Ice alert for Lake Minnewaska

[Corey Bohn]

Just returned from the lake and the lake is literally opening up in areas where there are heaves (pressure ridges). Do not attempt to access the lake from the DNR access by the hatchery headquarters. Yesterday, a second heave formed 30 yards behind the existing heave that ran from the launch ramp area across the lake toward Torgy's and there is open water (along the heave). There is one spot where it wide open in a 20 x 20 yard area, with open areas (separation) at points along the heave. Reports from anglers on the lake today, is that areas that were passable along some of the mid-lake heaves have now separated with open water areas as well, or the ice has buckled under at the heave and there is 2 ft. of water sitting on the ice. Didn't witness it, but heard an area opened up near Priest Pt. as well. While the recent cold weather has made more ice, it has also caused the ice to expand very rapidly and the heaves are now separating in some areas throughout the lake. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS A HEAVE anywhere on the lake. Areas that were safe to cross along heaves yesterday are no longer safe to cross today as there has been rapid ice movement in the past 24 hours. I am not trying to scare anyone off the lake because I like to fish as much or even more so than the rest of you, but if you drive your vehicle on the lake at night you are taking a big risk right now unless you really know where you are going. I just returned from the DNR access, and along with several other anglers, stood in amazement at how the ice conditions have changed just today in that area. It does appear that some vehicles drove on at the Lakeside access and straight south to the big houeses out there or drove on from the City Beach towards Lakeside. There were upwards of 20 trucks or so parked along houses in the area knows as "the wall", and they apparently accessed the lake as mentioned above and drove to the wall. After seeing what I saw late this afternoon, I would highly recommend that no one drives a vehicle on the lake at night unless you have a recently proven path and that you really check it out thoroughly during the day before you venture across it if you haven't been on the lake lately. This is the most tricky and constantly changing ice conditions in the past 25 years on Minnewaska. I was at the DNR access before coming home and talked to a guy that said he made it out to his fish house today, but stated that he had to search and search for an area to get across the heave on his way back in at 4:30 p.m. today (walking). The ice had moved and changed that much from the time he went out late this morning in the DNR area. There is reported to be 15-inches of ice, but stay away from the heaves. Be smart and you can fish, just don't attempt to get there or back from the DNR access in Glenwood. I do not know what the conditions are like on the Starbuck end so I would call the bait shop or talk to people that are on that end before getting overly excited about driving on. Better safe than sorry.

[mnfishman]

I will add to what Corey has already posted. All of the heaves are opening back up. On the Starbuck end for instance there was a heave that went from the North Shoreline to the South shoreline. Yesterday on my way home from work it had opened up at least 20yds wide and there was open water throughout the entire heave. It looked like a new heave or an old one started pushing up again by the school bar as well as Priest Point.

[MLaker2]

Yesterday afternoon I saw a 4-wheeler with front wheels on the ice and back end in 2+ feet of water at the ballroom access. Some kind folks came from the lake to pull him out in short order. Today a few people are using the DNR access,although no one would cross the heave there yesterday. The beach access continues to be used, I walked out to my house last nite since the beach was the only access yesterday and I didn't want to be on the lake when/if it turned to crap in the meantime. Brave souls continue to drive on from the mid-lake accesses. Good luck.

[MLaker2]

Today a pickup front end when thru where the 4 wheeler was sitting Thursday. Beware of landings.

[basssmasher*]

are the brave people getting any fish though??

[MLaker2]

Interesting, I called the local authorities about perhaps marking the bad landing, (its on city property) but they said they won't close a single poor landing unless they close the entire lake from traffic. You are on your own at a public landing good or bad.