Bill Tibbetts
Associate Broker 
January 18, 2006
On Thin Ice.
You know what they say about assumptions.
When it comes to ice and it’s ability to carry us as a load, our assumption is that our personal safety is not at risk. Now that’s a State Fair quality assumption!
The Minnesota Department of Resources sums up their attitude towards lake ice with this definitive statement, “There is no such thing as 100% safe ice”.
I was reminded of this issue the other day when I experienced in the first person an ice layer that was not as safe as assumed. Thankfully, no one got wet and no one got hurt. But there it was… a fresh breach in the assumed safe ice surface. A hole that was not there until after I made it. In the middle of the lake. On safe ice.
Be careful.
No one got hurt – but is your truck down there? It looks like a truck-sized hole!
Comment by Nancy — January 18, 2006 @ 6:12 pm
My first bonifide comment! That’s a snowmobile size hole. And no snowmobiles were hurt either. Thanks for your concern, sis!
Comment by Bill — January 19, 2006 @ 10:27 am
Bill Where you on a staked trail?
Comment by Raymond — January 19, 2006 @ 1:02 pm
This was not on a staked trail. It is near the mouth of Norwegian Bay. The marginal ice may have been above a submerged rock pile. I was moving very slow and the back end of the machine broke through.
Comment by Bill — January 19, 2006 @ 2:23 pm