Official 2017 Ice-In Thread
 

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This is the Official 2016-2017 Ice-in Thread. Please post your comments about this year's Ice-in here. The air temperatures are falling and a few coves are freezing so it is time for our annual discussion. in 2013 the lake temperature was 28 degrees on this date. The forecast this week is for very cold temperatures.

It is typically 33-35 degrees at the Weirs when the broads skims over. The Lake temp as of this morning, reported by the Winnipesaukee Dataphone is 39 degrees. (12-12-2016)
The Ice-in page is live at www.rattlesnakecam.com/watch.htm. If you have a webcam or know of one, please post the information in this thread and I will add it to the page. If you have a webcam that I have in the defunct section of the ice in page, please post here if it will be coming back at some point.

For those of us who are addicted to watching the lake freeze, enjoy. If you are new to the lake, come back often and watch the progress of Ice-in!

Please visit this thread for the latest news and the Ice-in page for current images of the freezing progress. (Please click on the ads at webcam sites and support the sponsors. This provides revenue to keep the cams alive)

As always Please post your pics of the freezing lake here.

See you on the ice!
IG

Thank you for the Forum and the Ice-In/out discussions. For those of us who are Summer residents it is a real pleasure to keep track of what is happening on the lake the rest of the year.

Our webcam, Winnipesaukeecam.com will be out of commission until next summer. I need to get a new camera. Any suggestions for a PTZ camera?

Blackey's cove iced up Saturday night, took my circulator about 1/2 hour to break through, so I guessed almost 2 inches of ice Sunday morning. Parts of CH where iced over also on Sunday.

John Snow says "Winter is coming"....
 

And remember 39 degrees is the magic water temperature - the inflection point where colder water is less dense than the warmer water below it, allowing the surface water to fall to 32 degrees and freeze on top of (slightly) warmer water.

Once ice-in has been officially declared, can we have a thread titled "first truck through the ice". :rolleye2:

Doubtful. Because, unfortunately, that headline usually happens shortly after the coves/shoreline areas have just frozen over. Doesn't take long :rolleye2:

On a more seriouse note, the next few weeks are the dangerous ones. Please remind all you know that while the ice may look solid, give it a few more weeks to lock in.

FYI ITD. It's Blackey Cove, no possessive s. Many people make this mistake.:D

Winter is coming....
 

View from Mink Island this AM. A little snow... Lake temp now 38 degrees at Lakeport.

Better pic with Mount Washington in clear view!
 

Mount Washington dressed in white.

As expected, wind broke up any ice that was forming. Put the water temp probe in today (it is not in the water all the time since the docks are out). Recorded 37.5 as water temp. This is pretty much at the surface with the water mixing greatly due to winds.

We are close to the point where an extended period of calm will cause a lot of ice to form. But...no extended period of calm in the forecast.

I always tell the kids, assume first week in January for ice-in, plus or minus 2 weeks due to current conditions. We are in the window....

Lily Pond is completely frozen over. No snowmobile tracks yet as of 12/11 when we were last by there.

Wave 'cuz I'll be wavin' back :D

My wife went by Lily Pond Yesterday and said there was one snowmobile on the ice all by itself.

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So from what I am reading here from everyone, the lake temp is now where it needs to be, we just need a period of time a day or two with no wind and a good chance it'll "lock in" not be safe per say, but lock in? Also, from what I read, ice can form and build as much as 2 inches every 24 hours under ideal conditions?


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It won't happen to the whole lake overnight.

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Circulator is plugged in
 

Plugged my circulator in yesterday just to be safe. Sound about right? Seems like we are within a week or so of ice forming especially in Paugus Bay where ice forms earlier than other areas of the lake.

Lots of steam coming off the water this morning. At the rate the heat is leaving the water, the freeze will happen quickly if this wind ever dies down. (the winds last night may have been the worst I can remember. I certainly wouldn't have wanted to be outside last night! Now -2 here, without factoring in the wind chill! :eek::eek: )

Ice Ice Baby
 

The lake temp is 37 degrees at Lakeport this morning. Minus 5 degree air temp - brrrrr. As soon as things calm down a bit (and assuming no big warming trends, ice formation will happen fairly quickly, particularly in coves, shallower and well protected areas. Still weeks away from safe ice on most parts of the lake.

