Ice In 2025

[tis]

Originally Posted by codeman671

Just saw 2 “brave” souls skating off the northern end of Diamond. They proceeded north between Rattlesnake and Sleeper and out into the broads. No thanks!

I would not call them brave. I would call them stupid.

[philiprmoore]

Originally Posted by tis

I would not call them brave. I would call them stupid.

Ok, agreed! For someone who's had a life-long dream of skating on Lake Winnipesaukee (or, I'd be ok with Wentworth!), what's a safe way to do this? Where does one go where it's accessible via a public location (thinking Albee or Carry beach)?

I'm going to be up in Wolfeboro this weekend and was very much hoping to get to skate on the ice before the snow covers it up!

Any suggestions from this group???

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by philiprmoore

Ok, agreed! For someone who's had a life-long dream of skating on Lake Winnipesaukee (or, I'd be ok with Wentworth!), what's a safe way to do this? Where does one go where it's accessible via a public location (thinking Albee or Carry beach)?

I'm going to be up in Wolfeboro this weekend and was very much hoping to get to skate on the ice before the snow covers it up!

Any suggestions from this group???

There was a BUNCH of skaters on the ice today! It’s not stupid if you check the ice where you’re at before venturing out…. If you’re skeptical or scared find a place that’s shallow and not over your head like the sand bar in front of Ellacoya state park. Lot of area over there!

Enjoy!

Dan

[tis]

Originally Posted by ishoot308

There was a BUNCH of skaters on the ice today! It’s not stupid if you check the ice where you’re at before venturing out…. If you’re skeptical or scared find a place that’s shallow and not over your head like the sand bar in front of Ellacoya state park. Lot of area over there!

Enjoy!

Dan

I agree if you are in the bays that have been frozen over for a while. But the OP was talking about being on the broads about 1 days after freezing. That was not smart. I always liked to skate where it was shallow or where others were skating and weren't falling in.

[chachee52]

couple ice house out in front of LSP/Ellacoya. Looked like there were a bunch of ice boats that were sailing during the day (I didn't get there until after 4:30 so didn't get to see them).

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by chachee52

couple ice house out in front of LSP/Ellacoya. Looked like there were a bunch of ice boats that were sailing during the day (I didn't get there until after 4:30 so didn't get to see them).

That area was hopping yesterday with skaters, ice boaters, windsurfers ice fishermen, etc, etc. All enjoying their favorite winter sport on the hard water!

Dan

[fatlazyless]

Believe that orange air boat with the Moultonborough Fire Dept in the photo above was donated by the parents of a 15-year old boy who broke through the ice on a snowmobile on Lake Winnipesaukee in Alton, off Rattlesnake near The Broads on Saturday, Feb 11, 2017 at about 2:30-pm. His body was recovered in 73-feet water the next day, Sunday, Feb 12 at about 9:30-am by a remote control submersible that was operated by the N.H. recovery team which was able to both locate the dead body and recover it to the surface.

You know wearing a foam noodle, swim belt tied around the waist and underneath a coat while snowmobiling will work very good to keep you afloat because it will ride up to the arm pits, under the arms and keep your head above water.

As soon as you break through the icy cold water, it is extremely painful, a cold shock type of pain, and you are all scared, smashed, and incredibly cold, and panicked all at the same time. You need to stay composed, and stay above the water, and any type of flotation, either a pfd or an improvised foam noodle belt will keep your head up despite the deadly cold impact pain and panic and do a lot to keep you alive.

After two minutes floating up to your neck in 34-degree icy cold water, it becomes less painful, less cold shocked because your body adjusts to the cold and you is good for maybe 15-minutes before your fingers, hands, and feet will freeze up and are no longer very usable. After the initial scary crash plunge if you survive the first two minutes, then you got about 15-minutes to do a self rescue.

Info from Laconia Daily Sun, Feb 12th, 2017: "Three dead after snowmobiles plunge into Lake" in two separate incidents in Alton, Broads side of Rattlesnake, and Moultonborough, Sandy Island.

Two men, ages 68 and 62 from Westboro, Mass who were riding on two snowmobiles in Moultonborough on Lake Winnipesaukee broke through the ice at around noon and lost their life by drowning.

[tis]

Originally Posted by philiprmoore

Ok, agreed! For someone who's had a life-long dream of skating on Lake Winnipesaukee (or, I'd be ok with Wentworth!), what's a safe way to do this? Where does one go where it's accessible via a public location (thinking Albee or Carry beach)?

I'm going to be up in Wolfeboro this weekend and was very much hoping to get to skate on the ice before the snow covers it up!

Any suggestions from this group???

Lots of people have been skating on Mirror Lake and Lake Wentworth. They are safe. But you always need to be careful and watch where you go. There are always unsafe spots. I think on Wentworth they have been accessing by the state park and on Mirror Lake at the right of way on 109.