Official 2013-14 Ice-In Thread
 

This is the Official 2013-14 Ice-in Thread. Please post your
comments about this year's Ice-in here.

It is hard to believe that ice-in has started so early in the season. Perhaps this is a sign for a nicely frozen Lake Winnipesaukee for winter sports. This thread typically gets started in late December. With the lake temps so low for the past few days, things are starting to freeze.

There is ice in Moultonborough Bay and in some of the coves. It is reported that Mirror Lake and Lake Wentworth have skimmed over.

It is typically 33-35 degrees at the Weirs when the broads skims over. The Lake temp as of this morning, reported by the Winnipesaukee Dataphone is 35 degrees. (11-30-2013)

The Ice-in page went live a few minutes ago at www.rattlesnakecam.com/icein.htm. If you have a webcam or know of one, please post the information in this thread and I will add it to the page. If you have a webcam that I have in the defunct section of the ice-in page please let me know if it is ever coming back.

For those of us who are addicted to watching the lake freeze, enjoy. If you are new to the lake, come back often and watch the progress of Ice-in!

Please visit this thread for the latest news and the Ice-in page for current images of the freezing progress. (Please click on the ads at webcam sites and support the sponsors. This provides revenue to keep the cams alive)

As always Please post your pics of the freezing lake here.

See you on the ice!
IG

This upcoming week is supposed to get mild, in the 40s, then back to very cold next week. The night time lows should stay at or below freezing so we may see a lot of freezing and melting before it has a decent base.

Both 19 and 20 mile bays were skimmed over this morning with a light dusting of snow as I drove into Wolfeboro this morning. Wolfeboro Bay was wide open.

The bays and coves on Merrymeeting Lake were skimmed over yesterday morning. I was surprised when I woke up and saw mist rising off the open water give how cold the water has been. Then I realized that it was 7 degrees out, so relatively speaking, the water was warm.

The Merrymeeting River before the marsh, and most of the Merrymeeting Marsh are now frozen, though I don't think it's very solid.

Today all the skim on the lake is gone. With temps predicted to stay at or above freezing for the next week, I think we'll see a slowing of ice-in.

This was Langley Cove at Christmas Island this morning. If I took this picture a few weeks ago the Christmas Island Motel would have been on that dirt!

I thought I could see some ice on the lake when going across the Gilford bypass the other day. I'm glad to see it coming in so early this year--with any luck we'll have a blockbuster winter. Though I love boating (and it's neat when you get be in the 80s and 90s in May in a mini-heatwave out on the boat) I need to log some miles on my sled this year.

Motel
 

Does seem strange to see just a bunch of dirt where the motel stood. I may have missed it in earlier postings about what, if anything is going up on the location. We had ice along the shore here in Beverly last week or so and with the cold snap coming, it won't be long 'til the lake is officially iced in.

Mother Nature giveth, and taketh away...

This afternoon was a beautiful, late-March-like afternoon, temps in the mid-40s with sunshine. Almost all of the ice that had formed on rocks along the shoreline has melted, and the road is a bit slushy as the top layer of dirt melts.

For the first time in a long time you can see Pixie Island from the road.
They are building 17 or so townhouses so it won't last long. Still unclear what's going to happen to the steak house.

Very surprised to see how much ice formed overnight last night. It's skimmed over about 100 yds out from shore in our cove. There was none at sunset, and the snow is sticking on it in places.

With no temps above freezing forecast for the next 10 days, if it stays calm, we could see early ice-in this year.

Any updates? Looks like moultonboro bay is caught.

We went out to Mark today, no ice in sight other than a bit of broken stuff in between mark and mink in the nwz. It looked like the mouth of smith cove has opened up a bit as well.

I was at Geneva Point area in Moultonborough today and Melvin Bay is not frozen yet. There's some thin ice in our cove but the Bay is open.

Lake Wentworth froze over on November 30 and, despite some challenges in the first week from rain and 40s is now frozen solid.

The ice on Merrymeeting reported above disappeared once the wind came up, and we are ice free for now.

I expect that if the wind dies, we could get a flash freeze quickly, as happened a few years ago. For about a week, we had beautiful, dark black ice that was smooth as glass. Great for ice boating and skating!

Maybe it'll happen after this weekends storm as all the snow landing in the water chills it more.