Paugus Bay:

Sea smoke !

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Glendale docks today; it's almost time to haul these boats!

2016 Ice-In Welch Island
 

Ice forming behind our breakwater on Welch.

http://i646.photobucket.com/albums/u...pssqiydszo.jpg

Welcome to the forum welch-time

Lake Wentworth Ice In 12-17-16
 

Lake Wentworth finally froze over last night. It was almost frozen 6 days ago, with a small open area between Heath Shore and Stamp Act Island, but the winds blew open a large area that was still water at sundown last night.

At sunrise, the whole lake was covered with snow.

Obviously, very dangerous now. Be careful out there.

My driveway is solidly, "locked up" this morning...sorry, couldn't help it.
I would imagine many in the Lakes Region are fighting ice this morning...

Merrymeeting did the same. Wide open on Friday, snow covered and iced-in on Saturday.

But, several large, slushy, areas are showing this morning, and they are expanding. The forecast shows high winds this afternoon. If so, I expect much of it will break up and we'll be looking at open water again.

The ice man cometh....
 

Snowy slush pushed on shore at Mink Island.

Camera Angles
 

Looks like your camp faces Northwest towards the southern tip of Bear. I'm facing North from Mink. We've got the area between Mink, Bear, Jolly and Welch pretty well covered.

we have ice!
 

Pine Island is locked in this morning, looking good for solid ice winter this year, finally!!!

Just be careful out there -PIG

Locking up as I write this off Smith point on L.I. FREAKIN cold out there!

Looking great! Let's hope this holds through the weekend with warmer temps on the way....

Baby, It's Cold Outside!!!
 

Drove from southern NH to southwest Ohio yesterday. Bitter cold headed to NH to help lock up our beautiful lake. Season's Greetings to all. 🐻

Paugus?
 

Can anyone see if Paugus is fully frozen? Weirs cam shows that it might be but there is ice on the lens so hard to see the entire bay. Anyone local that can let us know?

Ice thickness
 

I am located north of Moultonborough Bay and across from Suissevale on the lake and I just went out and drilled through 7 inches of ice in several locations some 150' from shore so about 20' to 30' deep water. How much do you need to support a snowmobile? It would help with the #15 crossing at Ambrose cove.

Technically 7 inches is probably enough, but I wouldn't dare on anything less than a foot personally just because there is variation out there. Do be safe out there!

Ice Thickness
 

WadeJa - This is a handy reference that i found years ago regarding ice thickness. Compliments of the Farmers Almanac
http://www.almanac.com/content/ice-t...s-safety-chart

4 Inches will hold a 'group' of people 'in a single file line'
7 1/2 inches will hold a 2 ton car (Like average sized Sedan)
Yes, that is right, only 7 1/2 inches to hold a car

Technically, the 'pounds per square inch' on a snowmobile is less than a person on foot. (Although this assumes you don't get off the machine).
BUT, as Maxum stated, ice thickness can vary quite a bit.
And the ice thicknesses listed are based on 'Black Ice' (good strong ice without too much entrapped air, etc).

My family has owned a camp in Moultonboro bay for over 100 years.
I've spent my whole life on the water there. Both Frozen & Thawed.
I drive out my snowmobiles & also sometimes my car virtually every year (for fishing, etc).
But i don't drive my car out until there is a minimum of 1 foot 'in the middle'. (Deep water between Suissvale and the Neck).
This is because it's safe to assume that there are thinner spots that may be 8 inches.

Long story short, 7 inches can be safe for a snowmobile.
But if you are 'new' to the lake, or to this area of Moultonboro bay, I suggest giving it a bit more time.
If this cold keeps up, the ice (in that area of M-boro bay) should be in great shape by end of Dec.

