Feb06 Ice Conditions

[Merrymeeting]

Hi All,

I'm starting this thread to allow for accurate updates on the changing weather and ice conditions. With snow finally forecast for tonight and tomorrow, and many areas of the lake now iced over, I expect many will be anxious to get out.

But, given many areas will still have very thin ice cover, and with warmer temps once again predicted for next weekend, I also expect conditions will be very dangerous. Thin areas will be covered and insulated with snow, and the underlying water mass is still a bit warmer than normal.

Let's be careful out there!

[upthesaukee]

yep, folks in New Durham must be on a dial up modem...Feb05 ice conditions?????? Sure took a long time for that post to go through....

When I went to Gilford this morning from Alton Bay, there was open water off Lake Shore Park, down below the scenic view that looks out on the broads and the Ossipees, and of course the large open area below Belknap Pt. I didn't have a chance to see close up, but from Rte 11 looking down into Glendale bay, it looked like open water from Pig Island over to Lockes Island. If it isn't open, it is very freshly frozen.

Also, it appears that there is a pressure ridge on Alton Bay north of the the rte 11 scenic view. If it is not a pressure ridge, then it is certainly an area of rough ice that runs the full width of the bay.

[Mink Islander]

Was just at Cattle Landing this PM. 5-7" of black ice with an inch or two of slush ice on top. That dark spot to the right of the public dock and heading across towards Bear is actually 2" of black ice. I'd be fast, cautious or both going through there on a sled. A couple of groups of ice fisherman out. While it's too bad there's going to be snow tonight, I still expect conditions will be generally ok in that area for next weekend.

[Weirs guy]

We've got a similar thread going in the general discussion forum, but the short version is basically the small coves seem to be ok, but the larger open areas are scary at best. It looks like there will be areas where it wont freeze solid at all this year.

[Merrymeeting]

My thinking in starting this one was that the other thread was getting a bit long in the tooth, and many might miss updates if they stopped reading about "Ice-In"

But it looks like that thread is the more definitive source for updates.

[Weirs guy]

Its also got the realy cool picture of the brand new Dodge Ram acting like a fish trap! Seriously, you do have a good point, we've kinda wandered off topic over there.

[codeman671]

Originally Posted by Mink Islander

Was just at Cattle Landing this PM. 5-7" of black ice with an inch or two of slush ice on top. That dark spot to the right of the public dock and heading across towards Bear is actually 2" of black ice. I'd be fast, cautious or both going through there on a sled. A couple of groups of ice fisherman out. While it's too bad there's going to be snow tonight, I still expect conditions will be generally ok in that area for next weekend.

Any updates between Cattle landing and Mink/Mark?

[fatlazyless]

Between the Cattle Landing town dock and way, way out to Mink & Mark Islands, it is looking very doable either by foot or on a snowmobile. The ice now has about one inch of snow with a smooth-hard ice surface underneath. Around the town dock, it's very questionable due to the town's powerfull water circulator but you can just go from the little sloping walkway onto the ice, no problemo. There's been a bob house with an atv or two over where Cattle Landing runs next to the lake next to that new ugly highway railing-fence.

About three to four days ago, a buzz of snowmobiles crossed from South Bear and Mark Islands heading towards the Weirs. Have not seen any cars or trucks at all. The entire Timber-Mark-Horse-Governors-South Bear is all frozen solid with no open water. It survived last week's wind with no watery spots opening up.