Be CAREFUL

[Kansasoutdoorsman]

A friend of mine had one of the scariest stories I have heard in a while.

A friend of mine was drive down to Hillsdale's sqawk marina to check out the ice covered ramps and thickness. As he was headed toward the lake he started to skid on the ice, couldn't stop, lost control went sideways for 40 or 50 yards and then slide down the ramp and onto the ice. He said he kept sliding and couldn't stop until he was over 100 ft out on the lake and almost past the docks toward the swim beach. With the ice eaters and waterfowl around the marina he got darn lucky. He somehow made it back up the ramp and lived safely to tell about it.

Ice doesn't play around!!! Be safe out there friends.

[fishlessDan]

Amen Brother! Wont catch me on the ice!

Glad he came out in good shape!

[skinner80]

Definitely not doubting this story but . Like to see pics of it and know how thick the ice was to hold that vehicle going onto the ice that rapidly and holding.

[steveinsene]

Definitely not doubting this story but . Like to see pics of it and know how thick the ice was to hold that vehicle going onto the ice that rapidly and holding.

Ice is surprisingly strong and the fact that it is floating on the surface basically gives it even more support. It does not take as much ice thickness as many would assume to hold up a vehicle. In Nebraska it is illegal to drive your car or truck on the ice but over in Iowa it's legal and as soon as the ice gets 8, 9, 10 inches thick guys are driving there pickups out on the lake routinely, common occurrence there! Too much room for error at those thicknesses...while it might hold you up whose to say one area might only have 6 inches. Now in Minnesota where the ice gets even thicker I've read they generally wait for 12 inches and the crazies go out on less. I've heard stories of guys driving on ice only to find out after the fact that they were on about 6 inches of ice. Crazy!

[DuckHuntingUSA]

I would like to see that video. I totally believe it. Crazy stuff at a Hillsdale boat ramp is pretty normal.

[Blackdog40]

Oh Lord, glad nothing bad happened and everything turn out for the good.

[Catman66086]

I was just in Iowa for an ice fishing trip. The ice was 20 inches thick and everyone drove to their spots. It was the strangest feeling driving down the boat ramp.

[usafret99]

Think I'd have a hand on the door ready to jump!

[crappie_hunter15]

Ice is surprisingly strong and the fact that it is floating on the surface basically gives it even more support. It does not take as much ice thickness as many would assume to hold up a vehicle. In Nebraska it is illegal to drive your car or truck on the ice but over in Iowa it's legal and as soon as the ice gets 8, 9, 10 inches thick guys are driving there pickups out on the lake routinely, common occurrence there! Too much room for error at those thicknesses...while it might hold you up whose to say one area might only have 6 inches. Now in Minnesota where the ice gets even thicker I've read they generally wait for 12 inches and the crazies go out on less. I've heard stories of guys driving on ice only to find out after the fact that they were on about 6 inches of ice. Crazy!

When I was up in Wisconsin for a business trip once I was talking to a guy about driving on the ice. He told me a story about (himself) running a plow truck to clear snow off the lake so they could do a jeep race. He had the truck pushing snow at about 30 mph and it created a wave in front of the truck. Needless to say the ice ahead of him broke and the truck fell through (36" of ice). The lake in that area was over 35' deep. It's amazing that he could live to tell about it.

[RandyP]

When your truck is going down the boat ramp and out on the ice, your pucker factor is going way up.