*Disclaimer - Above is my 'opinion' based on my own 30+ yrs experience.
But I can't be held liable for my opinions on this topic. Good Luck :)

Here's another view of Paugus Bay from T-Bones/Cactus Jack's:

http://www.nh1.com/pages/t-bones-eatery-weather-cam/

"Yes, that is right, only 7 1/2 inches to hold a car"

To hold any car with me in it, I need the ice to be solid from the surface to the bottom of the lake. ;)

"An old fisherman had just settled onto the ice for a day of ice fishing. He bored a nice big hole in the ice, set up his equipment, cracked a beer and sat on his stoop. He then heard a voice from above...THERE ARE NO FISH UNDER THE ICE! He stopped what he was doing. Looked around but did not see anyone. He continued fishing. Again, he heard that powerful voice...THERE ARE NO FISH UNDER THE ICE! This time, he stood up. looked up and he bellowed...IS THAT YOU LORD???
The voice replied...NO, THIS IS THE RINK MANAGER!!!

Seriously though...be careful out there..the only SAFE ice is at a rink!

Don't you mean "South Point?" I live on LI, and I have no idea where a "Smith Point" might be. Didn't we have this same discussion here earlier this year? Anyway, Smith Point, wherever that may be, probably was just as cold, but probably didn't have a ski lift up it, as did where I went today, and that was cold, too. This seems to happen a lot to places around here.

Smith Point
 

No, I mean Smith Point in Moultonborough. Get out your Bizer chart and follow the lake NW from Moultonborough Bay and right next to the 71 degrees 22 minutes marker you will see Smith Point. There is a Smith Point down in Alton too. Probably a few others on the lake.

Smith Point
 

Smith Point (Marker 48 on the lake) is in West Alton . There is absolutely no solid ice in sight and the water between Rattlesnake and here is wide open and moving at a pretty good clip. Doubtful there will be any solid ice in the next few days

Damn, I must have a brain freeze (pun intended) on this point. My mistake-again. Our neighbor to our left (closer to the point) has a last name of SMITH but no excuses. I'd like to say I'll never do it again but the older I get...

You weren't the Smith Point in question. You are talking about the Smith Point up near Ambrose Cove. The original question was regarding Smith Point vs South Point on Long Island.

It looks like there is ice from the LI Bridge (Trexler's Lighthouse) all the way out to 5-mile and 6-mile.

You can see the trail a barge made in the ice.

From my side of the lake (South), it appears everything from Dollar Island north is locked in. All open water from Dollar to the Southwest shore however. Pic below is taken from my home looking at the South side of Welch... If you look close you can see the ice line just in front of Dollar, that little dot at 9:00 o'clock in the photo below...

Dan

Do you mean the other East AKA West?:D

Thanks, Slickcraft.
 

For a minute I was confused too reading this 300+ miles away. Thought I was looking EAST! Guess that's the case.

Oops, actually I meant to say South...edited for correction!

8 inches of ice yesterday
 

We have been locked in with ice up here north of Moultonborough Bay for 2 weeks now. I took another walk out toward Gansey Island and drilled through 8 inches of ice. 5 inches of "slush ice" on top and 3 inches of black ice underneath. Kinda surprised to not see people ice fishing out there yet.

Safe Ice
 

I have been going on the ice for over 40 years. The quality of the ice and how hard it is makes a big difference. Last year we had a hard freeze early. We secured our ice shack down on 3-4" of ice. We also had two ATVs out there with us. By no means should anyone experiment on thin ice. Doing so can put one's life in peril. see attached photos. Photo shows the 2 x 4 under the ice as a tie down for the shack. Yes I know it looks scary.

I am up in Patrician shores (levitt Park) area on the center harbor / meredith line and usually rip across into center harbor, cross 25 and drive behind the irving and then take those access trails to kanasatka sp? Does anyone have any information if that's safe yet? I love riding Red Hill, I told my children to put my ashes up there one day, just not anytime soon..

You may want to check in on the snowmobiling section of the forum. There has been some conversation about two conditions, including riding on the lake. This may help more then the general forum. Also check in on the Moultonborough snowmobile Club website for up to date info on trail conditions. Also trailhub.org.

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That's funny, I thought last year was the poorest year for ice in a long time!

On a smaller scale, Merrymeeting is mirroring Winni. The coves, eastern shores, and calm areas have been frozen for a while and are all pretty solid at this point. But the deep areas and middle are still stubbornly staying open, despite the consistently cold temps of the past week.

