Be careful up on Ossipee

[hazelnut]

http://www.wmur.com/news/18723860/detail.html

FREEDOM, N.H. -- Firefighters in Freedom rescued two snowmobilers that fell through a patch of thin ice late Sunday evening.

New Hampshire Fish and Game officials said the two riders got separated from the group they were riding with on Ossipee Lake. The ice gave way under the first rider, 56-year-old Fred Williams, of Vineyard Haven, Mass. His machine went partially through the ice, but he was able to free himself.

The second rider, 45-year-old Donna Beaudoin, of Taunton, Mass., broke completely through. Fish and Game officials said Williams tried to get Beaudoin out of the water and fell through the ice himself.

Both were rescued by firefighters.

Crews said Beaudoin spent 30 minutes in the water. She was flown to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center where she was treated for non life-threatening hypothermia.

Williams was taken to Memorial Hospital in Conway where he was treated and released.

Fish and Game officials said there are several areas of thin ice on Ossipee Lake. They advise caution to anyone riding on the lake, especially at night.

[fatlazyless]

I have heard that a helicopter ambulance to the hospital in Hanover costs $14,000 just for a one way trip. If that were me that fell through and was in the icy water for 30 minutes, I would head for the nearest mcmansion, and crawl into their outdoor, 102 degree hot tub. That would actually work very well to warm up, Probably, the owners are in Florida.

[wifi]

I have heard that a helicopter ambulance to the hospital in Hanover costs $14,000 just for a one way trip. If that were me that fell through and was in the icy water for 30 minutes, I would head for the nearest mcmansion, and crawl into their outdoor, 102 degree hot tub. That would actually work very well to warm up, Probably, the owners are in Florida.

In a hypothermia situation, you want slow warming, otherwise the capillaries dilate and you release all the cold blood in the extremities back into your core worsening the immediate condition (shock).

http://www.merck.com/pubs/mmanual_ha/sec3/ch19/ch19b.html

"...Doctors want the warming to be slow and steady, increasing the body temperature by about 1 to 2° F per hour. It might seem as though warming should be done as fast as possible. However, rapid warming can sometimes increase the risk of very low blood pressure (shock) or life-threatening abnormal heart rhythms..."

[SIKSUKR]

Apparently these two went through in a channel area that has a current and is a known thin area.Local knowledge is key when riding any body of frozen water.It sounds like Ossipee in general has safe ice conditions.

[Martha Marlee]

Heli ride was about 9 grand when my husband had to get a lift to DHMC...car V motorcycle..car won. I myself have fallen through the ice off my sled...I made it up on to the ice...driven back to my warm car by another sled..stripped down to my underware...and shook for 6 hours at a friends house....RX- bud lite...still counting my lucky stars I got out.
Never again do I trust the ice is safe unless I see it my self.

[WINNOCTURN]

Comments from Ossipee Lake area

http://www.slednh.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=3322

[hazelnut]

I am thrilled to see that everyone is going to be ok. It looks like just an accident an a bit of inexperience with the area. After reading the thread from the link it looks like one of the posters who is the friend laid out a pretty complex method to get to his house from the trail.

[VitaBene]

For those that walk ski or sled on the ice, I recommend ice picks. There is a great video here on how to use them and ice safety in general. http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/safety/ice/index.html

[hazelnut]

A thought came to me as a result of this almost tragic occurrence up on Ossipee.

I wonder if anyone might have a map of Winnipesaukee that we could mark up and post with KNOWN areas on Lake Winni that were particularly unsafe. For example I know for sure that "Hole In The Wall" between Little Bear, Devens and Cow Island is to be avoided at all costs. I also noticed that this year there were a lot of tracks going through the channel into Salmon Meadow Cove. Years ago my father went through the ice there. I was wondering if that might have been weather related that year, or is that channel still borderline. I had also heard that the channel to Greens Basin is to be avoided? Anyway the thought is to have a map with "red areas" marked on it as a guide of places to avoid.

