I had my doubts about the wisdom of this trip. Based on previous posts I knew that the ice was thin in many areas around the lake. Still, I reasoned that the recent cold snap might have changed the situation and I had no information about the Harilla to Cow Island area.
We have been visiting our camp in winter for many years and have never had any trouble. We are experienced and well prepared. We discussed the prospect of falling through the ice, proper self rescue techniques and brought along the tools we would need to handle an emergency.
The ride to Harilla encouraged me as I saw many snowmobiles, cars and trucks often parked near to one another in Center Harbor as well as a few in the vicinity of Trexlers. A local shop owner told me he thought the ice was safe in the area and an ice fisherman reported the ice as eight-inches thick.
We loaded up the toboggan and set out from Harilla on foot. I do not doubt that the fisherman was sincere, there probably was 8” immediately offshore around Long Island. But the ice got increasingly thinner and cracked, and being white an exact thickness was hard to gauge.
Approximately 100 yards from our camp at the Ragged Island side of the Hole in the wall, the ice began to crack with each step and we realized we had to abort. We cautiously worked are way back to the landing.
In my opinion, barring several consecutive days of sub zero temperatures the ice is not and will not be safe to walk on in the area between Ragged and Cow and extending one quarter the distance back towards Harilla this year.
I expect I will be able to make the trip by boat by mid March.
