Lake Winnipeg travel conditions?

[Catmendo]

There's always "one" major consideration to take into account when choosing the most sensible and safest form of transportation on on frozen lakes, especially monsters like Lake winnipeg.

Recently, I've noticed a couple of wheel houses that guys have hauled up here in order to fish the lake. Not very practical when you consider that access on and off the lake is minimal at best. Unlike many U.S. based lakes, icluding L.O.T.W's. where snow ploughs open up trails for esay travel, no such luxuries exist on Lake Winnipeg. I have guys contacting me daily, the #1 question is, "can we drive out on the lake with a pick-up"? The answwer is yes and no. So far this winter, we have not had an over abundance of snowfall. This has made the lake quite accessible for travelling with pick-ups and other types of vehicles including cars, vans etc. However, all it takes is one significant snowfall with some strong N.W. winds thrown into the mix and in the blink of an eye easy travelling conditions on Lake Winniepg becomes becomes extremely difficult. As of yesterday and well into the night, the region has received anywhere from four to eight inch's of fresh snow. Yes, there was (and still is) some strong N.W. Winds that had accompanied the snow. We all know what strong winds can do with a dumping of the "white stuff"!

One other "important consideration" to take into account when travelling on Lake Winnipeg..."pressure ridges"! These nasty and natural occurances can make travel extremely difficult and in some cases next to impossible for all vihicles other than snowmobiles etc. These pressure ridges can develope fast and without warning. I have personally witnessed pressure ridges that measured several feet across making safe travel extremely difficult.

In summary, the most sensible and safest form of transportation for Lake Winnipeg is the snowmobile...period.