That is the little island for sale
Right outside the barbers pole. My brother was fishing in the barbers pole today on 6+inches. Looks like we are not going to venture out any further.

A picture's worth a thousand words
 

Pictures are in this order:

1. From Wolfboro Town Docks/Brewster Beach?
2. A little more into Wolfeboro Bay
3. 19 Mile Bay
4. Center Harbor
5. Leavitt Park
6. Meredith Bay
7. Opechee Boat Ramp
8. Laconia ramps at Winnisquam
9. S. end of Winnisquam/Belknap [?] Park

[QUOTE=Dhuberty24;197920]Is that called "Echo Island"??

Thanks!

Dan

How was the ice from shep browns over to bear? Are there any reefs?

Thank you

That ice should be good to go, however you're not going to be able to start from Sheps. The spot over by the docks down behind their second show room was all blocked off and there was open water right by the shore (as of last Saturday AM 1/26/2013) so it would be unsafe to attempt to get on there. It also looks like they are doing some work in there, big excavator is parked there with evidence of fresh tracks. It's clear to me they don't want anyone over there and for good reason if the work they are doing involves keeping the ice from setting up good there. If there are any adjacent areas you could safely get on the ice you should be fine walking out from there. I would still play it safe and drill some holes along the way, but that area was all locked up before the cold so I'd bet it's pretty solid. Just wouldn't bet my life on it! No pressure ridges could be seen out there from shore.

If you look at the pics I posted earlier, I cross over to Bear between Pine and 3 Mile islands, although the ice out there looks incredibly unsafe, it was averaging 10" all the way as we drilled holes in areas that looked really scary.

I wouldn't worry to much about this short warmup, that ice is really hard and dense. Even the gas powered auger was slow to cut through it at least where we were checking.

[QUOTE=ishoot308;197925]I believe it is it had a camp that burned down on it. It is a fun spot to go snorkeling.

Echo Island - photo taken May 2011

Attachment 7353

I didn't cross from Shep's, no place to get onto the ice. I crossed from just north of Cattle and went straight across into the Carry on Bear. The ice was 6 to 8 inches everywhere I checked. The ice directly in front of Cattle, and south of Cattle hasn't been in as long, and I don't want to be the first on it! Plus, the bubbler is keeping it open for quite a ways around the dock.

When you say "just north of Cattle," do you mean a few hundred feet, or over towards Black Cove/the Loon Sanctuary? My brothers and I are planning to come up at the end of February and cross over to Bear (our house is almost directly across from Cattle), and we'll almost certainly be parking at Cattle.

Also, any idea of the depth of snow on the Island? We're planning to trek up to the church, and not sure if we'll need snowshoes.

There is very little snow left in this area, and with temps moving towards 50 on Wednesday with heavy rain predicted it is a sure bet most if not all of it will be gone.
It is snowing now and we MAY get 2-4 but it will not last with those temps and rain.
If it is possible this winter is looking worse then last winter did.
Realistically, an awful lot can happen between now and the end of February though. Could get a blizzard!!

Blizzard would be nice ;)

Best way to get to bear
 

I have a place on bear near the church docks and am trying to figure out the best way to get out there this season. Have my bob house and a bunch of ppl coming in for the fishing derby..anyone know how the ice is coming from gilford (gilford beacc or glendale) past timber to bear on the witches side? Any reefs that would tie me up with my 4x4 and bob house? Ice depth?

Lake access
 

You have a couple choices that are better than Glendale. 1). Cattle Landing. Easy access for sleds and atvs down the embankment next to the stairs to the dock. The town removes the guardrail to make that access possible. Can be tough to get up if icy though. Better and more parking is available at Shep Brown's Boat Basin but roughy two more miles to travel. Access is up past the showroom to the left of the main parking lot.

Two areas for some caution: 1) thru cattle landing be sure to stay in the middle and be aware of any ice eater action from the mainland side. There's usually some ice eater action from the boathouse on Dolly Island too. Never understood why people aim those things out. Also, there usually is an ice reef as you exit the narrows of cattle landing. No worries if on a sled or atv usually. If we get another long freeze it will be less an issue. 2). Be cautious if you're walking near the channel (beyond the channel markers) between Mark and Bear. The Bear side near that channel can be surprisingly thin. I've seen open water there in years when we don't get a foot or more of ice.

Seventeen years experience walking/snowmobiling that area.

If you see guys on the ice on the north side of Mink, drop in to say hello. I'll be out for sure this weekend and beginning Thursday before the Derby.

The ice was sketchy at best this past weekend at the end of Varney Point in Saunders Bay (Gilford Beach). Only one person I saw venture out near the end of Varney point and turn around because the ice was not safe in his estimation. No way to get out there from Glendale either as it is completely unsafe as you head out towards Lockes.

I think Mink Islanders suggestion is your best bet.

Good Luck and be safe!