No doubt the water is cold enough to freeze. It just needs a couple of calm nights. Went to check my thermometer this morning but the ice formed. The coves around CI are frozen as well. I didn't turn on my ice aerator on until late January last year. Still cooking outside though!!! That grill will come in today with snow coming :(...George Forman until late March

So what are the bags over the posts for?

Too funny Steve O, after I added the photo I said "someone is going to look at those bags and say what the heck is that"
I have solar/battery powered lights that are mounted to the top of the dock posts. You can easily remove the snap top housing, containing the bulbs and wires, from the base of the light. The plastic bags are a lazy effort to keep any rain out of the bases. There's only a mirrored reflector in the base and I am only slightly worried about them filling with water and expanding when they freeze. The bags should help.

Lots of slush riding the waves on our waterfront today. That's usually an indicator that the water temps are right for freezing and the only thing preventing it is the wave action and wind. Should freeze quickly if things settle down.

Just drill some weep holes in the corners of the plates, it won't effect it structurally

This is the light. There is really nowhere to drill without cosmetic damage. The last dock lights I had allowed spiders and other bugs into the housing and by summers end it was filled with cocoons and dead bugs. These lights snap on at the top and when secure keep the inside of the lights free from bugs and other crap. The bags, which are heavier than ordinary plastic bags, aren't necassary but should help keep them clean.

Where did you get those lights??

Lowes in Gilford carries them. They worked great this past summer. The LED light has a blue tone to it.
They come with two rechargeable AA batteries which are recharged through the solar panel.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_254599-67197...hts&facetInfo=

Back to our regularly scheduled topic of Ice-in...

As suspected, large portions of Merrymeeting skimmed over last night. The open areas have plumes of steam rising this morning as more heat goes out of the water. If it stays this calm, I'd expect the whole lake to skim over by the end of the day.

However, the wind is supposed to come up later in the morning. It will be interesting to see how/if the ice survives.

While I can only see about 1/3rd of the lake from my house, and the other end usually freezes last, I believe we have ice-in on Merrymeeting.

It skimmed over the night before last. Wind yesterday broke up much of it. But for the first time, several large ice floes remained at the end of the day, and they rejoined during the night. I woke up at about 2:30 last night, and in the bright moonlight I could still see several areas of open water where the water was rippling. But by this morning, those were closed up and there is now ice as far as we can see from this end. Once it closes up and the wind can’t whip up the waves, it usually stays. Especially with the temps we have now!

Most of the surface is rough, and it will be covered with snow tonight. Sadly, I’m sure we’ll be hearing reports over the next few days of snowmobiles going in as the surface will look inviting to some dummies, but I’m sure won’t be safe in all areas.

I found the same ice formation around my docks at sunrise this morning. I noticed most of the shorelines and coves along WB Blvd. were iced up as I drove to DD's. The rest of Paugus Bay was still water but since then most of Paugus Bay has formed a skim of ice. I have never seen it form so fast in the day light. The water is dead calm and the lake is rapidly turning to ice.

PaugusBayFireFighter: You got me good with your signature that appears to be a bug inside my monitor screen. Yes....I was sitting here trying to squish the bug. Was I surprised when I scrolled up and the bug moved!

Bug
 

McDude, he got me yesterday. I actually hit my screen a couple times before I realized it wasn't real.

Me too. I tried to get the bug off the screen and then decided it was in the screen. Finally I realized it was just PBFF. :laugh:

As I said in another thread...
 

PBFF owes me for a new laptop screen... I'll be darned if that little bug was going to get the best of me. Back to Ice In.

Ice in is definitely happening, it probably won't last but we are ahead of the game from last year.
Here are some shots from the south end of Bear looking towards Mark Is.

It's definitely freezing over on the South-Western side of Rattlesnake.

http://www.rattlesnakeisland.net/image_snow.jpg

Ice Around Welch
 

Ice is starting to form around my dock on Welch. Considering this is in the middle of the lake, I think a few calm and cold nights and we could be fully iced over in a couple weeks!!

Think Ice!

Dan

Paugus Bay this morning, looking south at Little Island

To misquote Mark Twain, my reports of ice-in on Merrymeeting were greatly exaggerated.

