Using River Trails

[Rick]

We all know that a frozen creek or small river can make an easy path in the winter. Especially in hill country. But they also offer some particularly nasty dangers. Two questions.

1. Do you use them?
2. What precautions do you take?

[Stealth]

when rivers ice they often dont freeze very thick, so if i had to use a river, i would walk very close to the edge and be very cautious of any creaking sounds when stepping on the ice. if i thought the ice was going to crack then i would get on all fours and slowly go out the way I came. or, if i had my camera crew with me, i would jump into the freezing water (after precutting handle holes in the ice) to show you how to get out.

[Rick]

You are one bad kitty! The question is would you then strip down and dry off using snow?

[Ole WV Coot]

Don't use them, don't plan on using them. I will follow the stream or creek if I am confused in this part of the country because I know it will lead to someplace. Always follow the flow here and it will bring you to people, just remember the movie Deliverance.

[Stealth]

You are one bad kitty! The question is would you then strip down and dry off using snow?

of course, and then I'd follow that up with some naked pushups

[Rick]

Too funny!:D

[LadyTrapper]

There is often moving water under some of those "frozen" rivers and cricks. Keeping dry is of most importance in even the warmest weather and even more critical in the cold. You most definitely heighten the danger factor when travelling on these icy highways. I would follow along the banks.

[woodwose]

We all know that a frozen creek or small river can make an easy path in the winter. Especially in hill country. But they also offer some particularly nasty dangers. Two questions.

1. Do you use them?
2. What precautions do you take?

It depends on how cold it is. In Canada, especially the northern parts of the provinces they drive semi trucks over the ice on lakes. How big and/or deep is the river/creek? The bigger (wider) they are the more likely that they are thin ice towards the middle. thicker where the water is shallowest towards the bank. Personally, I would not use them at all, period. When I go out into the wilderness I go alone. If I found that I absolutely had to use an ice cover on a stream/river or lake I would stay close to shore in the shallower water and even then, I would tie a rope to a tree with a slip knot and long end to untie it as I go. :D

[Rick]

I posted this for some of the inexperienced who might be tempted to use them. They sure look tempting, especially if they are free of entanglements (tree, limbs, etc.). A nice easy sidewalk but the hidden dangers (especially if you are alone) far outweigh the conveniences. I've stepped through so many puddles out in the field thinking they were frozen solid. The real danger lies in a drop in the water level beneath the ice, in which case there is nothing supporting it but the ice itself. Lady Trapper knows her stuff. Stick to the banks.

[Stealth]

are you calling me inexperienced?:p

[Rick]

I don't reckon I would. Not after what you posted.

[trax]

Your biggest threat is large rivers or fast moving water bodies, they won't freeze as well. I've worked on drills on the ice over lakes on a few occassions and it wasn't a big deal, we drove Cats, swamp buggies over the ice. But there's times that Cats have gone through the ice too, so...you be the judge.

I've used creeks for walking paths, but I think this part is important, I knew the area I was going over and was sure that it was solid enough. If you don't know, don't go,stick to the shoreline.

If you're in a group, stay spread out, watch ahead for anyplaces that rocks or tree limbs are jutting out of the water, you'll have either fast water beneath or thin ice or both. If you're alone and have to cross a water body, look for the shortest route possible. I don't recommend using them for walkways if you're alone. For some reason people never seem to be able to find the same hole they made going in to get back out. I'd also recommend carrying a long thin pole, highwire walking style. You go in and all you have to do is shove the far end of the pole to someone and have them pull you out, then the fun starts, getting dry. Check the ice along the shoreline before crossing or walking on any body of water, if there's water lapping...don't go. If there's a heavy "spiderweb" of cracks, you can go but stay light and quick. never do anything that creates hard impact on the ice (although why anyone would I can't say but apparently some people do, I guess they want to jump up and down to prove to someone else that the ice is safe. Guess what happens? The ice cracks under the next person, funny stuff that ice)

If you have to pull someone else out, crawl out on your belly and stay as far away from them as you can and still reach them with the stick or rope. The more spread out your weight is the less chance there is of you cracking the ice. Hope your woolies are well tucked in or it's going to be a cold crawl for your belly button, but it is the safest way to rescue that person. Better a cold tummy than a dead friend. Just a few thoughts from the NSGWN (not-so-great-white north, LOL)

[sh4d0wm4573ri7]

May follow the course of a river but never would use the ice for a trail ,cross it if need be but rarely is it safe .

