Ice Conditions 3-15-14

[ishoot308]

I went out for a ride on the ice yesterday to Welch Island in my Polaris Ranger.

I saw no evidence of the ice softening or giving way anywhere! The Glendale launch and Gilford beach area are just as solid now (maybe more solid!) than they were three weeks ago during the deep freeze!

The top of the ice is very hard with a few patches of hardened snow here and there. There is no underlying slush, no soft areas, just solid hard ice everywhere I went.

The lake is still making ice and based on the weather reports, will be until Wednesday or Thursday of this upcoming week when things start to warm up.

On my way to Welch, I stopped and visited with a couple fishermen who said there was up to 30" ice in areas which I know is true as we had 24" 2 weeks ago where I was ice fishing. There were full size trucks, cars, suv's driving all over the place with ease.

This morning I watched from my home in Gilford as a full size suburban made his way across the lake from Lockes Island heading towards Rattlesnake and went right directly over the area that took a long time to freeze between Welch and Lakeshore Park. I have no idea how much ice is there but obviously enough to hold a 6000 lb vehicle!

Not to be a pessimist but it's going to be a loooong, loooong, time before ice out and it definitely won't happen in April...

Dan