How Safe Is The Ice?

To say the weather hasn't been on our side this season would be an understatement. We received our first proper snowfall on the 12th of November, and then we had a week of cold temperatures (around -20°C). Since then, the temperature has been hovering around -5°C, and even coming up into positive temperatures. We haven't been out on the lakes as much as we should have, because the warm temperatures make us nervous that the ice won't hold, or there will be too much water, and the snowmobile will get stuck in the overflow. However, even if we waited another month for the ice to get thicker so it would be 'safer', the layer of overflow would still be there. It has to get 'flushed out'.

The concept of 'overflow'

I've been assured that if the ice is >15cm thick, it's safe for the snowmobile, and then definitely for the sleds. Ideally, we will go out on the snowmobile a few times this week on our trails, to flush out the overflow and let it freeze overnight. Every time you drive over the same trail, the ice will pack down more, and become safer. When the trail is wide enough and the overflow is frozen, we can attach the groomer to the snowmobile. We also have to mark the trail with sticks and branches, so when it snows and wind blows snow over the tracks, we still know where the trail is.