How can you tell how thick the ice is without knowing where the bottom of the ice is? If I am walking on top of ice, I surely cannot see where the bottom of the ice is. Please be kind, I am not around ice.
I certainly won’t be carrying a drill so I would be relying on experience. Do those who have experience walk on thin ice and fall into water often? I don’t know how else you would gain experience. Thank you for your kind answer.
I will just have hope that whenever I am around ice that there will be fishermen nearby. My family and I are more safe because of the two of your informative comments. Thanks 🫦
rule of thumb I have heard is for every 15 degrees below freezing adds an inch of ice every 24hrs. so 3 days of freezing at 17 or below would mean 3" of ice
It's fishermen that car about driving trucks out there, so they have an auger. Most people do it the easy way though - wait until other people are driving out there without falling through.
I'm sorry what?? Until the dead of winter when it's all good and solid, the shoreline is where you'll break through for the first 5 ft until you get out to the good ice, so I'm not sure what you mean. Can't tell you how many times I've gotten wet skates getting out to the ice to play some pond hockey because the shoreline was a bit thin. There is a good reason why the last remaining ice of the year is always out in the middle of the lake, not on the shoreline.
Sorry! Maybe it's different for flowing rivers near where I live. Right now the shore is thicker and the centre sometimes doesn't fully freeze, even at -30.
DNR has people that check at certain intervals but the easiest way is to ask the ice fishermen, they are out wayyy to early at the start and Ive never met a single one that wouldnt tell you how much they had to drill through in the last few holes
When walking you use a spud bar - it will go all the way through ice that is too thin. You keep jabbing the ice in front of you.
Otherwise you drill holes and measure. Ice is very stable in thickness, so if you are out one day and measure 18 inches, you are good to drive your truck out next time so long as the temperature has not been consistently well above freezing.
As an experienced ice fisherman I’d 1.5x the numbers for vehicles. Ice isn’t the same thickness at all points of a lake and heaves/cracks create weak points.
About the same odds for having an issue as driving through a puddle, assuming there is no pothole. There's a decent chance it's safe. But with the ice, if you're wrong, the outcome can horrific.
You have to multiply the Expected Outcome by the Probability of that outcome. That's the real answer. So what you did was not smart.
This is doomer bs, your Trex is going to be just fine at 24 inches and dont let anyone tell you otherwise, dont let anyone keep your monster from the fun for extra weeks!!!
Are you listening to yourself? You sound dense. My dad was a paleontologist and he said that while a younger T-Rex might be OK, any full grown adult will need at least 30 inches, and that's just standing still! If they're running at all or god forbid you have multiple T-Rex's, you might want closer to 35+
Please stop spreading misinformation or you'll get someone hurt.
Also, PSA: If you're cold, they're cold too. Bring them a sweater or mittens so they don't get frostbitten. They're not used to this type of weather!
It says inches but the graphic makes it unclear because the ice looks as thick as that car which is not 12 inches. If you told me a T. rex was 30 feet I’d also believe that. So idk. Stupid chart.
Inches X 2.54 = centimetres, for everyone outside the US
Personally, we don't skate on our pond until the ice is 15 cm or greater in thickness. That way, if there are any comparatively thin spots, they'll still be safe for those moonlit games of shinny hockey.
My mom grew up on a lake up north and was scared to walk on the ice. Once her grandfather drove his truck on it, she stopped being scared :) This was in the 50' and 60's, so I doubt the ice gets as thick as it did, but I think it's still pretty good in the coldest months.
The only people really out there are ice fishermen who intend to drill holes anyway. Usually you drill a hole near where you walk on to measure.
Temperature doesn't matter with ice thickness on this chart. If you have 20 inches of ice and it's 70F for a day, at the end of the day the ice might be down to 19.9 inches thick. Might. Bonfires won't even melt all the way through the ice.
I wish I knew this before, my last pet t-rex drowned in a lake :(
That’s awful. With those short arms, poor thing never had a chance.
Sorry for your loss 😔😔
hehe, loss
Yeah, that and the raptor can only go on about 12-15” it seems
The thought of those little arms just flapping away bring tears to my eyes. Poor guy almost had it for a while and then just went under.
