ICE Reports wanted

[Chummers]

If anyone is able to measure any ice before this weekend, I and many others are eager to see where there may be some safe ice. Please post a report if you measure. I'm thinking the first safe ice near the metro area is Lake Swede, right?

Thanks in advance!

[Chummers]

No reports? Jerry B told me that he checked Nokomis today but his foot went right through the thin ice on the north shore.

[anderson427]

Saw an ice house on the south side of Medicine Lake this morning.

[Chummers]

Just spoke to the guy at the bait shop on Medicine and he said the south half of the lake is all jagged and not smooth at all.

[davepark]

At the risk of sounding like everyone's mother, just because someone has an portable ice house out on the lake doesn't mean the ice is safe. Be careful when going out on these newly frozen lakes everyone. I don't want to see snowkiters on the news for the wrong reason.

[speedsailor93]

Waconia had a good freeze before snow came.
SW bay measured 4+ inches of ice when I measured on Monday but main lake was significantly less - local marina said ~ 2".
Will try and remeasure this weekend as it should be good by then after this cold snap.

Note - mills fleet has some great ice picks now that have retractable spike covers that I think are much safer for kiting as you can run them through your sleeves so easy access without getting spiked in a crash.

[davepark]

Swede was great yesterday. Wind was very steady when we first got out around 1:00 on the 9 meter. It did pick up a bit and more gusts later but still good. Ice was 5 inches or so since the long ice screw never drew water but we didn't drill any holes with the auger to verify. Snow was not bonded to the ice but there was enough to get good edge.

[Chummers]

Dave, thanks for letting me know you were going to Swede. I wouldn't have made the drive unless I knew somebody else would be there. That was me on the winter windsurfer (Snowfer).

So given that Wac is mostly frozen, shouldn't Nokomis be safe by Saturday? I REALLY don't want to drive all the way out to Swede again...

[MK]

Most daily conversations happening in Facebook but pasting todays discussion here:

There's a pressure line, where a ridge might have formed had conditions been more favorable for making them, about ~300 yards out, may not be visible with upcoming forecasted snow. I went a little further than that. Scott weigh in on distance. I sampled roughly first few 50yds and couldn't find water up to 6" of drilling. I searched for weak areas, found some trapped surface slush and sampled with the same results. I could see tracks from the mystery kiter and another fisherman's sled continuing beyond my my last sample. Last sample I was about 5-10 degrees west from being straight on to Harty's front door. There I found a clear black patch of ice a couple feet in diameter. I could see the thickness crack and looked to be about 2". I drilled slowly into it about that far and didn't spring water but pucker factor got the best of me. However from that point east to the beach I'll agree with Chris and Lons discovery from Harty. The lake is remarkably shallow around it's perimeter, consult a lake depth chart for peace of mind. I think you'll find me there Saturday. No such thing as safe ice, make sure to wear your ice picks. Buddy up and look out for one another. I wouldn't venture further out than that. Saturday and Sunday winds so far favor ability to ride that side of the lake and temps not easing up. We're still making ice. Watch wind direction to keep you from going towards thinner ice. Recall kite sizes in the winter don't "need" to be as big. I use a rough equation of 30% smaller (it's quantum physics if you must know, trained by Scott Bakula from Quantum Leap) . Also, falling on the ice is brutal, pad up, wear helmet, tell your mom where you're going.. and send her some poinsettias while you're at it. Decent bonding happening, less likely to skid out, but you will cut down to ice through the snow occasionally. Snow getting tampered and settled by the elements, and a little crusty.

[anderson427]

South side of Medicine Lake was perfect today

[bruceshapiro]

Calhoun 12/20, noon, 1" auger:

5+" within 30 yds. of shore, 4" out to ~ 150 yds, then hit 3", and stopped. This was straight out from ramp near Tin Fish (NE corner of lake).

Bruce

[MK]

Spoke to a fisherman today and he said it's about 5-6" where I checked 5 days ago. I'll guess we've maybe gained an inch since then.

Fair amount of kiters and fisher people out again today. I'm not comfortable going across the middle yet. Wonderfiul playground out there. A few surface slush spots.

[Chummers]

Checked out Medicine Lake today and surface was all ice but way to rough for any riding, lots of tracks and bumps all over the place. Only other people out were a pair of ice fisherman in the middle of the lake. Conditions won't be any good until it gets another substantial layer of snow, or the a thaw and re-freeze.

[davepark]

Checked out Medicine Lake today and surface was all ice but way to rough for any riding, lots of tracks and bumps all over the place. Only other people out were a pair of ice fisherman in the middle of the lake. Conditions won't be any good until it gets another substantial layer of snow, or the a thaw and re-freeze.

The frickin' grinch and his frickin' rain. Ho ho frickin' ho.

[Chummers]

Does anybody have an updated report on Swede? I'd make the long drive there tomorrow if I knew it was going to be a decent surface.

[Eric S]

hey chummers, I don't want to discourage you but I live out west and lakes I'm driving by are looking poor and brutal for kiting on. My last trip out was Buffalo and it was actually pretty good but it was before the rain came. If I can I'll drive by swede I'll try to give a for realzy update.

[Chummers]

Thanks Eric, any info would be appreciated. I have several ice boards to use for windsurfing so I don't necessarily need any snow. I'd just like to know whether there's any relatively smooth ice.

[speedsailor93]

Snow completely gone on waconia but ice is really rough. Tried the iceboat today but even long blades did not smooth out the ride. Other iceboaters also reporting poor conditions locally.

[Professor Robae']

I found a zone of relatively smooth ice! Along the eastern shore of Big Island and all around Gales Island on Minnetonka - Get it while you can!

[Chummers]

Rob, that smooth ice that you found, can you provide any kind of estimate of how large the area is? I also found some smooth ice on the SW corner of lake Calhoun but it's such a small area that if you stayed on it, you'd just be jibing all of the time! The rest of Calhoun is extremely rough, same goes for Nokomis!