Last year someone posted how much ice will support what type of vehicle etc. Need a refresher course. Thanks

This is from the Minnesota DNR's web site.

4" of new clear ice is the minimum thickness for travel on foot
5" is minimum for snowmobiles and ATVs
8"- 12" for cars or small trucks

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/safety/ice/index.html

Fisherman.
I persoanlly dont know of any data out there that states the weight to thicknees equation. Nor, would guess there is much from to many state agencies, fearing legal litigation from such written data. Fact is its not so much how thick the ice is versus its strength, but simply how hard ice is. And I wont go on record here, telling you that 2 inches is supposed to hold the weight of an elephant, the theory I heard most of my life. Driving on ice is always a risk, no matter how thick it is. Big part of the reason that Insurance Companies wont honor your vehicle insurance if it goes through. And why the Coast Guard wil not post any "Safe Ice" reports, but put out many to stay off. Their only motto is, That no ice is safe, no matter how thick. I'm never the first guy out 6 miles, and often wonder just who was. Get to that time in the winter when you think its safe, then wait one more week. Stay on well driven on trails when possible. Stay away from humped-up ice or ice with water on it when possible. Always carry a couple of 6" spikes in your pocket where they are easy to get at. Ice fishing is a blast, but take it easy.

Our local CO says the only safe ice in the county is on the indoor hockey rink.

3" clear ice is comfortable to me.

Ive got a Tahoe, and ins co wont cover it if she falls through the ice, so i wont take it out on anything less than 16". I wont bucket fish on less than 6". 4 is supposed to be safe, but my luck i would fall through!

I was on 3"s today and I'll tell you it's definately NOT safe!!! It's clear hard ice, but I think I know what some people are talking about. After I drilled a few holes and was moving about, the water on top of the holes made the ice a little weaker around the holes, I was jigging out of a few holes and started to hear cracking right under my feet. The sun was out and I thing it was melting the ice from above. I'm going to a different lake tomorrow...early, before sunrise. I hear it's got 6"s of clear ice.

Adam.

Number 1 rule posted by all of the state and local agencies. NO ice is ever safe!!!!!!!!!!
Only one person ever walked on water and he isn't around any more.

Follow the posted guidelines and walk - if you have 4 inches of clear ice, snow mobile if you have 6 inches of ice, drive if you have a foot of clear ice, and use a truck if you have 2 feet of ice.

This guide will work well, unless you hit a spring, where there is only 1 inch of an other wise two foot thick ice pack.

I had the displeasure of watching a truck go through the ice a few years ago with just such an indicator.
My buddies and I were fishing a lake in Central Wi. One of my buddies had grown up on the lake and said that no matter what, never, never drive across the channel; separating the two lakes that we were on. Current between the two lakes always thinned the ice. We were fishing on ice, that was about 30 inches thick. Of course we had driven out to the spot where we were fishing. We saw a new pickup driving slowly along the south shore of the lake, and was heading for the channel. When they got to the channel, they stopped; and my buddy said, that they were probably talking over whether to turn back or come up our way. Suddenly to my buddies suprise the truck turned toward the channel and started moving. My buddies took off at a dead run; in a vain attempt to stop the truck. However, before making it about 30 yards, the front wheels of the truck dropped through the ice, and the rest of the cab followed.
As we watched in slow motion, we could see the two occupants - pop open their windows, and roll out on the ice, and roll back to safe thick ice.

The truck had fallen into the channel, where there was about 3 feet of ice that was only an inch thick, in an ice field that was otherwise about 30 inches thick. After going over to them and verifying that all was well; we drilled a hole and put in a deadstick log, that we tied off to the axle of the truck to keep it from going through. As I said earlier, the truck was jammed into the ice, up to the windshield, stuck in the crack.

This truck had less than 5000 miles on the odometer.
Now comes the sad part.
The owner of the truck called a service to get the truck out of the ice. Because of the ice conditions; the service refused to take their truck on the ice. They used a chain saw, and cut a slot in the ice, about 1/8th of a mile long back to shore. Then, they took the winch cable from the tow truck, and fastened it to the axle of the truck.
Then, they took a chain saw, and sawed a hole around the truck, and dropped the truck completely into the bottom of the lake into 60 feet of water. Then, they went back to their tow truck, and winched the truck back to shore. When they neared shore with the cable and truck, they used the chain saw, to cut another hole in the ice; through which they extracted the truck. What should have been a $500 repair job for the truck; resulted in the truck being totaled.

Remember - no ice is ever safe.

Take care
REW

The 2002-03 In-Fisherman Ice Guide has a great article on ice type and ice safety.

TGG

In Illinois where we love ice fishing but don't enjoy long winters, we've been known to push things. Still, three inches should be good, four inches is better to walk on. However, there are some provisos....like ice forms near shore first and melts first there. Early in the season you have to be very careful as you walk out...it could be great in close, thin out on the lake. Later in the season, we've used planks to get to good ice from shore. You have to be very careful of moving water and underwater springs.

The horror stories make me very careful. I won't go alone. I try to remember a floatation pillow with 50 feet of rope for emergencies. Inflatable life vests are great precautions. Some people have two spikes on a rope around their neck to pull themselves up. Me? I never want it to get that far.

Ice fishing it a terrific sport. I love it. But lets all be safe.

Scott Richardson

Great response, REW. But actually, that guy who walked on water IS around these days. You just gotta look (i.e. have faith)

Trout

I wouldn't take my snowmachine on 6" of ice no way there is never a guarantee that any ice is consistent I wait for 10 inches average that way I know I am pretty safe. I have fished many times on 3" inches walking though, anyone who ice fishes should be mentally prepared to fall through the ice and the main thing is don't freak out if you do. When we were young my brother and I used to fish early and late every year, just flirting with bad ice conditions one or both of us would fall through once sometimes twice in a season never had a problem getting out, the only problem was going home to face our mother then trying to go fishing the next day. Its only cold water there is people who swim in the winter time, if you fall through the ice just don't lose your head and you will get out. I am not saying it is a pleasent experience but nothing worth freaking out over.

Just look around, don't be the only one out there, if others are out there, must be safe!

Most insurance companies WIll cover your vehicle going through, they dont advertise it but it is a comprehensive claim under water damage. Trust me I know.