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MDNR’s Ice Safety Information Webpage

  • Your safety is your responsibility! There is not a reliable “inch-thickness” to determine if ice is safe.
  • You can test ice thickness and quality using a spud, needle bar or auger.
  • Strongest ice: clear with bluish tint.
  • Weak ice: ice formed by melted and refrozen snow. Appears milky.
  • Stay off ice with slush on top. Slush ice is only half as strong as clear ice and indicates the ice is not freezing from the bottom.
  • A sudden cold front with low temperatures can create cracks within a half-day.
  • A warm spell may take several days to weaken ice, and cause the ice to thaw during the day and refreeze at night.
  • Ice weakens with age.
  • If there’s ice on the lake but water around the shoreline, be extra cautious.
  • Stronger the current on the lake, the more likely the ice will give to open water.
  • Avoid areas of ice with protruding debris like logs or brush.
  • Keep an eye out for dock bubblers or de-icers as the ice near these mechanisms will be unsafe. Always check the ice and be aware of your surroundings.

Read and share the DNR webpage on Ice Safety – there is a video and additional resources for your safety education. Enjoy the ice responsibly!

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