Driving truck on ice.

[TGF]

I know it is normal culture in USA and most parts of Canada to drive vehicles on ice. I'm going to my remote cabin in a week. I want to drive my truck on the ice (which is over 2 feet thick) 15 miles to get there. My wife (who grew up in BC where driving on ice is very rare) thinks I'm nuts and listening to much to you guys. Any help in convincing her? She is on here occasionally so please comment. Ice report yesterday was 27 inch of solid ice average on this big lake with some minimal slush in some bays. Also there is 1 pressure ridge but snowmachines have been crossing by shore which would be easy for me to drive over there.

[Prairiegoat]

I wouldn't drive 15 miles on ice for a world record! Too many springs can flow into a lake and sometimes the ice goes from 30" to 3" in less than a HEARTBEAT. Saw it happen too many times growing up on the glacier lakes in South Dakota.

[perch-man]

Tgf borrow a 6 in hand auger let her drill 2 holes that will win her over and she will be to tired to argue when realizes how much ice there is and 10- ins will carry any full size pickup

[beeverfishing]

Wish I could help you convince your wife, But not today.  I have never driven out on the ice, nor do I ever plan too.  You are right, it is common practice on many lakes, but it is also way too common to hear of a vehicle going through the ice.  I'm sure that 27" is more then enough ice, but as posted earlier...is it all 27" or are you about to go over a spring which is covered with 6" (or less)of ice??  Sorry, can't help you.

[TGF]

I wouldn't drive 15 miles on ice for a world record! Too many springs can flow into a lake and sometimes the ice goes from 30" to 3" in less than a HEARTBEAT. Saw it happen too many times growing up on the glacier lakes in South Dakota.

No glaciers on this lake. Also well known by local snowmobilers where the springs are and I won't be near any of them. Also no snow on lake at this time ?

[marcus]

we used to drive a suburban on the lakes in NH with much less ice than that  14" and up   I used to drive my civic on a little less than that. I think you are safe.  Why doesnt anyone drive on the ice there?

[Barleydog]

Terry,
15 miles is a long ways with a load of variables!  Drive close to shore, look for dark spots, stay away from pressure ridges, (look first!) and in your case wear a life preserver!  Gotta have you back in one piece, and not one big block of ice.  Option 2, take a snow machine!  Be careful

[mormyshka]

I am with your wife ! 15 miles - way to many for driving.  Take a snowmachine

[-ADKIceman]

Sorry brother... I would love to help you win this argument, but I am siding with the lady. Wouldn't catch me driving on ice with a truck or car... no way

[Desperado]

Heck I'd do it.  I've driven 10 miles on the ice before, I can't see 15 being significantly worse.

If your wife needs some convincing, just don't say anything until you get to the lake.  
Then give her the choice of walking or riding for the final 15 miles of the trip.  

[komocazie74]

are there other people making the trip?  we've been driving on big lake since before thanksgiving when the ice was only 15" and only a couple of miles to go.  i think id do it just to say i did but thats just me

[percheyes42]

I have driven on a lot less than 27" of ice. I'm sure if you have to drive 15 miles acrossed a lake, I'm sure that there must be some kind of a road that everybody else has taken to get to thjat spot. They have many roads in Canada and Alaska that go straight across the lakes for truckers. I watched a special on it one night and they said that 12" would hold a tractor trailer. I don't know if I would take a tractor trailer out on a foot of ice, but I would have no problem with an SUV. I say if you have to go 15 miles across a lake to get to the fishing hole, it has to be a good one.

[TGF]

I'm just trying to cut down on time as going to my cabin that is 15 miles from plowed road. I will be bringing my snowmachine and can go in (By snowmachine) the back way which would only be 5 miles one way. However it is usually a couple trips as have gear to take in, generator, food, dog and wife etc. What I did last time was haul a load in by snowmachine and then come back for another load plus wife and dog.
I do have an 8 ft skimmer that I pull behind that hauls gear in.

