Got ice knowledge?

[ceedubya]

I'm looking to get educated on the building and maintenance and possible costs of operating an Ice road on a frozen lake to increase fishermen access.

If you have any experience or direct knowledge in this subject any info would be greatly appreciated. Post info if you would like or pm me please.
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[daniel_yusupov]

Hello,

You have to contact the state authorities and see if there is a permission to operate an ice road in your state. Inspection also comes in play and of course licensing. Is this profit or non-profit etc.

Contact your state Fish and Wildlife department. They will point you in the right direction. Cheers!
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[davetclown]

I would say "dont do it"

Its one thing to cut a path from one point to another for your self, there is a liability involved when you create a public access.and call it one.

I know in northern minnisota they do build roads on the lakes and use enormous road greaders and use semi trucks to take out mobile homes to set on the ice for the winters coldest two months.

It was just back in 2004 when someone sank one of those graders through 3 foot of ice in northern Minn



If your just cutting a walking path to walk on with an ATV you will have less stipulations.. but deffenantly contact your local DMR as advised. But remember if you mention road on a public lake you will most likely run in to all kinds of hastles and road blocks. The problem comes when you invite other vehicals to drive on the lake....

In Michigan we dont have to wory to much about it because our law states if you drive out on the lake, your insurance is void. and if you fall though the ice with a snowmobile or ATV or auto there is a 1500 dollar fine on top of your loss... + the cost of having the vehical removed from the lake, this includes if you have to send down divers....

If you are driving a jeep or pickup and dropping the blade to push the snow drifts back on the way out to go fishing and on the way back you will most likely have less problems. just dont plow out a parking lot when you get to your spot...

I cut a walking path on my lake for my neighbors to walk on to get out to our fishing spots. I also plow the skateing rink for the kids hocky. I do this with my ATV, but I am also on a privet lake.

There was an idiot who brought out his pickup with a snow plow and sank it in to my lake some 25 years ago, the oil kept comming up for a couple years after. They had to cut a path in the ice from the point where the pickup went down all the way to shore, they had to send divers down 45 feet with the knolage that the truck could fall off the shelf and slide down to 65 feet at any moment.

it was a nasty mess....
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