iceboating.net Minnesota Ice Sailing Association

Ottertail Lake, Ottertail Village, MN The lake froze yesterday afternoon & evening... the entire lake, from 6 observation points appears all clear ice, with a trace to 1/2" powder snow. This is a big shallow lake, Mini Winnie, if you would. Expect several pans large enough to hold the regatta... I figured this was EPIC ICE, and could stop right there.

Battle Lake (West), Battle Lake, MN and you just have to love the name... The entire bay was soft at noon yesterday... Today locked in and frozen, the shallow west bay was clear smooth black ice, the stuff that dreams are made of. Again, SIMPLY EPIC ICE!!! BIG, SMOOTH, FAST

http://www.buffalo.k12.mn.us/district/buffalocam.html

during good ice making conditions?

is there some old saying that the old-timers know?

but here's a cool site from the army corp of engineers..

Accumulated Freezing Degree Day
Data for the Upper Midwest
http://www.mvp-wc.usace.army.mil/ice/afdd/

It is with great pleasure we announce...

Yesterday's snow event did little more to Lake Christina than add 1" of snow ice to the surface.

The lake is unquestionably sailable. We have this as an option for the weekend.

Detail: 16 deg F, Wind NW 25, The roads are covered with ice. The surface of the lake appears a uniform light grey color as you approach from the road.

The surface of the lake is snow ice, primarily uniform, with roughly 1/4" waves blown into the slush as it froze. I'd expect we'll be sailing 1/4" inserts on the lake.

There were no drain holes observed. Broadly scattered are some ~ 1" frozen drifts, these appear frozen solid and are of modest slope, (boats will sail over, not through, most do not seem capable of launching the boat)

Fergus Falls, MN 0600 local, 19 Deg F, Wind NW 25 - 40 (est, the official annomometer is frozen :), The highways are all closed, Blizzard conditions will continue until late morning.

Due to the bad weather, there is no morning Bull Riding at the Bull's Eye Ranch in Emerado! The announcement is scrolling across the bottom of the TV Screen with the school and road closings, hehehehe.

Standing outside last night,I could hear, above the wind thru the trees, the gentle arcing current on an ice laden powerline brushing up against the tree in my back yard, (this observer may go dark momentarily) and then, about sunset, hundreds of snowmobiles getting revved up for the first time in years. Those guys are going riding today!

Six DNs sailed what was reported to be 18 - 20 races on North Long Lake, just off Highway 371, north of Brainerd, MN today on what was characterized as absolutely perfect ice.

Given the small fleet, a long half mile course was set, giving the Minnesota Ice Checkers their first rides of the season. The main body of North Long Lake was reported by kite boarders to be less than one day frozen. If Long Lake is missed by the storm, it's really big and pretty awesome.

Note: Hazards are known to exist on this lake! A working lead East of today's course location, open water near the North Shore also reported. They do not bother today's course, but they're there. The native board sailors suggest this lake, this bay in particular is known to support a large and active ice fishing community.

From post on Christina, Dead Lake, Lizzie Thread
Submitted by Professor Robae on 26 November, 2005 - 13:44.
The Call has been made!

We are going to the black ice of North Long lake for sailing on 11-26.

Here is another report from Stroh:

It's true extreamly smmmmoooooth Black ice
It's well Worth the trip
There Is tons of room
Launch at the boat launch on the bay of north long lake It's on the side of 371

pics from 11-25 at:
http://kitemn.com/html/switchblade_nov_26th.html

Launch in on NW corner of lake. Take a right on Noka trail from 371 (it's just south of the star on this mapquest)

I drove North on MN 78 from I 94, the fields are about 80% white, Pelican Lake is about 95 % frozen & white, showing more wetspots than ... this is a family show, never mind, it's worrisome and I doubt we'll agree it's suitable. There were 5 fish houses in the Narrows.

Christina at Milepost 8; The lake recieved what I measure to be maybe 2 1/2" of powder snow (the kind they capitalize the letters of in the mountain ski resorts). 20 degrees F, wind out of the East at about 15-20 mph, ground drifting. The lake is starting to show noticable drifts, and intermittent clear ice, est ~ 95% white. This lake is clearly sailable, it's probably a toss up as to which runner choice will be superior at the first weather mark, I'll bet there will be some of each in the top row.

Snow isn't ever an issue in iceboating, until the lakes freeze. :)

There's a very narrow band (maybe 30 miles wide) of snow in front of a warm front, generally along the I 94 Corridor in Minnesota. It no doubt has impacted the ice on Christina. Historically, the hills surrounding Lake Christina have taken a fair amount of moisture out of systems before they reach the lake. We'll see about that.

Fergus Falls recieved a scant 2" of powder snow overnight... a bit more is forecast.

We will check the conditions at Christina some time today and post observations.

Local Ice checkers will scout a number of suspect shallow lakes in the imediate area which may have missed the event, over the weekend, the good news is it's now cold and other slightly deeper lakes should be freezing over the weekend. (post snow event) Generally slightly east and or north of Christina.

12:00 Noon, Thanksgiving Day, something else to be Thankful for.

The stage is set for another epic ice battle on Lake Christina the ice is Perfect!

Details: Driving up MN 78, Pelican Lake is substantially open, there was a solitary portable ice house in it's customary place in the narrows between the open water main body of Pelican and the now frozen North Bay.

Lake Christina's launch site, Milepost 8, ice observations:

We made brief call to the City Restaurant in Ashby, at lunch time today, to confirm the lake had indeed fully frozen, last week as we suspected.

What a hoot, it the town of the Coot... the gal answering the phone said, "I don't think so, but wait, let me ask... Hey Guys! Those iceboaters want to know if Christina's frozen?... Audibly over the phone "Hell Yes!!!" was heard in perhaps 6 part harmony... and she gets back on the phone and said "Oh Hell Yes, It's Frozen!"

Ice Checking/Sailing will begin on Friday

It's gonna be great!

November 16, 10:00 Local

Conditions: 13 Deg F, Wind N 30 G 40

The lake is partially obscured due to snow fog...

Launch Area is FROZEN

Approximately 40% of sailing area is currently FROZEN!

Forecast Cold Conditions tonight should freeze the balance of lake and we should be making ice, as we predicted, for the next several days.

It's gonna be great

Think Ice

4695

Current conditions: 11/15/05 4:55 PM Local (CST) Generally Miserable; Overcast and Windy; 27°F; Wind Speed: N 33 G 47 MPH

There's a very good chance our 1.25 Meter Deep Treasure will freeze over tomorrow night Wednesday 11/16.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 9 Degrees F.
West northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south.

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ifps/MapClick.php?MapType=3&site=MPX&CiTemplate=1&map.x=30&map.y=30"

We'll continue monitoring local conditions as forecast freezing conditions over the next two weeks are favorable for choices developing in sailing venue for the Western Challenge Regatta.

Fergus Falls, MN Forecast indicates we'll start making ice in about a week.

Starting next Tuesday 11/15/2005 we're expecting low temperatures in the low 20's dropping into the teens over the next week.

I'm planning on Sailing on Christina's Ice beginning on Friday Nov. 25th.

It's going to be Great!

Accuweather forecast - fergus falls, mn

think ice

4695