Snow Equipment Owning/Operating Where NOT to clear snow!

[jinman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Time to get moving before the ice freezes and I need TNT to get the tractor out! )</font>

Is that why they named our tractors, Boomers? KAABOOM! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[MossRoad]

Glad you and your tractor survived! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

I was out on a lake last weekend. 6-10 inches of good, hard ice. Since the we had about a foot of snow. The temps have been hanging around 10 degrees. But by this weekend the ice was about 2 inches of solid, 2 inches mush, 2 inches solid and 6 inches mush with water under the snow. Amazing how much insulation a little snow cover can provide on a lake.

 

[shvl73]

When I was younger I drove a 28000gvw truck with a load of lumber across lake Sunapee to an island, dropped the load at the site & drove back. Now I realize the shear stupidity of it. If that truck had gone through, the clean up & recovery cost could have bankrupt the company!

 

[Bob_In_MN]

Here in MN we have several larger lakes with islands. Two of my friends pulled trailer homes across the lake to make into cabins on the one of the islands.

It's amazing how much weight ice can hold.

Last weekend I was up on Mille Lacs and drove by a spot where they were having a fishing contest. Must have been 50 trucks parked next to each other. Of course we have over 2 feet of ice on the lake.

Bob

 

[tc35dforme]

The edges of the pond are always the most precarious due to the effect of the ground and the cracks due to varying water levels.

I remember as kids we'd go to our local 'little' pond and have to jump the edge gap to get on the ice to skate in the spring. We'd go back in the summer to collect all the lost hockey pucks !!

The things we do as kids..... /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[RonR]

Think it was discovery channel or history channel has shown a deal about a company that every year, builds a highway to get deep in Alaska using frozen waterways as roads. They've done it so long, they are considered the experts to doing it. They clear the snow maybe a 100 ft wide with a high floatation 4WD tractor. With GPS, they map out the route and regularly maintain it.

The most interesting part to me was the speed limits they have established when crossing ice. Briefly, if they go less than a certain speed, the "wave" of water moving under the ice can dissipate ok. If they go too fast, when they approach the edge of the lake, the "wave" has no place to go, so it BREACHES the ice and the truck falls through.

They also have remotely stationed rescue/recovery teams--and the equipment to "PATCH" any cracks or holes. They also dig test holes to insure the road is safe. A great show to watch.

Ron

 

[frank_f15]

GLAD NEITHER U OR THE TRACTOR WAS HURT /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif but i appears to me that u got away with a majior oops!. just because there is alot of snow DON'T mean the lake, pond or ground is frozen, snow is a wonderful insulator. i hope u don't try that again? /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[SPIKER]

RonR:

I awtched a few different programs on discovery about driving the ice across canada into upper alaska and beyond all way to north pole.

yes like others said SNOW insulates the ice and lets the lakes warmer water melt the ice under the snow.

about 1 week back the us coast gaurd had to heli rescue about 30 ice fisherman when lake eries ice shelf broke, (1000"S pf bucks in trucks vans and 4 wheelers & snow mobiles are then left trapped on the ice. then the owners can be held for cleanup if they don't pay someone to remove them or give them up if someone offeres to remove them and keep them for the removal cost!.

anyhow they say 4' of ice will support a car/truck, and a person can ice scate on less than 2".

the guys driving fully loaded semi-trucks cross ice 80,000+ lbs can travel on 10" as long as the speed is less than 5 mph. if I remeber the tv shows info right.

now the amount of Ice thickness it takes to get me on it is about 90% of what ever the waters deapth is! lol /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Mark M

 

[paccorti]

While my goal was not to get stuck, I figured either way I'd have some fun. In my defense, my pond is shallow pretty much everywhere (< 16") so at no point did I think I was in real trouble. I did clear the snow from the pond before I drove on it. The ice was as solid as ever and very clear. My estimate of depth was based on my admittedly non scientific looking at the ice and seeing frozen bubbles about 6" deep. Obviously I don't know for sure. I've got to think it was much more than 2" or even 3" thick since I didn't break through right away. What possibly made the situation worse was my loaded rear tires (600lbs each) and I had my heavy duty 7' blade on the back too.

To pull my tractor out we used a 20K lb towing strap. I also have a 14K lb chain. We attached to my drawbar and tractor came out as easy as can be. This is the same pond I dug a while ago to remove silt so I have a lot of experience driving in it while it is muddy. I got so practiced getting myself out of mud using bucket curl that it is second nature now. The more challenging the traction the more fun I have.

At least I got a good story out of this. A Picture would have been nice though...

Peter

 

[frank_f15]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( At least I got a good story out of this. A Picture would have been nice though...

)</font>

yep a picture would have been nice. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif