DO YOU REMEMBER '03

[bosshogin]

NOT TRYING TO DIFFER WITH ANYONE, BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THAT NO ICE IS "WORRY FREE" GOOD ICE, BUT SAYING 12" OF ICE ISINT ENOUGH FOR FULL SIZE TRUCKS IS GOING TO FAR.

JANUARY 27, 2003 AT THE DETROIT LAKE SNOWMOBILE RACES NUMEROUS RACING TRAILERS WENT THROUGH 12" OF ICE, SPOKESPERSON FOR EVENT SAID THAT IN THE PAST THEY HAVE PARKED ON 12" OF ICE WITH NO PROBLEM.

YES THEY WENT THROUGH, BUT MY POINT IS THAT IF THESE BIG RIGS ARE PAKING IN LINES ON 20 OR MORE ON 12" OF ICE OR 1 FOR THAT FACT, I DONT BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A OVER CONCERN WITH DRIVING A FULL SIZE TRUCK ON THE SAME AMOUNT.

AS I SAID NOT TRYING TO DIFFER WITH ANYONE, BUT JUST TRYING TO STATE AN OPINION THAT 10" OR 12" OF ICE IS PENENTY. ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AT IT IS WHEN PEOPLE ARE DRIVING OUT TO PULL SHACKS OFF THE LAKES AT THE END OF SEASON THERE ISINT MUCH MORE IF NOT LESS BY THEN.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?????????

[Gissert]

http://www.crrel.usace.army.mil/ierd/ice_safety/safety.html

This is an excellent site on ice strengths, and how ambient temps, static and snow loads can effect strength.

[abens1078]

Sure, we can take your truck.

My Guess is those limits were figured to leave a little room for error. If you were going to provide a figure that thousands of lives depend on you would most certainly leave a little a cushion. When you cook for a crowd it's best to cook a little extra in case some one brings their fat date....yeah???

[Gus]

Very interesting article. Thanks for posting it.

For some people I think it is not an issue of "technically the ice should hold" but more of a "do I want to bet my truck, gear, and possibly life" on ice holding. I for one don't like to gamble. I wait until I have about 15 inches before I get my half ton truck out. But that's just me. I have a snowmbobile so before 15 inches I just use that. Some people I fish with call me a wimp or a .... you get the idea. But it's my money and life that could be sinking to the bottom of an icy lake if that 12 inches does not hold up. Just my point of view though. I'm sure there are a million others out there.

[The_Duckslayer]

Boss, I am sure that 12 inches of ice would probably hold up my truck as it only weighs 3 tons. However, "IF" there were to be a thin spot this early in the season it would be my luck to find it. If the Big Blue Truck were to go through she would be shot AND it would cost probably thousands to get it back out of the ice. No thanks, I'll walk. N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo

[swampman]

I think most guys weigh the risk rewards and make a decision from there.12 inches of good ice this time of year is proably more than enough to support any passenger vehicle on the road but there are always some intangibles to take into account, and if you are going to compare a foot of december ice and a foot of march ice your playng a game you will eventually lose.

[psegriz]

I will agree and disagree with everyone. You can go out and look at and drill holes in the ice to find out it's 12" thick. of good solid ice. Are you going to garentee there 's 12" across the hole lake, if you do your a fool. If there is 12" it will support more than most will think. It depends on how people drive also, If someone is driving across 12" with a 3/4 diesel it will support them going slow. If they drive too fast they build up a wave in front of them and the ice can buckle and down goes their rig. Think about this the guy who drove out on the lake b4 you got there ( you can tell by his tracks) was he driving fast enough to break up the ice but still make it across. That could leave the next person coming by an unnoticed hole to be driven into. Now comes to snow cover, That can insulate ice and prevent it from thickening. It can also in certain weather form slush pockets on top of ice ruducing or eliminating the ice below it. I'm telling you this from a perspective of driving a 4x4 extcab ranger across 4" safely, a half ton 4x4 over 7" safely knowingly. I've also walked across 9" of good ice that changed overnight and fell through. I've dropped vehicles through 15" also (more than one). I have drove on ice in the spring when going by a hole and seen a guiser out the hole 3' high. In the spring I've kicked holes in the ice with my foot that was 16" thick, 2 hrs. earlier I had to use a chainsaw.

Sorry to make this so long winded but ice changes constantly and just cause it was good before doesn't mean that it is now. It might look good but looks can be decieving. Don't go out just because someone else does like me. Go only after you have personally inspected and feel comfortable with it and at your own risk.