Have you ever broken thru the ice?

[Switch]

As the weather warms up and we get more spring run off ice conditions on lakes and streams deteriorate very quickly. I had the experience of breaking thru the ice two years ago at Long Lake on the North end on the stream about 1/2 Km away from the bridge going to Amisk lake. It was late Feb and the weather was a beautiful +4/5 above and my wife and I had a great day sledding and were heading back to our Cabin via the creek bed which had several new tracks on it. We came upon a turn were there seemed to be a small pool of water on the one edge, I signaled my wife to stop behind me and I dismounted to check it out. I walked approx 25' from my sled when I broke thru the ice. After breaking thru and saying oh S$?#T, I was remarkably calm and thought I,LL just push down and get out - oops no bottom. The area where I broke thru was approx 2-3" thick as I remember hanging on to the edge, I was lucky enough to get one leg up on the ice and sort of roll over and out. I got back to my sled emptied my boots, signaled my wife to get off the creek bed toot sweet. My wife thought i had just slipped and fallen on the ice until she saw my wet suit, boy did that ever freak her out. Lessons learn't that day where always watch for changing conditions, let your partner know where your safety gear is stored, if hadn,t been able to get out on my own she would have had to extend my probe or my tow rope to get me out, So as the weather gets warmer watch out for changing conditions, keep safety gear on board and sled safe. It was a cold ride back to the cabin after that.

 

[plumbum]

been through on my quad a couple of times. both just minor get the quad a little wet. luckily one time i didnt go all the way through it was at least 3 feet deep and fast moving. and sometimes there arent indicators so be careful in all conditions.

 

[Apex06]

I was in kakawa last weekend and i got off my sled and started walking over to my buddy (about 10 feet) and first step i took went right threw the ice and layer of snow on top and second step sank down about 6 inches of slush/ice under the snow. Jumped out and ran to my sled and booted it out of there.
Gets the heart pumping thats for sure!

 

[teeroy]

kind of the same thing happened to my friend, a bunch of us were stopped on a beaver dam pond and he must've been standing over a run under the ice. he drops in to about a little over his waist, and catches the ice with his hands and scrambles out. while we were kinda chuckling about it, he walks away from that spot grumbling and cleaning the water spots off his glasses and sploosh! right to his neck deep....it was hard to pull him out 'cause of the laughing and all. good times...

 

[Canadian Country Cabins]

.............Yep had the same experiance earlier this year when we had really cold -35, warm +2 and cold again -12.....................following a buddy accross a lake and saw his trail was 'slush' at best, booted it straight to high ground. Thin ice 10 or so inches of water and thick ice (10") didnt stop the heart though!!
..........................no option but to ride back round the rim either, really pleased i had the lightest sled that day!!

 

[mudboy]

That stream at the north end of Long Lake is spring fed. It is not a good idea to be on it at all. We have hade people in the middle of winter -20 out side and they have gone through

 

[Zar]

I have seen a few bad spots on the Sturgeon River and actual helped resuced a buddy on his sled because he partially broke thru the ice on the Sturgeon near Calihoo. River riding is tough. Good post Switch

 

[badmonkey]

I have seen a few bad spots on the Sturgeon River and actual helped resuced a buddy on his sled because he partially broke thru the ice on the Sturgeon near Calihoo. River riding is tough. Good post Switch

Calihoo............I grew up there. you ride with new locals or the old locals?

 

[Zar]

Bad Monkey
I rode with some new locals ( they moved to to Hillview subdivision 7- 8 years ago ). We would get onto a creek that flows into the Strugeon and it was usually safe but we had a few episodes and close calls. It was a great way to travel the country side. Also did some river running on the Edson River and my ski fell thru the ice. The bad thing was this was already night and very dark. Switch has a good idea - he has a buoyant snowmobile suit made by FXR. I think that is the way to go if your going to do the river running or the lake cruising

 

[Scottishpride]

I've been through a few times but none where that serious. god my feet and shins wet. thats about it though.

 

[jeremy]

i came around a corner on the sturgeon sunday dinner time, and sure was glad i opened it up cause i went across a beautiful stretch of open water, and will try to posts some pics of my brothers sled in the creek earlier this year

 

[ZRrrr]

Sturgeon gets alot of surface water. Looks worse than it is. Good thing about the Sturgeon is that it really isn't deep at all. Now when I see track on the North Sask, that freaks me out!