[Borelli]

wow.....i guess it depends how frozen over the river is.......you could walk beside the ice.....??

[RBB]

When I'm out ice fishing - or on ice, I carry something like this:

http://www.peterson-outdoors.com/IceSafetyPicks.htm

I make mine from two 3/8 X 6" lag bolts driven through wood handles

[CreekWalker]

I use them but I'm cautious. One thing is to check the weather reports (if that is an option) and make sure it's not going to rain 3-5" in the next 24 hours and also check the weather situation upstream. Around here a pond barely freezes over anymore so walking on a icy river would not be an option nor would I do it.

It's mostly agricultural around here and open fields in the winter would present a concealment problem if I didn't want to be seen. So this would be my only option.

The river would also be my main source of food by the critters in it and the critters that prowl its banks.

Always make my camp well away from the river preferably on higher ground. Unless I know beyond a shadow of doubt I have no problem with the river rising.

I know a couple people that have been shot at mushroom hunting because they got to close to someones meth lab. So people are always going to be a problem in any situation.

[wareagle69]

i do travel of frozen rivers and lakes, two things i watch, one is the weather (wind and temps) second is for deer tracks and wolf tracks they, especially the deer weigh a few hundred pounds as do i, so if i see lots of tracks i will use the ice if i need to make quick time

[RBB]

As a kid I always thought freeze up was great because all the rivers and streams became highways. The swamps froze and you could get to places easier than you could in the summer.

Of course there are rivers and there are rivers. The river connected to our lake never freezes. I've paddled the canoe in February.


Not sure what month this was, but you get the idea:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v516/pjjgirard/P1010046.jpg

Lakes are often worse to walk on because the snow acts as insulation and you often have slush above the ice. Clogs your snowshoes.

[TDG]

I never use ice trails, I'm just too afraid the ice might break. It's almost impossible to get to the surface again.

Instead, I usually walk on the banks if possible. Or if I have to, I walk on the edge of the ice. As close to the river bank as possible

[wildWoman]

I don't use creeks or rivers in the winter, partly because we have none close by that freeze. But I go on the lake and use a similar method as WE for judging the ice safety: moose tracks. Keep in mind though that a four-legged animal, when walking, usually has its weight spread out on two legs, versus just one for a human. I also take the rechargeable drill out with a 6" bit or longer one to see in a matter of seconds how thick the ice is.

[Geronimo!]

For you naysayers on traversing across frozen rivers/lakes, what would you think about measuring the ice every few hundred feet, then continuing so long as the ice was above, say, 3''?

Is that safe, or would that cause you to be more prone to falling through the ice?

[red lake]

Lakes are often worse to walk on because the snow acts as insulation and you often have slush above the ice. Clogs your snowshoes.

For those who don't know about lake slush in the winter, here is a very very good photo essay a friend of mine wrote on it.

http://wintertrekking.com/index.php?topic=75.0

[wildWoman]

For you naysayers on traversing across frozen rivers/lakes, what would you think about measuring the ice every few hundred feet, then continuing so long as the ice was above, say, 3''?

Is that safe, or would that cause you to be more prone to falling through the ice?

I would avoid going on a frozen body of water you're unfamiliar with. The ice is not the same thickness everywhere, where you have a strong current and shallow water underneath, it prevents the ice from getting thick. So you'd need to measure the thickness at different intervals in different places.
Personally, I don't go on ice thinner than 4" at all and only walk for any length on 6" ice or thicker, which allows for a larger safety margin when you consider it won't be 6" all over.

If you must go out on any frozen body of water, ALWAYS have a tool tied to your body that will allow you to get yourself out if you go through (see RBB's post above).
Not doing so is inexcusable and may cost you your life.

[RBB]

I never use ice trails, I'm just too afraid the ice might break. It's almost impossible to get to the surface again.

Instead, I usually walk on the banks if possible. Or if I have to, I walk on the edge of the ice. As close to the river bank as possible

Walking on the banks just wouldn't work on most rivers around here. Too much brush.