Was that lake Loch Ness by any chance?
Dang I'm sorry
By any chance, the night walkers claimed it later?
I’m so sorry for your loss.
How can you tell how thick the ice is without knowing where the bottom of the ice is? If I am walking on top of ice, I surely cannot see where the bottom of the ice is. Please be kind, I am not around ice.
A combination of experience and drilling holes to actually check the depth.
I certainly won’t be carrying a drill so I would be relying on experience. Do those who have experience walk on thin ice and fall into water often? I don’t know how else you would gain experience. Thank you for your kind answer.
The fisherman rely on their experience, everyone else looks to see whether or not the fisherman are falling in
I will just have hope that whenever I am around ice that there will be fishermen nearby. My family and I are more safe because of the two of your informative comments. Thanks 🫦
“I have just experienced watching someone fall into this ice.”
If you hear it crack, you better turn back! /s
I don't go ice fishing much, but a couple years ago when I was out, we could hear the ice cracking all over the lake. It is a very eerie sound.
Ice was about 8-10" so we were safe to walk on it. Still creepy as hell when you're not used to it though.
rule of thumb I have heard is for every 15 degrees below freezing adds an inch of ice every 24hrs. so 3 days of freezing at 17 or below would mean 3" of ice
This web page has some math on ice growth Lake Ice - Ice growth https://share.google/oUTb8ttCIkmJzjyRK
this is fantastic! Thank you!
It's fishermen that car about driving trucks out there, so they have an auger. Most people do it the easy way though - wait until other people are driving out there without falling through.
The shore is always thickest so you measure there and as you go out.
I'm sorry what?? Until the dead of winter when it's all good and solid, the shoreline is where you'll break through for the first 5 ft until you get out to the good ice, so I'm not sure what you mean. Can't tell you how many times I've gotten wet skates getting out to the ice to play some pond hockey because the shoreline was a bit thin. There is a good reason why the last remaining ice of the year is always out in the middle of the lake, not on the shoreline.
Sorry! Maybe it's different for flowing rivers near where I live. Right now the shore is thicker and the centre sometimes doesn't fully freeze, even at -30.
You are correct. Ive been out in 8 inches of ice and still broken through at the lakes edge.
DNR has people that check at certain intervals but the easiest way is to ask the ice fishermen, they are out wayyy to early at the start and Ive never met a single one that wouldnt tell you how much they had to drill through in the last few holes
Most lakes where people go out in the ice publish the thickness on signs near the shore, taken from drill holes
When walking you use a spud bar - it will go all the way through ice that is too thin. You keep jabbing the ice in front of you.
Otherwise you drill holes and measure. Ice is very stable in thickness, so if you are out one day and measure 18 inches, you are good to drive your truck out next time so long as the temperature has not been consistently well above freezing.
I bring an ax with me, if you don’t see water after one whack, your good to go. If water comes up, take a step back.
As an experienced ice fisherman I’d 1.5x the numbers for vehicles. Ice isn’t the same thickness at all points of a lake and heaves/cracks create weak points.
Also, all ice isn’t the same. These numbers are for “clear” ice. If you get a ton of snow during the ice making it will be a lot weaker.
Agreed. This is strictly for Frank's benefit.
how dangerous was it when i walked across a lake with around 2 inches of ice
About the same odds for having an issue as driving through a puddle, assuming there is no pothole. There's a decent chance it's safe. But with the ice, if you're wrong, the outcome can horrific.
You have to multiply the Expected Outcome by the Probability of that outcome. That's the real answer. So what you did was not smart.
This guy HSEs
I've seen cars on lakes at 6 inches and would never wait till +12 inches to drive on it.
This is doomer bs, your Trex is going to be just fine at 24 inches and dont let anyone tell you otherwise, dont let anyone keep your monster from the fun for extra weeks!!!
Speaking fron the heart is always welcomed <3
Are you listening to yourself? You sound dense. My dad was a paleontologist and he said that while a younger T-Rex might be OK, any full grown adult will need at least 30 inches, and that's just standing still! If they're running at all or god forbid you have multiple T-Rex's, you might want closer to 35+
Please stop spreading misinformation or you'll get someone hurt.
