Lake snowmobiling? - Snowmobile Forum: Your #1 Snowmobile Forum

Arctic_Cat_27 · 11-17-2007, 07:48 PM

Is it really that safe. Every year I see lakes near me filled with sled tracks and it is a good way to test your top speed and race other people. But the odd year I hear of people falling through and losing their sleds and/or even their lives. I'm still kinda iffy on this one when I get my sled.

Whats your take on this subject?

Ditch hopper · 11-17-2007, 08:09 PM

Riding lakes is fine thats wut 80% or my riding consists of when riding the lakes you just gotta be careful and use your head 1 thing you should never do is ride alone and deffinatly not a night always carry ice picks, and a safty rope"incase you have to pull someone outta the water" and somthin that i do that others might is do not do you helmet up all the way cause of you go in ull be able to get it off to breath. a common mistake around here with new riders is when the get into slush or spot water there natural reaction is to stop causeing them to either get stuck in slush or sink the sled best thing you can do it you see water or slush is just pinn it and dont let of tell your sure that you clear of the broken ice and always give your sled more time to turn and stop as it takes alot more distance to turn etc on ice than hardpack!

puteman1 · 11-17-2007, 08:28 PM

One of a good things to do is pick up a lake map in the area you are riding so you will know where the broke's run in to the lake these are area you want to avoid. I also never go on a lake at night do the fact you can not see the ice ridges as they bled in at night. I also have rope in my trunk and wear a set of picks that go threw you jacket like mittens. Going across the lake saves you allot of time instead of keeping your self land locked.

Jaded · 11-17-2007, 09:15 PM

We sled on lakes alot and yes you do have to use some common sense.
The biggest thing to be aware of is as Puteman said is knowing where the streams and brooks enter the lake. These areas are always hazardous!
Keep an eye on temperatures for that area and my personal rule is that if It's early in the season and I don't see any tracks on the lake I'm not gonna be the first. I'm on a Swift water and Ice Rescue team and I know what it's like to be in that water when you break through!

Lakes in Saskatchewan in the middle of winter are no problem.

Arctic_Cat_27 · 11-17-2007, 11:19 PM

I might go a couple times if theres lots of tracks on it. But it still kinda freaks me out... even just walking on it haha.

puteman1 · 11-17-2007, 11:27 PM

come February up here we drive are trucks and cars on the ice when we are ice fishing. Last year we had a couple of friends that have never been on the ice with a sled let alone a truck or car they felt the same way. Once you learn how to read the ice and learn the thickness you will love the freedom you get crossing the lakes

Most of your fishing regulation books for ice fishing have a chart on thickness and what it will hold per square inch. way up north they drive big rigs on the ice

Arctic_Cat_27 · 11-17-2007, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by puteman1

come February up here we drive are trucks and cars on the ice when we are ice fishing. Last year we had a couple of friends that have never been on the ice with a sled let alone a truck or car they felt the same way. Once you learn how to read the ice and learn the thickness you will love the freedom you get crossing the lakes

Most of your fishing regulation books for ice fishing have a chart on thickness and what it will hold per square inch. way up north they drive big rigs on the ice

Ya I've been ice fishing once we drove our big GMC 2500 on the ice and when we used the ice drill. The ice is really thick.

jKsled · 11-17-2007, 11:33 PM

even here in wisconsin the lakes are great for driving on. in the southern part you have to have flotation, so nobody goes on lakes with sleds, but up north, the lakes always are frozen at least 1.5 feet, and there is usually about a foot of good hard windswept snow. there are like never any ridges, and if there are the snow covers them.

Arctic_Cat_27 · 11-17-2007, 11:41 PM

^Ya lake sledding just looks so fun with all that open snow space. I might just try it once to max my speedo out and thats it.

caveman · 11-17-2007, 11:50 PM

here a chart -- a rule of thumb you might say -- but all ice is different so use common sense and stay alert seen a few people go through, ice fishing over the years -- personally when i ride or fish on the ice i where a floatation suit here in southern ontario or up in northern ontario you can never be to safe.

iceman400 · 11-17-2007, 11:51 PM

lake riding is basically 90% of what i ride.. i live on lake simco in keswick ontario canada and anyone who knows simco knows that each winter shes pretty safe!... with the ammount of ice fisherman(me being one of them) and recreational snowmobilers(also me being one of them) it is totally safe as long as you use your head like everyone is stating!...also im not sure about other lakes but the OFSC put out orange trail markers on the lake to guid you to the nearest land trail so once you see them out you can be sure the ice is safe.

Connor.

Arctic_Cat_27 · 11-18-2007, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caveman

here a chart -- a rule of thumb you might say -- but all ice is different so use common sense and stay alert seen a few people go through, ice fishing over the years -- personally when i ride or fish on the ice i where a floatation suit here in southern ontario or up in northern ontario you can never be to safe.

Thanks that will come in handy!

Jaded · 11-18-2007, 12:49 PM

It's true that being on the ice can be a bit un-nerving at times but I know that where you are, you will have aboslutely no problem, if you use common sense.
What can be a bit freaky is when you're sitting out the lake, fishing or just yacking and you hear the big jolting crack as the ice expands and shifts. That's got my attention a couple of times but the more you're out there the more comfortable you'll get.

With the ice rescue tactics we preach "self rescue" because obviously you have a short window of proper body and mental function before hypothermia sets in and you are unable to react to the situation. There is so much time spent on learning how to deal with avalanches but a little knowledge can go a long way in helping out a buddy or fellow sledder when things go south on the ice. It's very rare but it seems every season some idiot pushes the envelope and pays for it.

Advice if it does happen, heaven forbid, try like Hell to stay calm, (Yeah Right) but this can make all the difference. As you panic the ice will continue to deteriorate around you, and you expend valuable energy needed for a successful exit. Try to get out from the same side of the hole you came in. Kick your feet and try to pull yourself up onto the surface. Once you're out stay flat on the ice and try to crawl to thicker safer ice or shore.
As a rescuer, loop a rope so the loop is large enough to go over the victim's head and shoulders and tell the victim to put it under his/her arms, around the chest. As you pull tell the victim to kick their feet and hang onto the rope. Once the victim is out tell them to stay flat and drag them to safety. No rope? Try to slide the victim a large stick, or any item they can use to stay above the water or use to pull themself out. Don't try to get to them unless you absolutley know you're safe in doing so. If you need to go for help, it better be close, tell the victim to stay as calm as possible, think about the Bahamas and you'll be right back. Or if there's a few of you one go for help immediately and others stay to attempt rescue.

Sorry to sound like a "Know it all" but this is part of what I do for a living and for once actually know a little bit of what I'm talking about. I'm definitely no gear-head!

Arctic_Cat_27 · 11-18-2007, 03:16 PM

^Thanks for the info!

badbrad · 11-18-2007, 03:49 PM

the whole area i usually ride in is all based on last mountain lake and you cant really get anywhere at all without going on the lake because almost all trails end and start at the lake. weve never had problems with the ice and there are always trucks out on the ice. If u are really worried just stay away from fast moving rivers because alot of times theres slush on the surface but they stay open all winter. And here in sask. there are lakes everywhere and most trails are centered on them so ul end up going on them anyways.