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Falling through the ice


el pres

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Went up to the mountains with the kids today for a little sledding and hikeing. It got into the mid thirtys today

and sunny so we had to get out. While we were crossing a frozen lake I stepped right at the border of the ice and land

(it was covered with 3 ft of snow) and there goes my leg all the way up to my groin. Crossed the whole lake without a

problem, that was my last step out. Nothing serious just could not feel the leg for about 15min. :lol: and a broken ego....

Sledding resumed as planed after...good fun!! Might do it agian tomorrow... :lol:

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Ice near the edge is normally the most dangerous. I played a lot of hockey as a kid, I know your pain

Glad you were not injured

+1

happened to me once too playing hockey on a lake. I grabbed onto one of the dock pilings to hook around and it seems someone decided it would be a good idea to sit on the dock and dig at the ice with the back of their blades. Probably a figure skater... When i hooked around the piling the ice broke and down I went up to my waist. Pants were frozen by the time i got home.

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I fell through the ice while ice fishing when I was 6. Went in to my chest, and stopped myself with my arms. My father pulled me out. I still remember that like it was yesterday. I don't think I've ever been so scared and so cold. Thankfully there was a bonfire burning near shore that day, as I probably would have froze up before they could have gotten back to camp on the snowsled.

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Had a dog fall through the ice near shore on a river as a kid. Luckily the ice in the middle (where I was) was thicker. Dog was on a leash and he was hauled out, I found a thick spot and got the heck off the river. Freaked me out to see a dog 1/3 my weight break on through to the other side. Still don't trust frozen bodies of water to this day.

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Immersion in artic conditions is a life threatening event. Water in a frozen lake can kill you in about 3 minutes. If you get out or someone gets you out, it may still kill you. No matter how tough or fit you are immersion in ice water will drop your core temperature significantly. Even a drop of of 6-8 degrees is very very serious. Below 86 at the core an external source of heat must be provided.

Generally, I stay off the ice until I am sure it is at least 5 inches thick. Rivers and other moving bodies of water are especially treacherous. I avoid rivers, cross them only when absolutely unavoidable. I then scout a place where placid water has at least 6 inches of ice over it.

As an old arctic infantryman I just cringe when I see people out on the big rivers up here in the frozen north.

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The only ice around here is in my "Cuba Libre".

Glad you and yours came out of it in one piece.

I'm with you, Nemo. I see plenty of ice on TV. Other than birdbaths freezing over, it usually doesn't freeze much around here.

Sure am glad you were ok.

dj

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