snowmobile through the ice?

[Lin]

Last night my husband was listening to lakes region fire and heard Moultonborough go out for a snowmobile through the ice around 11ish. We don't know much more about it but heard Paradise Road and Wentworth Shores roads mentioned. Can't find anything on it yet in the papers anyone else hear anything about it? Looking at those webcams it doesn't look too good for ice right now.

[Paugus Bay Resident]

On WMUR this morning, ...

3 sleds went throught the ice (in Moultonborough). 2 people made it to shore, one is missing and presumed drowned. They were resuming the search for the missing person this morning.

[mcdude]

Sadly, the body of a young man from Massachusetts was pulled from the water in Moultonboro today around noon according to WMUR.
more information (http://www.thewmurchannel.com/news/4065508/detail.html)

[secondcurve]

What a total shame. I don't understand why people insist on snowmobiling on ice that clearly isn't frozen, while intoxicated. God bless his family and friends.

[Kona Bay Girl]

The accident took place last night, while the men were heading back to their condo. However, one hit open water. The man that died was found this morning, while the other two are charged with riding intoxicated.

I was very jealous of the neswlady standing on the lake.

'Till February/March!

[Lakegeezer]

There was a lot of safe ice to ride on Sunday, but some of the normal entry points were really slushy and did not look safe. Bryant point, where the fatality occured usually does not freeze safe, even mid-winter. There is a narrows there over to Ganzy Island and after a good spell of cold, there is a frozen slush section that becomes safe, but you have to "thread the needle". This year, the other side of Ganzy has a wide safe passage - which is unusual. Its interesting how different the ice is each year. On Sunday, I saw the ice boat up at Bryant point and took a picture of it out of general interest, having no idea why it was there. In the picture <I hope the attachment works>, you can see the slush where they went through, and if you look carefully, can see the propeller cage of the ice-boat. The Union Leader mentioned another snowmobile went through in Moultonboro - driver OK, snowmobile sunk. Anyone know where?

[TICTOC]

We heard about it on the news Sunday evening here in Arizona. The news anchor didn't know how to pronounce Winnipesaukee.

[Vision2000]

See the following Link

http://www.theunionleader.com/articles_showa.html?article=49409

2 deaths on Snowmobiles the first weekend of snow, and two seperate incidents of snowmobiles going thru the ice!

People are crazy to rise on the lake when there is little if any ice that can support a person let alone a snowmobile at this point! A total waste of tax $$$ to go and fish out these people and their sleds!

I snowmobile, and love it on the lake, but I wait at least until the ice is safe, ie.. there are cars and trucks and Bob Houses etc...

A few people seem to give this sport such a bad name for the rest of us!

[Vision2000]

See the following Link

http://www.theunionleader.com/articles_showa.html?article=49409

2 deaths on Snowmobiles the first weekend of snow, and two seperate incidents of snowmobiles going thru the ice!

People are crazy to risk going out on the lake when there is little if any ice that can support a person let alone a snowmobile at this point! A total waste of tax $$$ to go and fish out these people and their sleds!

I snowmobile, and love it on the lake, but I wait at least until the ice is safe, ie.. there are cars and trucks and Bob Houses etc...

A few people seem to give this sport such a bad name for the rest of us!

[JG1222]

A total waste of tax $$$ to go and fish out these people and their sleds!

Although I have as much sympathy for drunk drivers as I do for drunk snowmobilers/boaters, etc. (which isn't much) and agree with the general sentiment, some things are better left as just thoughts. Have a little class.

[trfour]

The ice on Lake Winnipesaukee is not yet safe to snowmobile on.

Vision 2000 has it right in that When you see cars and trucks parked out on the ice, then you can be reasonably sure that it is safe enough to snowmobile on as long as you stay away from docks, inlets, outlets or channles!

Stay safe!

[Mink Islander]

The real challenge, everyone, is that the conditions vary widely across the lake so it is terribly hard to generalize. When you have a winter like last year, the whole lake became quite safe relatively early in the season (but we still lost trucks through expansion cracks and other known weak spots). This year it's taking a little longer for the ice to form. It's a rare year for it to be safe over by Bear Island before the last week of January. A few years back it never got safe enough for my family.

Probably two weeks away before I would even consider venturing out to Mink, and that may be early still given how mild the temps are this week. Bearcam already shows the ice breaking up again over by Pine Island. Like others, I wait for the Bob Houses in Meredith Bay and off Cattle Landing. Then if I see ample sled tracks/activity through Cattle Landing, I still will check the ice thickness with my hand auger before heading out (8 inches please of black ice). Pretty conservative, I know. But why take chances? If you are a long timer around the lake, you too probably have your own rules of thumb for the part of the lake you travel. Unfortunately, it's the inexperienced or wreckless who usually suffer the consequences of their poor judgement. Very sad really. Please be careful everyone!

[Vision2000]

Please understand, that my comments about the "crazy" people that venture out on a snowmobile, was not at all meant to be unkind and or hurtful to anyone. I can't imagine anything more heart wrenching then to lose a family member to such a tragic event! That said, I also am concerned about the rescue personnel and the people that have to risk thier lives when they must respond to these tragic events. I hope this clarifies my earlier post!

Please. if you see someone on the ice, do anything possible to get them off, if these tragic events continue we are likely to have someone pass some law or regulation concerning the use of snowmobiles on the lake. That is the last thing we need! Enough said I hope.