Ice - Main Basin North Arm

[Mooseart]

The ice on the main basin of the North arm was checked in several spots.The surface on the main lake is smooth and fast! The minimum ice thickness was 9" of clear, hard ice. The best quality ice was in the last areas to freeze. The North facing bays on the main lake have large sheets of broken, pointed ice sticking up out of the flat ice. There is slush almost everywhere, but most of it is froze up to the surface and the remainder should freeze tonight. There are no pressure ridges, yet.The snow depth is uneven and a 4 wheeler would be a pain.

The beaver ponds and swamps are risky: dropping water, thawed ground and "Hung up" ice.

[Super Black]

Sweet post, looks like I'll be headin up then after the New Year, Thanks Moosefart. SB

[Kidd]

MooseFart, a few questions;

Why would it be a pain for 4 wheelers?

How much snow is on the Ice in the North Arm?

What caused the slush? Did you have a big snow up there?

Thanks.

[1850 ashbay]

Thanks for the nice detailed post! The more info the better...

Does anyone know if they're still planning on logging up by ashbay this year? I had heard they were and am hoping they'll have a road plowed.

[Mooseart]

Dealing with a 4 Wheeler that has fallen through the slush ice and is sitting on it’s belly might be construed as a “Pain”. (I have also heard other descriptions of that situation.)

“Why is there slush?” Is this a trick evolution/intelligent design question?

Slush occurs when the lake water floods the ice & mixes with the snow. Slush commonly lies in wait to ambush unsuspecting 4-wheelers and sleds. The occurrence of slush is dictated by the density of the ice, the rigidity of the ice, the density of the water, the characteristics of the snow cover and, as some suspect, Canadian government corruption. Change one of these variables, and the ice can change hour by hour. Remove three of these variables, and you have Canadian government corruption, but it’s Summer time!

Today, a few wheeled vehicles were traveling the ice road to Stangi. The liquid water in the fishing holes was exactly even with the top of the ice. The main basin of the North arm was bumpy, with numerous wind blown snow bluffs. (The ice conditions on the main basin are often different than those of North West Bay or the Sound.)

[89Bronco]

Quote:

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Slush occurs when the lake water floods the ice & mixes with the snow. Slush commonly lies in wait to ambush unsuspecting 4-wheelers and sleds. The occurrence of slush is dictated by the density of the ice, the rigidity of the ice, the density of the water, the characteristics of the snow cover and, as some suspect, Canadian government corruption. Change one of these variables, and the ice can change hour by hour. Remove three of these variables, and you have Canadian government corruption, but it’s Summer time!

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That's good!

[CaptJohnWI]

I was up in Ash Bay in October and it looked like they had logged off part of the west end.