Lake Ice Conditions

Our lake continues to be a place where you don't want to travel unless you are very careful. While the ice measured 17 inches (43 cm) thick at First Point yesterday, there are spots on the lake where the actual slush is about the same thickness. Unless you travel on frozen snowmobile tracks, you will get stuck - while either on foot or by snowmobile. This condition is referred to locally as "slushing-up". The thick slush condition is being caused by the thick later of snow that acts as an insulation blanket on the ice. And despite very cold nights and days, the slush layer between the snow zone and the ice will not freeze. Eventually, the snow layer will get thinner, allowing slush to freeze as it gets thinner itself. That in turn will allow the ice to thicken more. The frozen slush becomes "white ice" . This explains why the ice has two components - blue ice and white ice. And while it's hard to imagine, the overall ice surface will return to it's condition seen earlier in the year, when you can walk just about anywhere for a while. The whole process is sort of interesting to watch happen !