New Hampshire

Fish and Game: Be Cautious About Going Out onto Ice

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People should be cautious about going out onto any ice, especially following the record rainfall recorded on Christmas Day, a New Hampshire Fish and Game Department official said.

“With erratic temperatures, some areas of ice may look safe, but may not be,” Col. Kevin Jordan said in a statement on Friday. “We are urging people to check the ice thickness before going out onto any frozen waterbody.”

Jordan said because of changeable ice conditions, it is never advisable to drive vehicles onto the ice. Those on foot should carefully assess ice safety before venturing out by using an ice chisel or auger to determine the thickness and composition of the ice. It should be continued as people get further out onto the ice because the thickness of the ice will not be uniform over the entire waterbody.

The U.S. Army Cold Regions Research & Engineering Laboratory in Hanover said there should be a minimum of six inches of hard ice before individual foot travel and eight to 10 inches of hard ice for snow machine or off-highway recreational vehicle travel.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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