Dan

Not this year, they are doing some work over there and as a result the parking lot at sheps is only partially plowed and they have setup a huge metal barge and parked an excavator there blocking access to the area next to the docks usually open for access. Not only that there was open water there last Saturday so it's not safe anyways. I suspect they are doing work down there as there is evidence of fresh tracks from that excavator. It's pretty clear they don't want anyone using that as an access point so it's cattle landing or nothing IMHO if you need to get on the ice in that general area. Just want to point that out for anyone who may be interested in using it, unless there is another access point that is usable, but not that I'm aware of.

Ice conditions
 

How is the ice looking in the channel between Governors Island and the main land over towards Boathouse Rd?

It didn't look great last Sunday for Pond Hockey this coming weekend on the rinks in Meredith? Anyone...?

Please post a pic, ishoot308
 

How does it look out there today from your webcam?

Today's MODIS Image
 

This is the image from this morning. It does show how much of the lake has at least "some" ice. Tonights rain and tomorrow's temps will change it.

1st Trip To Rattlesnake
 

With a little new snow on the ice to lubricate/cool the snowmobile, I just took a ride out from the Landing to my camp on Rattlesnake. The ice seems good...

The ice in front of my house in Gilford (Belknap-Pt) which locked up on Monday-1/21 now has about 8" of good solid black ice.

However, beware - the ice is still surely still unsafe (or non-existent) in many areas (e.g., around Welch, areas of the broads, etc.). Areas where ice existed before the cold snap last week are likely good, however areas where the wind kept things open are bad and now with the new snow it is very hard to see the difference.

Why do you say that? Sunday the rinks were all snowblown/shoveled and had been for a week or so.

The ice is good in Meredith Bay. As long as the ice stiffens back up after the brief warm spell (Thurs. night lows forecasted around 17 degrees) everything should go great.

Here you go...Don't let the picture fool you, that is just extremely cold and calm water with snow sitting on top of it. It is still "open water"!

Dan

If you see guys on the ice on the north side of Mink, drop in to say hello. I'll be out for sure this weekend and beginning Thursday before the Derby.[/QUOTE]

Thank you for the Information. Normally I go out of Sheps but have been told the area behind the showroom is under some form of construction and not accessible. I am gonna drive up this weekend and see what the deal is.

Will do!! There will be a large group of us between Bear and Meredith neck at the mouth of the channel..dark green bob house, swing in!!

View the time lapse videos on Erika's Gunstock Acres Cam.
http://www.wunderground.com/webcams/erikas/2/show.html
scroll down and click on "view video" beneath each daily shot

Save the Ice
 

Everyone open their refrigerators and freezers to help save the Ice!

Cold
 

After today, tomorrow night will be back to cold- temp of 19. Hopefully no wind. :liplick:

Ice-In
 

Ice in has been declared yesterday. :D

Huh?
 

Here's Emerson's video taken yesterday which shows all the massive open water still. I don't see how he could declare "ice in" with this much open water...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUG6Z...ature=youtu.be

And where would that be?

Well, we here at Emerson Aviation were able to call "Ice In" yesterday. The hold out was at Belknap Point to Broadview Condominiums to Welch Island. This area has been stubborn to freeze and seems to be the first to come out. My theory, natural springs on the lake floor acting as bubblers much like around the docks. Be careful venturing out. I suspect that its not very thick yet and with today's and tonight's warm weather and rain won't help it any. Don't fret, normal temps back Friday.

Ice
 

I don't think the ice will last in the boards with the weather tonight. All I heard was ice in was declared, but who knows.

Based on the photo from ishoot308 posted yesterday at 1:32 PM in this thread, there is a large area of snow covered cold water that might look like ice from the air. You can see it is not ice from his photo. It is open water.

No idea how ice-in was called.

Be safe!

R2B

So, is 312 days the longest stretch between ice out, March 23, and yesterday's ice in?

And it's the same way today as well as quite a few other spots on the lake!!

Ice in...NOT!

Dan

Once ice out is declared and it refreezes does it move to the new day? Has it ever happened before?

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xUG6Zzor4qE?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUG6Z...ature=youtu.be

Dan I was waiting for your comments on the subject. Given the temps have not really been cold enough to support those last areas freezing I had my reservations as well.
I guess they had to declare it at some point even if it wasn't a normal ice in.
Not sure what all this rain, and it is torrential, and wind is gonna do for things but it can't be good.
I saw the tent going up yesterday morning for the pond hockey event this weekend and was wondering why with all this wind expected would they put that up.
Maybe they left the top off, hope so because it is really blowing.

I don't see how this could ever really happen. Ice-out isn't declared until the lake is almost completely ice free (save for a few ice floes floating around or a few small coves still with some ice. By the time ice-out is declared, the water temperature has risen enough that it would take weeks of cold weather to completely re-freeze the whole lake. While some areas may skim over at night, but 10ish AM the next day, the skim is usually gone.

I agree, I don't see how this could ever happen, either.