Can not ice fish on the big lake until January 1.

Well that explains it!
 

Thanks for the info Rob M. We had snowmobiles zipping around here this weekend but nobody fishing.

Can't fish on Winnipesaukee until January 1.

The warmer temps and rain of the past week caused the ice on Merrymeeting to retreat quite a bit. More than half the lake is still open and the areas are expanding.

It's not safe to be on the ice yet!

The January 1 'start of season' in Winnipesaukee is for Lake Trout.
Majority of species in Winni don't have a specific 'season'.

http://www.eregulations.com/newhamps...special-rules/

hopefully we will get the Pond Hockey Classic on Lake Winni this year

That's what I thought until someone pointed out line 6 in the page you linked:

From April 1 through December 31, no person may take fish through the ice, from the ice, or from any object supported by the ice.


Clear as mud??

Makes perfect sense.

Ice fishing ONLY season is from 1/1 to 3/31. No fishing from boat or shore.

You cannot ice fish any other time meaning 4/1 through 12/31. You can fish from boat or shore if whatever you are fishing for is open for the taking during those dates.

Ice Fishing Season
 

The law book is meant to be read by lawyers, and not fisherman. But the lake is closed to ice fishing except between the dates of Jan 1 and March 31...no matter what species you are targeting. This is for all designated lake trout/salmon waters in NH....no ice fishing outside of those dates for anything.

When I wish to better understand the fishing regs I search online for the official state site.

Several alternaive sites come up.

Which one is really the state of NH?

http://www.eregulations.com/newhamps...special-rules/

http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/

https://www.nhfishandgame.com/


I would hope that a site published by the state would have the most correct info. but then I recall something about the IRS still penalizing taxpayers who relied on the IRS's incorrect help line advice.

Hmmmmmmm ........

How does an "Ice In" thread become a discussion about Fishing

Go figure !


.

Ve vill stick to zee subject matter to my satisfaction or else!! :D

Looks like seeing the rattlesnake cam, the middle has frozen up...

Getting There
 

A lot has skimmed over. It appears to be a wide strip of open water much further out from Rattlesnake Island.

We just back from walking on Scenic Road near Ellacoya. Large floating patches of skim ice interspersed with open water out toward Welch and the Broads. If it remained calm it would ice over by Monday however moderate wind tomorrow and Monday may prevent that.

I'll take a look in the morning on the way back from Planet Fitness.

Anyone have any info on Meredith Bay? I'm curious as to whether the Pond Hockey Classic will be on the big lake this year.

Thanks!

View from Doe point.https://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums...1&d=1483882509

Not current but it was all open water last weekend. I suspect that probably has changed.

Lots of ice has been forming all over the place which is a welcome sign just hope it can hold, looks like another quick shot of warm is coming this week.

It looks pretty frozen over from the South/West side of Rattlesnake looking out towards Diamond island and Gilford.

This comes from: http://www.rattlesnakeisland.net/cam.htm

Belknap Point today
 

It is mostly blue water between Belknap Point and Welch and on out to the Broads.

Between Ames Farm and Diamond it looked like all ice, there is a band of open water between Ames and Rattlesnake.

So it appears a lot of the open water has locked in, correct me if I am wrong, isn't usually Welchs the last to lock in every year? Stubborn!

Meredith Bay is fully locked and met up with the weirs as well. I am up in Leavitt Park and across from black cat this all looks to have met together too. Very cold for a few days should really help build the ice, 2-3 inches a day hopefully before the warm air returns.

Ice
 

Lake is frozen between Smith Point and Rattlesnake and Sleepers and NE looking to Wolfeboro. Looking W/NW of Rattlesnake it still looks like there is a large patch of open water in the Broads

From my camera it looks like Winnisquam has skimmed over this weekend. My view is looking east toward the state park just south of Pot Island.

Lots Of Open Water Still
 

This first pic is looking north. Welch Island in the background. You can see the ice line just north of Welch. While there is some ice bergs forming there is still a lot of open water.

