Ice Measurements and Safety

ICE MEASUREMENTS AND SAFETY

Recommended Thickness

Local lakes have now reached the minimum thickness of six (6) inches of ice which is the recommended thickness for walking, skiing and snowmobiling. Remember that this is merely a guideline for clear, solid ice.

Safety First

Many factors other than thickness can cause ice to be weak. Water currents and snow load are two of them. Be aware that ice does not freeze or thaw at a uniform rate. It can be a foot thick in one spot and only an inch thick 10 feet away. Therefore, ice is NEVER safe and you should always remain aware of your surroundings. Parents, please talk with your children about the dangers of playing around or on under-developed ice. If you have questions concerning ice safety, contact the Yellowknife Fire Division at 766-5502.

YELLOWKNIFE ICE THICKNESS MEASUREMENTS

Testing is done during the fall/winter season (October to November) on a weekly basis until the ice reaches a thickness of 6 inches (15cm). Measurements are provided by Great Slave Snowmobile Association Trail Riders.

Area on Map	Location	Thickness	Estimated Distance from Shore	Date
1	Back Bay (beside 34 Morrison)	9 in	150m	November 19, 2011
2	Back Bay (Wardair Dock)	7 in	200m	November 19, 2011
3	Dettah Ice Road (School Draw)	10 in	175m	November 19, 2011
4	Fault Lake	6 in	100m	November 19, 2011
5	Frame Lake (by City Hall)	7 in	200m	November 19, 2011
6	Frame Lake (by Co-op)	8.5 in	200m	November 19, 2011
7	Kam Lake (by City Garage)	8 in	200m	November 19, 2011
8	Kam Lake (off of Curry Drive)	10 in	200m	November 19, 2011
9	Long Lake Plane Launch	6 in	200 m	November 19, 2011
10	Long Lake Boat Launch	6 in	200 m	November 19, 2011
11	Niven Lake	9 in	200m	November 19, 2011
12	Pond behind Kasteel Drive	9 in	200m	November 19, 2011
13	Range Lake (behid Circle K)	8 in	200m	November 19, 2011
14	Range Lake (by Parker Field)	6.5 in	200m	November 19, 2011
15	Rat Lake	7.5 in	100m	November 19, 2011
16	Stock Lake (Jackfish)	8 in	200m	November 19, 2011
17	Yellowknife Bay (Boat Launch)	6 in	130m	November 19, 2011
18	Yellowknife Bay (by Air Tindi)	12 in	200m	November 19, 2011

Ice Measurement Location Map

What to do if a companion falls through thin ice:

Keep calm and think out a solution.
Don’t run up to the hole. You may fall through and then there will be two victims.
Use an item to throw or extend to the victim to pull them out of the water such as jumper cables, skis, rope or push a boat ahead of you.
If you are unable to rescue the victim immediately, call the Fire Division at 873-2222.
Get medical assistance for the victim. People subjected to the cold may seem fine after being rescued, but can suffer a potentially fatal condition called “after drop” where cold blood that is pooled in the body’s extremities starts to circulate again as the victim starts to warm.

What to do if YOU fall in:

Remain calm and look towards the shore.
Place your hands and arms on the unbroken surface of the ice.
Work forward on the ice by kicking your feet. This will assist in keeping your body horizontal and help you “swim” out of the hole in the ice.
If the ice breaks, maintain your position and slide forward again. If this doesn’t work – keep trying.
Once you are lying on the ice, don’t stand up. Instead, roll away from the hole.
Crawl back to your tracks, this will ensure that your weight is spread out until you are on solid ice or on shore.
Seek medical assistance.