Do the Great lakes freeze over?

[WIMUSKY]

Re: Do the Great lakes freeze over?

I think Lake Superior still freezes completely over but the breakers may keep parts of it open.

I see people driveing on most of the lakes in MI in the winter. Cars, trucks, ATV's what ever. I think they are nuts, but thats me. Im not much of a fisherman and really dont have any idea what bait to use to catch a car-fish.

They drive on Lake Superior from Bayfield WI to Medaline Island(one of the Apostle Islands) where people reside year round. They also have car races on Chequamagon Bay in Ashland WI.

I'm one of those guys who will drive on the ice as long as there is at least a foot of "good ice". Basically, if I see trucks out there at least as big as me. coupled with ice reports at the baitshop and friends, I have no problem driving out. Been doing it for many years.

 

[gonefishie]

Re: Do the Great lakes freeze over?

I've heard that with good ice, 2" is safe to walk on and 6" is safe to drive on.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: Do the Great lakes freeze over?

I've heard that with good ice, 2" is safe to walk on and 6" is safe to drive on.

I think they upped that to 4" and 8". People do walk on 2". Not me! 6" I wouldn't want to be on anything but an ATV or snowmobile. 8" for a light car, even then I wouldn't recommend it. You just never now how thick the ice is between shore and where you plan on to stop and fish. Around here there were a couple of small(s-10 type) trucks that drove out on 8" this year. Buddy of mine just took his fullsize F150 on 12/13". Others that size were out there too... I have a 3/4 ton with an extra 800# in the box. I think I'm going to wait for another 6".

 

[PW2]

Re: Do the Great lakes freeze over?

Last year Lake Huron froze a lot further out than it has in recent years due to the cold temps. There are years where there may be no ice at all. I've got some sweet pictures of the ice caves, frozen waves, and huge icebergs/floes.

The shipping in the great lakes has slowed to a crawl these days with demand for basic materials like limestone in China falling the last few years. The fact that housing starts have declined means low demand for all sorts of commodities. The locks at Sault Ste. Marie are barely active these days with no freighter traffic to speak of.

The waves will keep ice from forming quite a bit, when calm a skin will form pretty quickly, only to be broken when the wind picks up.

The lake effect snow will always be able to pick up some moisture, since the lakes don't come anywhere close to freezing all the way across. Last year we had an extra football field of ice on our beach, great for snowshoing

The local paper reported shipping thru the Soo Locks was the slowest since 1938 and the great depression. I believe the shipping season ended officially this last weekend, although there was a freighter that passed thru on Sunday. It will resume sometime in early March or so, when the USCG decides it's worth the effort to break the ice up and keep the channel open.

It's really not been that cold up here so far this year, and there have been multiple warnings that the ice, even on inland lakes, is not yet safe to run snomobiles

 

[mphy98]

Re: Do the Great lakes freeze over?

No real ice even forms on the shore of lake Michigan here I read that the milder air temperatures and depth of the southern basin keep it mostly ice free.
Was down there tonight and spotted some lights on the lake, sure enough big ole ship out there.

WHAT?? I have seen and been out on the ice from shore many times. 2 years ago the ice was out solid for I believe 10 miles or more. See Racine Journal times archives for pictures and articles.

 

[dlindeblad]

Re: Do the Great lakes freeze over?

Growing up in Upper Michigan on Lake Superior I can tell you that this lake never completely freezes over. It narrowed down to a very small section that was still open water one year, but never a complete sheet.

 

[PW2]

Re: Do the Great lakes freeze over?

The USCG was out cruising on the St Mary's river this morning. Couldn't read the name of the vessel (ID # 101) but there was not a bit of ice in the river this morning, which is pretty unusual for the middle of January.

At noon, it was 35 degrees! That's shorts weather!

 

[Billdc]

Re: Do the Great lakes freeze over?

It has been a few years and I can barely remember what I had for breakfast. But I seem to remember people riding snowmobiles out to Mackinaw Island in the winter. That has to be 7-8 miles out.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Do the Great lakes freeze over?

Ayuh,... Here's a link to the current ice covering of the Sweetwater Seas,....

Current Great Lakes Ice Cover, 1-14-10....

My observations agree with the chart...