Utah Lake continues to attract people to her shores – whether spring, fall, summer, or winter. Just last week, we discussed the impact of warmer weather during the winter. If you haven’t noticed, we’ve had some colder weather move in, making us hopeful that we might see the lake freeze soon. The goal for winter activities is SAFETY. Weather can change Utah Lake in a short time. It can freeze over, or the wind can blow and cause ice “castles.”
Following are some guidelines and directions for being safe on the ice.
Ice safety tips
- Be aware of the ice conditions before venturing onto the ice. Clear ice is capable of holding more weight than cloudy ice. Clear ice is stronger than white (bubble filled) ice. Four inches of clear ice will support 2000 pounds in a 30’ by 30’ space. It takes 8 inches of white ice to do the same thing. There should be a minimum of 4 inches of good clear ice before walking out onto the lake, and at least 6 or more inches for other equipment.
- This is only provided as a general rule, many factors influence ice conditions, and ice conditions are not uniform around the lake. Some areas may have plenty of ice, and others very little. For this reason, it is not advisable to venture onto the ice until at least 6 inches or even more is present.
- Dress warm. It can be extremely cold, particularly when the wind blows.
- Always check ice thickness before going out onto the ice, particularly early and late in the ice fishing season when ice is either forming or deteriorating.
- Late in the season (March-April) is particularly dangerous as the ice deteriorates. The ice may still be relatively thick, but may not hold as much weight as it is breaking down.
- Fish with a partner. If you go through the ice, it is very difficult to get yourself out of the water without help.
- Avoid having large groups of people and equipment in a small area.
- Never venture out onto partial ice conditions. Large sheets of ice can break away leaving you stranded.
- Avoid the mouths of streams and underwater springs that can create dangerous ice conditions.
- Carry some safety equipment such as ice awls (picks) for pulling yourself out of the water, and some rope to pull others out. It is also a good idea to wear a life vest under your clothing.
- Be very careful if you attempt to rescue a person who has gone through the ice. Many would be rescuers become victims as well. Use a rope or long pole to attempt the rescue from safe ice or from the shoreline.
Other safety precautions depend on your activities on the lake: Ice Fishing or ice skating, etc..
Utah Lake ice is also important in phragmites removal helping the treated phragmites biodegrade and break up to decompose.
There are also some unique weather formations and scenery when the wind blows the ice.
Let’s cross our fingers for ice soon!
Remember safety in every winter activity.
Feature photo courtesy of Utah’s Present History and additional photo courtesy of Kelly Anderson, 2010
Information from Utah Division of Wildlife (http://wildlife.utah.gov/, ) Blog (http://www.crockettclan.org/running/utahlake.html) and WikiHow (http://www.wikihow.com/Know-When-Ice-is-Safe)
I just would like to know if Utah Lake is frozen enough to run on it this weekend. Any info on that?
I would like to know if it is safe to walk on ice. As my son and 2 friends did this the other day. I did not k.ow until after. They are safe, but would like to know since my son loves going out and taking pictures. Stressed mom.
The ice is still quite thin. Encourage your son to use extreme caution if he decides to go out on the lake again within the next few days. In another week or two the Ice should be totally safe to walk on. The Division of Wildlife resources regularly updates this website with Utah Lake Ice conditions. http://wildlife.utah.gov/hotspots/detailed.php?id=1154119786
A couple of years ago we walked across Utah Lake from Saratoga Springs to Orem. We are planning to do this again and want to know if the ice is thick enough to attempt the walk this Sunday January 3rd, 2016? We saw many people out on the ice today and even saw four wheelers and snow mobiles but want to make sure it is safe to go. The temps next week will be warmer so that is why we are planning on Sunday. I would appreciate your advice. Thank you
Hello Beverly, It is always important to use extreme caution when on the ice, no matter how far into winter it is. People have been using the ice already and it is probably safe to walk on it, but please evaluate the ice thickness on the day of your activity to be sure that you are comfortable with the conditions.
On Sunday three of us set out to walk from the public harbor at Pelican bay to Vineyard on the East side of the lake. We were well prepared, but had to turn back after 2 miles into the hike. At the two mile mark (according to the app on my phone) we encountered long breaks in the ice that were 3 to 6 feet wide, and these breaks had not yet been filled in by sufficiently thick new ice to make it safe. Although we could have made it across that first big break, we did see evidence of a lot more breaks towards the center of the lake, so we decided to turn back. Given the higher temperatures all this week, I fear the ice may become less rather than more safe as we approach the middle of January.
Went 8 miles across the lake today. From Inlet Park in Saratoga to Vineyard. Totally iced over and no problems at all. Some thin cracking but new ice had formed.
Great, Thank you for the update Andrew!
Is Tibbble Reservoir safe for skating today-December 31, 2019
Vicki,
This website is specific to information regarding Utah Lake. Unfortunately, we don’t have an update on ice conditions for any other lake.