Judgeing by replies looks about  50% might do it by truck. I would if taking my truck, just drive accross the lake then up the one side hugging close to shore. I would also be able read the ice well as no snow. So I'm still undecided. I think I will wait and see the weather forecast next week and decide then

[PigShanks]

1/4 mile, usually, 15 mile NFW. I take my Jeep to some ridiculous places, but the bottom of a lake is not on the list. Sorry

[fozsey]

I just came back yesterday from Baudette, MN and let me tell you 15 miles is nothing to these guys driving on the ice. I go every up there every year and this year I saw people driving pickups 34 miles on the ice. Me..?, it depends.. 34 mles is a long ways to walk if your truck decides it wants to take a swim. For the record the ice there was between 30 and 40 inches but with numerous pressure ridges. I guess I am a little split on the issue but as far as I am concerned a snowmobile or 4 wheeler would be much safer.

Along that same train of thought I watched a program on the National Geographic channel tonight that showed a convoy of tractor trailers driving across a lake in the Northwest Terrortories in northern Canada. The ice there is 5 feet thick in most places and they still manage to lose a few trucks every year. Scary $hi%

[PigShanks]

Along that same train of thought I watched a program on the National Geographic channel tonight that showed a convoy of tractor trailers driving across a lake in the Northwest Terrortories in northern Canada. The ice there is 5 feet thick in most places and they still manage to lose a few trucks every year. Scary $hi%

Worked up there for a few years and seen it first hand. They cut holes in river ice to pump water onto the surface to build up and ice bridge, and yes, big trucks manage to find the cracks every now and then.

[fozsey]

Worked up there for a few years and seen it first hand. They cut holes in river ice to pump water onto the surface to build up and ice bridge, and yes, big trucks manage to find the cracks every now and then.

I saw that too. That is how they were repairing pressure ridges, or at least the ones that didn't have water coming out of them...

[Desperado]

Terry
I guess you could solve this whole dilemma by getting another snowmobile (for the wife and dog) 

[doggbiter]

 My boy........NOT MY CAR

Pressure-ridge.......atleast 18clear ice

[wyogator]

I'm with PigShanks on this one; NFW!  We have 27" at the reservoir where I fish.  A truck went through a couple of weeks ago.  Apparently he hit a weak spot.  There are springs and a couple of gas lines running through.  I was just out there today and the reservoir looked like a Wal-Mart parking lot. The truck, as far as I know, is still on bottom.  The guy made it out okay though.  I would definitely use the snow machine.  Also, the "river highways" in Alaska and Canada are a lot thicker than 27".

[Fishin Fireman]

Terry my friend, obviously you have a few choices here of what to do. Let me say that most of them seem reasonable. So just let me give you my 2 cents, (1). You could take the long way with the truck and it could be okay or your wife will beat you to a pulp if something happens. (2). You could take in the snowmachine and make several trips and be there stress free, well for the most part anyway. (3). Drop off the wife with snomachine and gear and then you drive on the lake and see who gets there alive first. (4).Put wife with life vest  on snowmachine with rope and buoy attached and give her explicit instructions to go ahead and scout for bad spots as you stay back about 30 meters or so, that way if she goes in you will hopefully have enough distance to stop and save the truck and gear and then be able to pull the machine and wife out too. (5). Put all the things of value to YOU, fishing gear, dog, stuff for the cabin etc. ooh and the wife too; put them in a flat bottom boat. Attach a big orange float and a 30 meter rope to the boat and the truck. Next proceed forward the fifteen miles to the cabin and if anything happens the boat will float and the buoy will indicate where you and the truck are :roflmao if you make it there okay well then at least you have a boat at your cabin come summer.
If it were me it would be between #'s 4 3 or 5

Come on be adventurous Terry, you only live once but I would definitely choose #2

They are all reasonable choices but it's totally up to you as you know best what the conditions are for that area.

As for your wife, well it's up to her to figure it out. Show her the info on ice thickness and how much weight the ice will hold, like those 40 ton trucks up north driving over the ice. I have a hard enough time convincing my wife to let me drive out on 4ft. of it with my daughter when I went today. So if we all go ice fishing next weekend it will probably be someplace close so we can walk to a good spot otherwise it won't be a very nice family day to say the least bit.

Good luck and have a great time

Cheers

Brad

[barebum]

Thanks for your help guys. I think I've talked TGF into taking the snowmachine in instead of bigger truck. I don't mind waiting the hour while he hauls gear in. I just don't like the thought of driving on the ice with such a big pick up.

[barebum]

Terry
I guess you could solve this whole dilemma by getting another snowmobile (for the wife and dog) 

We are getting a newer machine next year so will be travelling in with both units.

[ToeCheese]

just curious how do you get back if the ice changes while your there. Melting, ice ridges, cracks, etc.

