I have wandered the wilderness for as long as memory serves. It is a place of great mystery and wonderment. This Blog will help me to share some of the many lessons I have learned while wandering and paddling the forests and lakes I call home.
~ R.G.W.

Tuesday, January 19, 2021

Ice Advice


 There is nothing like walking on a snow filled lake followed by silence and the mystery of the surrounding forest; however, it can be risky. 

The thickness of the ice varies due to factors such as current and temperature differentials within the water body. 

If you spend time out here, your wandering will bring you to the edge of a dilemma. Should you cross the ice or should you go around? 

Climate change has altered our winters, they have become more moderate. The bitter cold of January is no longer the norm. The thermometer rides a roller coaster every day and that temperature variation directly affects the formation of ice on the ponds and lakes we love. 

This video shows a method I use to cross ice, it's not fool proof but it will give you a fighting chance should you punch through ice that you thought was solid and safe. 

I have fallen through ice; and it was totally my fault.
I stumbled my way home with teeth chattering and hypothermia stalking me.
I called myself a fool more times than I care to admit. 

Once I thawed out, I had gained a whole new respect for the flat white expanse's of frozen water which seem so inviting to walk across. 





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