Just a thought.

[hazelnut]

Can you tell I have too much time on my hands? I'm on vacation this week and there is NO SNOW for snowmobiling so while I wait for this latest bout I came up with something. Call it a working project.... here is an image if people clued me in on more locations I could add to it. I could also email the file to anyone who is interested in adding to it. If you have Google Earth installed on your computer you could open an interactive file to view more detailed views of the danger spots. Anyone interested in this?

[Lakegeezer]

Great idea Hazelnut. There are a few more spots. Two up in the Greens Basin area and one for under the Long Island bridge. I tried to upload an updated picture but got an "internal server error".

[trfour]

Need to include the Weirs channel, Back Bay channel, Wolfeboro, Governors Island Bridge, all of the docks and other current areas around the Lake. LakePort, south of Burger King. We can come up with some more too.....

Chime In Lakers, I'm a Boston fan myself,.. y'all know what we mean! :look:

[jeffk]

Why don't snowmobile clubs include these markers on their maps?

[WINNOCTURN]

Why don't snowmobile clubs include these markers on their maps?

Jeff,

Sorry to say it is the possible LIABILYT a Club could open its' self up to. We say it is not safe here and some goes in some where else in the same general area. You know what could happen.

Some 15 + years ago the Moultonboro SMC had such a map. It was printed on a heavy plastic “shopping” bag. I still have one some where in my workshop. If can find it I will take a picture of it and post it.

You will never get any one to affirm the satisfactory condition of any frozen body of water, Club, Fish & Game Bureau of trails. You will notice that almost every trail report most Clubs put out has a “WARNING” about lake riding.


WINNOCTURN

[hazelnut]

So true!!! I was thinking about this as I was putting this map together. My thought is that I am just trying to compile a guide to show the places to ABSOLUTELY avoid. As always the lake is a risk!!!

[jeffk]

Jeff,

Sorry to say it is the possible LIABILYT a Club could open its' self up to. We say it is not safe here and some goes in some where else in the same general area. You know what could happen.

Some 15 + years ago the Moultonboro SMC had such a map. It was printed on a heavy plastic “shopping” bag. I still have one some where in my workshop. If can find it I will take a picture of it and post it.

You will never get any one to affirm the satisfactory condition of any frozen body of water, Club, Fish & Game Bureau of trails. You will notice that almost every trail report most Clubs put out has a “WARNING” about lake riding.


WINNOCTURN

I hear what you're saying Winnocturn however I think it's sad that we have reached a point in society that we can't warn people about KNOWN dangers because we might have missed one or one occasionally pops up in an unexpected area.

This sounds like a place for a good Samaritan law. Any club marking their maps with known dangers will not be liable for additional dangers not shown.

[trfour]

I hear what you're saying Winnocturn however I think it's sad that we have reached a point in society that we can't warn people about KNOWN dangers because we might have missed one or one occasionally pops up in an unexpected area.

This sounds like a place for a good Samaritan law. Any club marking their maps with known dangers will not be liable for additional dangers not shown.

'I hear what you're saying Winnocturn however I think it's sad that we have reached a point in society that we can't warn people about KNOWN dangers because we might have missed one or one occasionally pops up in an unexpected area.

This sounds like a place for a good Samaritan law. Any club marking their maps with known dangers will not be liable for additional dangers not shown'.

I have a ton of Club snowmobile maps from the Lakes Region, ME. VT. and Canada. Their trails are very clearly marked with a solid colored line over land, and it changes to a dotted line with a Warning whenever a trail crosses, a river, pond, lake or ocean, usually in Red!!

'Extremely Important'!! Do not snowmobile alone!... Be prepared, Read you're Owners manuals, and plan you're trips ahead! "Map'IT, with Up To Date Maps from the area that you wish to ride in! 'Take a Safety course'!

We Do Not want to read about YOU, or any other unsuspecting victim in the coming season here!

'Please stay safe"!
Love, Terry