[Prairiegoat]

No glaciers on this lake. Also well known by local snowmobilers where the springs are and I won't be near any of them. Also no snow on lake at this time ?

I was referring to lake formation not the current ice condition of the lake; so don't take my post and think the ice is safe because there are no glaciers. Just wanted to clarify because I'm still concerned for your safety. Glacier Lakes formed thousands of years ago during periods when a large mass of ice covered the land and was responsible for formation of lakes in northeast South Dakota and in most states to the east.

If you do drive the 15 miles, please be careful. We've never met but I want to read your posts on IC for years to come! 

[TGF]

I was referring to lake formation not the current ice condition of the lake; so don't take my post and think the ice is safe because there are no glaciers. Just wanted to clarify because I'm still concerned for your safety. Glacier Lakes formed thousands of years ago during periods when a large mass of ice covered the land and was responsible for formation of lakes in northeast South Dakota and in most states to the east.

If you do drive the 15 miles, please be careful. We've never met but I want to read your posts on IC for years to come! 

I hear ya but don't worry about me driving on ice. My wife has talked me into taking the ATV instead of truck. I have travelled this way for quite a few years now and know how to read ice. No I think you should be more worried about my safety if my wife clobbers me and takes my other eye out, then its lights out.
I just talked with an oldtimer up that way that was fishing there yesterday and he says there is no pressure/ridges I need to cross and the ice is bare the hole way up. But I'm still taking the ATV.

just curious how do you get back if the ice changes while your there. Melting, ice ridges, cracks, etc.

Usually it takes 3 weeks of above freezing temps at night to melt our ice up here so I'm only going for 1 week. This time of year, highly unlikely to have melting but will most likely be ice building instead. Ice will be around here till May. Pressure cracks are OK crossing if you go very close to shore in only a couple inches of water and cross with care. I have crossed many on my 4wd atv and went thru but was only in a few inches of water so no big deal. You would never catch me crossing out in middle just to save a few miles. The way our lake runs in that area is east to west but the cracks/ridges always form north to south.

My only concern would be if it snowed 18 inches then I might have a hard time going on ice and land would be out of the question because already 4.5 feet of snow there.

I think I'm going to check the weather forecast and then decide if I will take ATV or snowmobile. Snowmachines are nice as they can always go on top of snow but mine is older and just a 250cc so bogs down if I do hit a little slush on the ice esp pulling a 8ft skimmer.

[Mainehazmt]

Every time I go on the ice with my truck I get nervous   windows down seatbelts off    on every one    ( I usually wait till there is 14 - 18" anyway"   son is bs with me for being so cautious    he said I don't care  I can get out  but there is 20000 bucks difference between his Subaru and my truck   and replacement much higher    My recommendations  1 get off the edge of the ice quick     then check ice often windows down seatbelts off  drive slow   you don't want to cause a wave follow trails already established the snow machines pack the snow and increase the ice  no scientific fact but lucky so far    just don't cause a wave

[littleoldlady]

We are getting a newer machine next year so will be travelling in with both units.

Hey, Barebum...been awhile, and I've been following this thread..and I agree that perhaps TGF shouldn't head out across the lake.
Even though my Sweetie and I fish 10 or 12 kilometres down Cold Lake...there is a track, other people are out there....we go carefully,
and we only drive a little teeny RAV4.  I hope he finds a solution that suits you both!!  Littleoldlady

[Big Burk]

we take my dads 2500 GMC 4x4 on the ice all the time and my friend dad's 3500 Chevy 2x4 and these are anything but small trucks and never had a problem but we dont take them on the lake till around christmas and i know where all the springs are in the area of the lake i fish. but i still perfer taking my snowmobile out on the lake even with the close to 40inches of ice we have right now. because if i go through i can keep the snowmobile on top of the water and dont really have to worry much about going down. but i wouldnt take a truck on the ice for 15 miles until i have drove on it with the snowmobile first. but my dad and uncles would say go for it because they drive many miles on Last Mountain Lake all winter. but take the sled you dont have to worry as much.

[PGKris]

Awww heck Terry, you only live once, right? Giver hill, show em how we do it here in BC! me, I wouldn't do it, not because of the safety issue, but cause I like my truck too much to take the chance.... I say giver go, but thats probably just the adrenaline junky and inexperience talkin'