It turns out that the larger portions of the lake that I couldn't see are still open. Even more interesting, the portions that were ice covered are opening up again. This despite the fact that temps haven't gone much above 20 for the past 72 hours or more. I'm guessing it's a combination of insulating snow allowing melting from below, coupled with winds that are now picking up again. Things are opening up when I would have expected the reverse.

Just a few small pieces floating in the protection of my breakwater at the se end of the broads.

Alton Bay
 

Alton Bay is somewhat iced in from the bridge out to around Echo Point. There are some unfrozen spots in between. The problem is the snow that fell on top of the ice that was not fully frozen will make like a blanket of insulation on top of the ice and not allow the ice to fully harden making for unsafe conditions. Supposed to get down below zero tonight but the winds are howling so not much progress will be made overnight.

it's starting at Pine Island...
 

well I guess it's time to pull the Alumacraft, it doesn't look like we'll make it out by boat this weekend unless the cooling trend changes dramatically...

from the webcam this morning, good ice forming from shore well out to the broader open areas... bearcam also looked like there's a good skim out on the lake... will be interesting to see what happens with the predicted snow today, too bad because the way it looks now it would be ideal for skating, ice-boating, etc!

my Christmas wish... please Santa make it freeze fast, solid, and thick! -PIG

Weirs ice-in time lapse
 

The time lapse link from the WeirsCam shows the ice setting up this morning. If we get the snow tonight, we'll know for sure what's frozen in.

Ice forming just off LSP
 

Just before sunrise today.. while taking some Moon Set pictures.. got this ice forming


Attachment 8706

Steve, your photographs are absolutely first class! Great work.

LG is correct!
 

the snow is a great indicator of what's froze out there... the latest view from Pine Island cam (looking due east toward's m'boro neck)...

-PIG

pictures
 

The pictures are just beautiful! Can't wait to move up there. Thanks for the updates.

Bear Island to Mark
 

Is frozen, this is the earliest I have seen since we bought in 2007.

I have pictures from last New Years of Paugus Bay ice and snow free. We are way ahead of last years ice in. Mild temps in the next few days but it looks like the ice is here!

Ice In Broads
 

Woke up this morning to see some nice ice forming even in the broads!

The first pic shows Esatern tip of Welch island on far left and Sandy island in the center.

The second pic show the South and West side of Welch. Looks like everything from Round island North is frozen in!

Hopefully the wind stays calm and does not blow it all away!!

Dan

Many, many thanks for all the updated info and pictures... please keep them rolling in! Seeing these helps overcome the disappointment of not being able to get to NH this winter...

https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/...53098611_n.jpg

Ice all the way to Sleepers Island.

Alton Bay...
 

All the way to Little Mark, and over to Black Point.:)

Hope it makes it through the warm up this weekend, I am having island withdrawls!

When I drove by Ames Farm today the view was of open water. It is going to be a while.

I think the lake temp thermometer is broken.

Deep Chill Coming
 

.....next week. The bays seem frozen over early this year. Any ice developments since 12/20.
Thanks for the update for us down south (PA). ;)

Welch Area Ice
 

Have some nice ice forming off Welch! If it can stay calm and cold long enough to lock it up, we should be good to go real soon!!

Think ice!!

Dan

Mild in the short term but.....
 

Next week looks very favorable for ice growth as long as the bitter cold that's coming doesn't include wind. So PBFF, I'm caving in!!! It took me six weeks but I think next week will bring true ice-in.

BT

Nice!
 

Nice progress!!

Getting there....
 

....but still a lot of open water.

Maybe we will get an update from Emerson Aviation soon?

We still have a bit to go, Emerson flying right now solely to verify would be wasted fuel. We seem to be on track, or just slightly ahead of a normal ice-in.

Hopefully you can see this picture from Gunstock's facebook page.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.n...28488355_o.jpg

More Pics
 

Here's a couple pics I took just a few minutes ago from my deck in Gilford.

The first pic shows a large patch of ice coming from the Southwest side of Welch island which goes across the entire lake to the Belknap point area.

The second pic shows Welch at 9:00 o'clock. As you can see the main section of the broads are still open water. There is some minor skimming that can be seen as well as some large ice flows floating through.

The bad news is the high winds predicted for Monday will most likely blow all the ice you see away. :emb: The good news is a long period of cold weather is predicted starting Tuesday night so hopefully things will lock up! :)

Dan

lovin' the pictures.....THANKS !!!

