Getting permanent shanties off the ice

[roverowner]

For the last couple years I've been planning to build a nice hard sided shanty to leave on the ice all season on one of the lakes I go to in the Adirondacks.  Then I went up this past weekend and found some really tough conditions on the ice.  There was 1-2 feet of snow on top of 6-8 inches of slush.  There was no way to take a 4 wheeler out there, believe me.  I tried and my back is still sore from digging it out.  There were even snowmobiles that had gotten stuck out there.  My question is:  What do you guys do when this happens?  Get a bunch of your friends and bribe them with beer to help you pull it off?  Horses?  Sled dogs?  Being that it's the end of February, things may not firm up again and I'd hate to see all my time and money go to the bottom of the lake.

[PondPro]

You always can burn it lol, i seen a fourwheeler with snow track things and it pulled a big shanty of the ice in the slush, it got stuck a couple of times but one you get going dont stop, or you could snowplow a huge path to shore and pull it with a four wheeler.

[brujharr]

Hardside's aren't trees! One, just can't plant them on the ice for the season, and expect good results! Good condiction's, fish it, or check it every other day. Bad condition's, fish or check it every day and be prepared to move it in moment's notice!        I, move mine at least once a week across the entire lake, following the bite!   

[adkRoy]

Build it light weight  using 2x4's ripped down the middle and the thinnest ply wood you can find, It may take a while but we have pushed our shanty by hand off the lake. They don't have to be off until march 15 and usually by then the snow has melted off the ice.

[ice dawg]

When we have had deep snow and slush here in SD people put chains on farm tractors and pull them off for a small fee. Some people used to burn them and then you had to worry about hitting floors from shantys with your boat after ice out. Mine is on wheels and follows me where I go.

[Pail Rider]

Get a bunch of your friends and bribe them with beer to help you pull it off? 

Works for me!!  Funny, when you put the house out for the first time of the year everyone wants to help.  When the end of the season rolls around, it's like pulling teeth to get your buds to help yank it.  The snow will melt off and the ice will still be plenty safe enough to go yank it...the real killer is that last snowstorm of the season towards the middle-end of march.

[rob-s]

genrally mother nature gives you rain and a freeze at the end of the season. mean time you have to keep from freezing in.

[killitandgrillit]

Build it light weight  using 2x4's ripped down the middle and the thinnest ply wood you can find, It may take a while but we have pushed our shanty by hand off the lake. They don't have to be off until march 15 and usually by then the snow has melted off the ice.

Amen! Building a lightweight shack is your ticket to easy on/easy off. The first shack I built was 8x10 and was 1500 pounds. It took two trucks and a 4 ton winch to get it off the ice at the end of the year. I learned that lesson quickly If you build it light enough, you should be able to load it on an ATV trailer if the snow gets really deep.