was a cool one between me and mpls.

There is a DNR site that describes lakes (acerage, average depth, etc..) that might give a clue. There are a bunch of lakes I see that are near that area that look very "shallow" but that doesn't me they are safe. I wish I had a cell so I could call you guys from the lake.

My ETA has changed a bit, not breakfast, more like brunch, 11:00

We did get 'some' snow up here but not a dumping. It'll be good at Diamond if there was already a cover.

matt k · Post by **matt k** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 11:29 am

There are no ice houses because the lake is no good for fishing, It is not the cleanest lake in the summer, surrounded by farms etc. I did see several snowmobile tracks on the lake, It is about the same size as Sweed and I think it is fairly shallow with no springs. Yesterday I walked out a little ways onto the lake and felt safe no cracking or duck holes that I saw.

Heading out soon hope to see you all there.

matt k · Post by **matt k** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 11:30 am

Hey tighe I will call you on your cell to give a report.

Tighe · Post by **Tighe** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 11:50 am

thanks matt. Hate to have everyone head that way only to find out it isn't safe....or worse get wet.

Stone · Post by **Stone** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 1:00 pm

Well, it's 11:17am now and I'm getting ready to go out to Diamond Lake since it's not too far from my house. I hope the ice is thick cause I'm going kiteboarding today one way or another. Hope to see some of you guys out there!

Tighe · Post by **Tighe** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 1:04 pm

got a message from Matt at the lake. He said it looked good. Didn't give an ice report though he did say he saw snowmobile tracks across it.

I also talked to Jeff Adamski, who lives up there. He said he shoveled himself out of 6 inches snow.

I'm leaving soon.

Peter C · Post by **Peter C** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 6:13 pm

Had a great session on Taylor Lake today. Although it was short it was well worth the drive, only 40 minutes from my door in south Minneapolis. This lake is just off the freeway at the Rogers exit, so mid day drives are no problem. It had about 3 to 10 inches on it depending on what part you were on.
The ice must have been thick enough because nobody fell through. That's a good test isn't it.

Pete

Tighe, please hold that part for me, I'll get it it next time out. Hopefully soon!

Eric S · Post by **Eric S** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 6:36 pm

It was fun out there on Diamond Lake today. Thanks Matt for heping us to it.

Parking is sketchy but soon we should be able to park on the lake form the launch.

Tighe, Matt, Stone, Peter and others were on the lake. I had the smallest kite (4M Flexifoil Blade) and Tighe had the biggest 11M Slingy. The ice was totally covered and the drifts were sweet.

For me there was good 'down the line' drift riding. You can just smack the lip on drifts all day long. Another good part is that after 2 drives back and forth, all the tracks disappear so you are on freshies all day.

Eric was getting some nice high speed floating jumps and Tighe and Matt and Peter were flying some sick ones on the tubes.

It's a good lake, small and gusty, but one worth remembering.

spottke

Mike W · Post by **Mike W** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 9:24 pm

Barry and I broke in the bay in the SE corner of WBL. Nice thick drifts of snow on about 50% of the lake. Some open water spots way out in the middle, but thick crusty ice covers as much terrain as is needed. One ice house in the bay made us feel pretty comfortable heading out.