Ice in the broads
 

Quick video from my webcam on the northern end of Rattlesnake, looks like we are finally forming.

https://www.dropcam.com/c/122de03746...55c8c5d46f.mp4

I think the link will work without a drop cam login.

The winds have begun in the past 30 mins. It will be interesting to see how the open areas and ice pack react to what's coming.

looking better and better!
 

Here's the latest from Pine Island - the first looking east towards M'boro Neck and Five Mile, the second view is south along the west side of Bear... with the projected cold snap this week, looks like we'll be able to walk out this coming weekend

Happy New Year to all!!! -PIG

Wind!
 

Here's what the wind did to the ice around Welch today...

The first pic was taken early this morning around 6:30 A.M. before the wind started. The second pic was taken this afternoon around 4:00 P.M....

Dan

Hmm wonder if it'll be safe enough for a sled. Really want to get out to BI but to lazy to walk out! :rolleye2:

Definitely looks good though!

out from long island at south point
 

open yesterday but looks locked up this morning

Looking west off Long Island yesterday there was just one open stretch visible out in the broads - and looked like the ice had held at sunset as the wind was dying so it must be frozen over by now !!

Still a lot of open water showing on the SnakeEyes webcam.

Looks like all of the ice was taken away by the waves and the broads look open. The cold should help that!

More Pics
 

Here's a couple iphone pics from this morning of the Welch / broads area.

Ice in by the weekend!

Dan

We have ice in the broads!
 

The view from Snake Eyes shows ice all the way across to Tuftonborough Neck. It looks like there is a stream of water in the middle. Websatwinni, do you have a shot from your place? ishoot308, how about a pic or two?

IG

Here you go! Last night just before dark and a current pic. I am looking to see if there are any good ice growing videos on there and I will post.

It happened in the dark so the vids didn't show much. If it grows today and I get it, I will share.

First bob house out in Alton Bay
 

The first bob house appeared in Alton Bay a few days ago. I'm sure more will join this weekend if not sooner.

Not there yet!
 

Thanks for the pics. It looks like there is still a lot of open water. Maybe over the weekend. More frigid temps coming. I got a note from a friend in Ottawa last night. It was -30.

IG

Today's slide show of the ice action.
 

I was lucky enough to have the ice line stop in front of the cam today, I took a few images and made a slide show so everyone can enjoy!

http://www.photosnack.com/97DBCB9A9F7/ph50zeye

If that doesn't skim over tonight with the winds forecast to come it's going to rip up what ice has formed. Next couple of days are going to be VERY cold, windy, snowy and down right wintery.

Observations from today...

Meredith bay is all locked in although off in the distance there looked as though there may be a sliver of open water right before spindle point, hard to see that far away. There was one person out on the ice fishing, no bob houses yet.

From sheps, ice looked good all the way out to Bear, Pine and beyond. I walked out on the ice about 15-20 feet or so and it felt good and solid under foot, IE no stress cracking or anything like that. Hard to say how thick it is there but I'd estimate it to be at least 3-4". I had intentions of walking out to BI but being alone and not having an ice auger to test along the way I decided against it even though I probably would have been fine. By this weekend I have no doubts it'll be good. Oh parking lot is plowed.

From Cattle Landing, that is all locked up walked out a little ways on the ice there, again felt good and solid as well. Parking lot is plowed.

Levitt Beach, couple ice shacks on the beach, one guy was out about half way to the beaver islands in a temporary ice shack. There is a skating rink somebody made there just off the beach, ice again was obviously in good shape there. Parking lot there is NOT plowed.

Center Harbor, a few ice shacks out one guy was also out on a 4wheeler.

Area lakes and ponds:

Pemegewassit (or however you spell it) was locked up tight, evidence of snowmobile traffic on it and a few ice shacks.

Waukewan, locked up some evidence of people on it but no snowmobile tracks that I could see.

Winona, locked up with some snowmoblie tracks on it.

Kanasatka, locked up with lots of snowmoble tracks on it.

Little Squam, locked up some ice shacks and 4wheelers/snowmobiles on it.

Big Squam, locked up from where I could see along Rt 25, no evidence of anyone on it yet.

Snowmobile trail conditions, as observed doing a drive by:

Corridor 8 rail bed along Waukewan, groomed, rails covered and looked outstanding.

