Poor ice on Eagle Lake

[klink1679]

47801Multiple pressure ridges on Eagle Lake this year. These guys found one in the blinding snow on Saturday.

[klink1679]

The 2 fishermen got out with cold, wet feet. Apparently a dog was trapped in the truck so firefighters went out to see if they could save it but by the time they arrived the truck was fully under.

[deepfried]

Yikes

[prosnowsk8er]

wow, brutal....poor dog...

[dsbooyah]

We were there that same day, saw them set up with a big frabil tent. We were in the FJ. When we saw the truck on the way off the lake we parked by the houses and ran back to see if everyone was ok. Called 911 and was told they were on the way. So sorry to hear about your dog. glad you guys made it out. It was a blizzard out there.

[the local angler]

which eagle lake is this strathmore or the other one with trout?

[all canadian]

Wow!!!
What do these pressure points look like? Are they cracks that freeze together again? Or is there a height difference once ice cracks and one side moves up creating a ridge.
Poor dog, I always drive with my window open on the ice.

[howlin]

was fishing about 50 yards from where the truck went under today ,ice was 2 feet,he must have hit a crack or something.sad for the dog.

[marlin1]

sorry for the loss of dog , tough one

[maclennanchris]

I dont see a ridge in the photo. Only my second year on the ice so I know I have not seen it all. Early season at Wab we seen a good ridge out by Point Alison that went aways across the lake. Would like to know what this was that sent the truck through, so I could avoid this situation myself....

[Jwood 456]

EEEK! I'm going to rethink driving on the ice this year!

Sad news about the dog too.:(

[Jwood 456]

Wow!!!
What do these pressure points look like? Are they cracks that freeze together again? Or is there a height difference once ice cracks and one side moves up creating a ridge.


I dont see a ridge in the photo. Only my second year on the ice so I know I have not seen it all. Early season at Wab we seen a good ridge out by Point Alison that went aways across the lake. Would like to know what this was that sent the truck through, so I could avoid this situation myself....


Here's some info on dangerous pressure ridges and what they look like.

http://lakeice.squarespace.com/pressure-ridges/

[Sundancefisher]

Wow!!!
What do these pressure points look like? Are they cracks that freeze together again? Or is there a height difference once ice cracks and one side moves up creating a ridge.
Poor dog, I always drive with my window open on the ice.

Ice expands and contracts. Wind puts pressure on the ice and can also cause shifting. Cracks form and new ice fills in so ice is constantly shifting. It also acts like water...you leave a wake behind your vehicle like a boat. Traveling in someones wake means weaker ice.

When ice expands (warms up) it pushes together like tectonic plates. One side eventually heaves over the other. There is a weakness at this point from friction and fracturing.

When ice contracts (cools down) it pulls on itself until pressure releases along fracture lines or old expansion heaves. It is not uncommon for a heave to have open water on one side...sometimes 5, 10, I have seen up to 25 feet of clear open water. With a high enough heave and snowmobiles don't see the danger on the other side.

Sometimes there is no heave and the ice just pulls apart...as cold is the cause...there is often a layer of thin ice over the crack and a dash of snow can make the 1-3 inches of ice can look just like the 3 foot thick ice.

Cracks can form anywheres on the lake at any time...so safe one week...does not mean safe the next.