Crossing pressure ridges...

[Dan97]

Howdy All...

When out ice fishing, it's on the sled or atv. My 3 ton Dodge stays on shore. So on the larger lakes, like Mille Lacs, cracks and pressure ridges (heaves) form.

Without any prior information, like tracks, how do you know where to cross? Can you take either atv's or sleds across some of those steel bridges they've put out?

Thanks......Dan

[Guest]

I think thats its important to know that nay time you cross a heave, its dangerous. I for one, don't practice what i preach. When i cross a heave, first I try to get around it by looking farther down the crack to see if theres a better area. Some of the more recent cracks show little sign, and thats whats dangerous. Lately on millacs Ive seen some smaller heaves that are beginning to shift underneath one another. So when youre inspecting an area try to see if one side of the ice is lower or higheer than the other. If its pretty flat I say go for it. But you need to try and avoid the more heaved areas. See if you can get around it first. You just gotta ask yourself if its worth your truck. Just try to find a way around it. It'll take longer but eventually you'll make it. Don't end up like the bone heads on millacs this year who drive right next to the heave while looking for a place to cross. Thats probably the weakest point. They ended up at the bottom of the lake. just take your time and play it safe. nad if you do go through......when you hit bottom, start runnin for shore.

[bushbunny]

The commercial fishermen that I know, and occasionally help, use a probe like an ice chisel or needle bar to check pressure ridges for water before they cross them. Once they cross, it seems to freeze and allows a long term crossing. Individuals that put the ice roads through in northern Canada, use the same method.

[Guest]

Be careful on those pressure ridges. Last season I was following my father across one. He first testing it with one foot. He decided it was safe to cross. So he continued to go over it. One foot then the other. As soon as the second hit the ice he fell through to the next layer. Luckly he only fell up to his knees. I helped to pulled him out. To be honest I'm not really sure how to know where its safe to cross. I'm just saying be careful when you do cross.

[This message has been edited by Avalanche (edited 02-05-2002).]