Corridor 15 Castle Trail parking lot, thin but covered, trails had been packed only, sign by the groomers left on the junction sign indicated that the did not drag the trails due to lack of adequate snow to work with. However they looked to be in decent shape with minimal coverage. About 7 trucks in the lot.

Local trails all looked ride-able although some were not yet groomed.

Corridor 8/5 Baker River Valley, Plymouth area, MINT along Rt 25.

Snow coverage is thinner towards Moultonboro as compared to Meredith, probably due to shadowing of the mountains.

It looks as though where the groomers could get out there and work their magic they did what they could. Any additional snow fall will really set things up nice for this weekend.

Sorry no pics, didn't have my camera with me.

What a great info update! love to be there to see it in person but that sadly is not going to happen yet! Still, you guys are doing a brilliant job so many thanks!

Seriously! no camera in your phone???

Out of interest, how many of you folk use smartphones and who still use ordinary cellphones sans camera etc ???

Happy New Year one and all...

Mike

A little movement

I can tell you Mboro bay Suissevale down through 19 mi bay appears frozen pretty good. I walked out there yesterday. Solid as walking on regular ground. Ice huts and a few cars out at 19 mi bay. Numerous snow mobile tracks all through out the bay. Some was out Kite-ice boarding yesterday in Melvin Bay.. The area, especially through Suissevale has been frozen for probably a month or so.

Be careful on the ice - saw that a groomer fell through the ice up in ME already, Pleasant Pond.

Old Phone
 

Mine still has a rotary dial:rolleye2: Just saw Nashua on the Weather channel getting snow at this time. Will snow help or hurt the ICE? Please keep the pictures coming.

Snow will hurt the ice - it insulates it from the cold temps.

I don't think this snow will have much effect on the ice. Because of the extreme cold temps, the snow will be very light and the expected winds will simply blow most of it to the shoreline.

Dan

I do, but the better question is did I have it with me and the answer is heck no! I was forced with my new job to get a smartphone (AKA busybox) which I cannot stand. Matter of fact I hate em, I just want a simple phone. Texting, internet, email all that nonsense I have lived without just fine! Sadly you can only be an IT guy for so long before it catches up with you. Even worse it's an IPhone... I'm not a big apple fan.

Okay, my reason exactly for asking as I'm totally the opposite to you (just as well we are not all the same huh!) My iPhone is seldom far from my reach and I would be totally lost without it...

Power Outage on Bear?
 

Is power out on Bear? Bear Cam is down.

Windy and Snowing.
 

Just took this snapshot, there is power on the south end of Bear.

Yep I don't think I will ever suffer the fate of being lost without my itoy, matter of fact a couple of times I forgot my phone at home and had to suffer all weekend long at the camp without it. It was fantastic!

However I do never leave for the camp with out my ham radio!

Next trip though, I'll bring the busy box just for you Mike so I can take pics! No doubt I will be there with the sleds this weekend.

Lucky so & so... wish I was there... enjoy!

Please don't hijack the ice-in thread!

Declaration
 

OK, Snake Eyes is showing ice to Tuftonboro neck. Will someone declare "ice in"? Oh, fudge, I'll do it. "ICE IN"!!

Check out the Erica's cam (Gunstock Acres I believe) it shows open water remaining in the broads.

Still open water
 

There is still open water off the north east part of Rattlesnake Island. If you enlarge the Snake Eyes image you can see the open water.

On the other hand it looks like ice from Chestnut Cove to Rattlesnake Island!

My apologies!

Welch = Locked Up!
 

Looks pretty well locked up on the West side of Welch. Since this is one of, if not the last area to freeze, I can't imagine ice in not being declared sometime tomorrow.

Heading to the Turks and Caicos islands tomorrow for a week to do a little bone fishing and soak in some sunshine and umbrella drinks. When I get back, I will be putting the bob house out and doing a little ice fishing... with a sunburn! :D

Looks like the start of a great winter on the big lake!!

Dan

jealous
 

That sounds like a hell of a couple of weeks ishoot308! Enjoy!

Open water off Rattlesnake
 

Hopefully the open water off Rattlesnake will freeze over as the winds die down tonight and tomorrow. I just want to make sure people know the lake is not completely frozen.

IG