Also, PSA: If you're cold, they're cold too. Bring them a sweater or mittens so they don't get frostbitten. They're not used to this type of weather!
Embarrassing to type this out but is this inches or feet? 😭
It’s inches
Okay I thought so but the chart makes it look like feet
ft is usually denoted with a '.
Swooooosh.... Right over your head buddy
wut
I think you’re swoooshing yourself on this one, buddy.
It says inches but the graphic makes it unclear because the ice looks as thick as that car which is not 12 inches. If you told me a T. rex was 30 feet I’d also believe that. So idk. Stupid chart.
Suddenly having flashbacks to a math teacher that said pay attention to the units and not the visual scales. Curse them for always being right!
“ means inches. ‘ means feet
Insert spinal tap reference
Little freedom units
This is exactly what I was wondering!
Frank!
Don't be ridiculous. They don't make winter clothes big enough for my pet t rex.
Inches X 2.54 = centimetres, for everyone outside the US
Personally, we don't skate on our pond until the ice is 15 cm or greater in thickness. That way, if there are any comparatively thin spots, they'll still be safe for those moonlit games of shinny hockey.
That 2 pet TRex is named “Frank” might be my favorite thing today.
I was a dinosaur nerd as a kid, so I'm a little miffed they didn't do a Sue reference (Sue is the largest and most complete T. Rex skeleton)
My mom grew up on a lake up north and was scared to walk on the ice. Once her grandfather drove his truck on it, she stopped being scared :) This was in the 50' and 60's, so I doubt the ice gets as thick as it did, but I think it's still pretty good in the coldest months.
Well there you go, ladies. 4 inches is plenty.
What about 1912 Ocean Liners?
Curious if anyone knows where I might find the nearest lake to the Midwest with 30”+ ice for my pet
Give northern MN a month or two
How thick can the ice get up there?
About 3ish feet by the end of the winter on a typical MN lake.
Ice fishers aren’t waiting for 4 inches. Just put on a life jacket
lol the FRANK name tag
A chart with a dinosaur is always cool.
What if your T Rex is carrying a truck, with a snowmobile in the back... to go fishing?
As long as Frank is in a leash
I'm just going to continue staying off the ice.
Weird. I know dudes who ice fish with their trucks on 5 inches of ice 😬
I wish it was to scale
Your mom: 55"+
But what if you’re on Lake Michigan, you’re the Winter Knight and most of the weight of the T-Rex is ectoplasm?
r/unexpecteddcc
Cool, but what temperature and times you would need to get those thickness without drilling
Wonder how thick ice would need to be to support a magic train bound for the North Pole. And a single cotter pin.
A snowmobile has a lower pound per square inch than a human especially with skates.
Why’s it gotta’ be a “Frank.”
Inches or cm
Follow this! Last year I took my pet Trex diddledicks on 29 inch ice and he drowned!
Well can 30+ hold my pet T-rex who ate the car that was towing my truck that was carrying my jetski that had me on it fishing? Or are we screwed?
What are those numbers? confused European
Awfully suspicious that they know the name of my pet T-Rex.
This chart sucks
TIL - T. Rex‘s are about 30 inches big and a man squatting is probably about five or 6 inches tall
If the picture is going to be that out of scale, you may as well make it a list. It’d be less misleading.
Yeah, I still want more than 4” of ice before I walk out on it
This is horrible.
Inches?!! Fffffffffff no... no thanks
I’m just wondering if that is from a governmental agency…
Why is 8-12" the same height as the car?
So how do you tel thickness of ice before stepping foot on the actual ice?
What temperature should it be? If its 32 degrees or lower its safe to walk?
The only people really out there are ice fishermen who intend to drill holes anyway. Usually you drill a hole near where you walk on to measure.
Temperature doesn't matter with ice thickness on this chart. If you have 20 inches of ice and it's 70F for a day, at the end of the day the ice might be down to 19.9 inches thick. Might. Bonfires won't even melt all the way through the ice.
Thanks
1" is enough for icefishin. Period.