Broads
 

This pic is looking Northeast at the broads. As you can see it's all open water from Sandy Island to Lake Shore Park...

Dan

Gunstock
 

From the top of Gunstock you can see lots of open water in Broads. Both sides of Rattlesnake Island peninsula, sometimes called Alligator Point, are iced in. Open water south of RI. I will be back on top of Gunstock Wednesday and will try to take a good pic of progress.

My son and I fished Paugus Bay about 50-75 yards off of Big Island yesterday. We drilled 8 holes. Each of them were through 6-8 inches of ice. A nasty cold windy day. We didn't catch anything but did see 5 Perch and a Crappie with the underwater camera.

This Morning
 

6:30 AM. 4 Degrees.

The first picture is looking Southeast with Varney Point on the right and Locke's Island on the left. The second picture is looking more East with Locke's Island on the right and Welch Island behind it second from the right. The ice is making a lot of noise as it shifts!

Ice!
 

Here's a 2 minute video clip from my dock on Welch. Looks like it skimmed over from Welch to Locke's Island!....

https://video.nest.com/clip/3bd8c407...b043dcd133.mp4

Dan

ice
 

thanks for that clip
i sent u a private message
Dave

Back to Open Water!
 

What was completely frozen yesterday is all open water today...

Dan

arggggggggg....
 

That is depressing news indeed... just when I thought we were getting some good ice in!!

But thank you for the report... The webcams can only show me whether there is ice or water, I haven't figured out how to set one up to display the ice thickness haha...

I'll be patient... -PIG

Jan 11
 

Trying to upload pics from top of Gunstock this afternoon. Lots of open water in Broads and south side of rattlesnake

Nothing But Slush!
 

Whatever was iced up is nothing but slush against the shoreline now. The wind destroyed everything!

https://video.nest.com/clip/0254f547...2812f4ad36.mp4

Dan

With the PHC only three weekends away, this might be an issue
is Wakewaun frozen over?

"Nature is a whore" in this case mother nature.... - Kurt Cobain

Long range weather forecast is for warm weather and rain next week.....bummer. Maybe there is something to global warming, eh?

Interesting article:

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/201..._campaign=8315

I just left Gilford beach/ Sanders Bay for an ice check.
Perfectly clear and smooth, a uniform 5.5" all the way out.
The bay was busy this evening, some fishermen, lots of skaters, including a guy with a surfing kite.
I walked out about even to the end of Varney point.
The ice in the distance was choppy looking with dark spots that could have been clear ice, or water.
I was not prepared/equipped to travel toward questionable ice, that's as far as I went.
I do hope Gilford Park and Rec will open the gate this week. I'm going to fish there the next several weeks, and I'd like to have my house there, even if it's safely on the sand.

Pond Hockey Tourney Ice ??
 

I'm heading your way from Colorado for the Pond Hockey Tourney in a couple weeks. Obviously, I'm worried about a place to skate. Any updates on the ice thickness in the area they hold the tournament, etc ? I heard a rumor that they may move it to Lake Waukewan. Any information on the ice there ? Anyone actually witnessed any activity from the tourney prepping ice at either site ?

Lots of questions and concerns. Appreciate the local knowledge 😎. Thanks !

I was down in Meredith yesterday, there were a number of people out in front of Lago with snow blowers clearing Ice, my first year up here , looks like a good sign.

Thanks for your help !

I fished off Gilford beach sat.
Same ice thickness as last week. Now covered with an inch or so of snow. Warm out, got slushy as the day went on.
They opened the gate on friday, and all the bobhouses were coming out. Several groups out there.
Mind you, for houses and machines, 5-6" is pushing the safety limits, particularly during a thaw.
My house is there, on shore.
Stay on top people!

So is everything locked up now, doesn't look like any open water showing from any of the web cams.

Looking good
 

Someone in the Gilford will have to respond to the water off Lincoln Park. From the broadside of Rattlesnake it seems to be locked in. There was open water a couple of hours ago, but skimmed over now.

Open Water
 

Still a very large section of open water between Ellacoya state park and Sandy island in the broads. As long as the wind stays calm it should freeze over quickly...

Dan