Ice Thickness

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markdbliss
Posts: 30
Joined: Thu Aug 19, 2010 10:31 am
Location: Eden Prairie, MN
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Ice Thickness

Post by markdbliss »

Are there any websites that show ice thicknesses for metro area lakes? I see ice fishermen on some, but nothing says they're not just a bunch of idiots floating on a 1/2in thick sheet.
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mdh01
Posts: 365
Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2005 9:20 pm
Location: Rochester, MN

Re: Ice Thickness

Post by mdh01 »

Not really...those ice fisherman are what we use to gauge the thickness!
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pete168
Posts: 157
Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2005 4:55 pm
Location: Chaska, MN

Re: Ice Thickness

Post by pete168 »

For what it's worth, took a trip up to Forest Lake. Walked straight out (west) from the boat ramp and planted a ice screw about every 50 yards out to 300. I never hit water with a 7" ice screw. Might try to get out early tomorrow before work.

Pete
Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up,totally worn out and loudly proclaiming. WOW! What a ride!!
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sekollera
Posts: 49
Joined: Wed Sep 13, 2006 1:46 pm

Re: Ice Thickness

Post by sekollera »

A DN went for a swim on Calhoun today, Thursday 12/9....fwiw.

/Adam
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Jason_L
Posts: 130
Joined: Thu May 25, 2006 4:35 pm
Location: Minneapolis, MN

Re: Ice Thickness

Post by Jason_L »

Whoa, that's not good. Kevin and I were thinking about Lake Harriet tomorrow. Do you think the ice is solid? I have heard reports on the lakes West of here having 6-10 inches of ice.
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wyatt
Posts: 55
Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2008 1:30 pm
Location: Minneapolis, MN

Re: Ice Thickness

Post by wyatt »

Ice doesn't freeze uniformly - six inches in one spot on the lake doesn't translate to six inches over the entire lake. It's easy to get a false sense of security, especially near the shore. I'd encourage everyone to stay off the deep lakes (Calhoun, Harriet, Tonka) until you see icefishermen all over the place. My general rule of thumb is that I'm never the first guy out there.

With all of the snow happening early in the season, the insulation is going to keep the ice from thickening, especially on the deeper lakes. Stick to the shallow lakes - they cool quicker and freeze faster. Swede was frozen for an entire week before the big snow around Thanksgiving. Anything that's frozen up since the big Turkey-weekend storm should be suspect. Be safe!
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pserrata
Posts: 50
Joined: Mon May 09, 2005 5:17 pm

Re: Ice Thickness

Post by pserrata »

what about medicine lake?
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johnz
Posts: 475
Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2002 10:12 pm
Location: Minnetonka, MN

Re: Ice Thickness

Post by johnz »

... and springs. I fell through up to my shoulders on Rush Lake a couple years ago. January. Zero degrees, ice houses, cars, snowmobiles everywhere. It is really important to know the lake or talk to locals that do... :shock:
John Z
Midwest Mountaineering/Slingshot Regional Team Rider
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mjcarter
Posts: 14
Joined: Mon Jan 25, 2010 4:14 pm

Re: Ice Thickness

Post by mjcarter »

You can also get more information on any lake in MN at this website:

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/lakefind/index.html

I've mostly been checking this site for lake depth. As some have saying, swede has been frozen for a long time (its max depth is only ~12 ft) whereas calhoun takes forever to freeze because its max depth is 84 ft. Also, springs are an issue...so be safe out there everyone!
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Jason_L
Posts: 130
Joined: Thu May 25, 2006 4:35 pm
Location: Minneapolis, MN

Re: Ice Thickness

Post by Jason_L »

Calhoun should start freezing more with this cold snap. We will need more snow though. I drove by it yesterday and there is so much bare ice. Not sure if the water soaked through or what happened but it does not look rideable even if the ice were safe.
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sekollera
Posts: 49
Joined: Wed Sep 13, 2006 1:46 pm

Re: Ice Thickness

Post by sekollera »

Jason_L wrote:Calhoun should start freezing more with this cold snap. We will need more snow though. I drove by it yesterday and there is so much bare ice. Not sure if the water soaked through or what happened but it does not look rideable even if the ice were safe.
Hmm, perhaps it may have blown off in the big wind? I will walk and drill Calhoun now that can get out of my house. The place the DN went in last week was a snowy spot that was "insulated".

A note on kiting Harriet - there is a fat spring bubbling up near the middle and another marked one near the launch - a few years ago a DN went for a swim in the middle and this was in early March the same day I was driving a heavy car on WBL. I live two blocks from both lakes and have yet to cross Harriet in winter even on skiis.

Calhoun has better wind, better parking, and better launches so that is where I go.

/Adam
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Barry P
Posts: 517
Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2002 11:32 am
Location: Plymouth, MN

Re: Ice Thickness

Post by Barry P »

Mille Lacs Ice:

Cams: http://www.mnlakecams.com/all_millelacs ... fresh.html

Hunter's (east side): "12/12: With the lack of snow this weekend and the cold nights, we are making ice! The guys have been finding 9 to 11 inches of ice! SO with that said, we are looking at starting to plow roads yet this week (ice gods willing)!"

Lybeck's (south side): "As of Friday (12/10) ice depth ranged from 8-10 inches in the first mile from shore, 6-8 inches around the 1-1.5 mile out and 5-6 inches 1.5-3 miles out. Keep in mind this is main lake distances, not from the bays. From 1.5 to 3 miles the ice is rough with many ridges to cross or work around we will start dealing with them this coming week week.
We are not allowing vehicle traffic on the ice yet. "
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