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)	8 in	200 m	November 17, 2012
2	Back Bay (Wardair Dock)	6 in	½ way to far shore	November 10, 2012
3	Dettah Ice Road (School Draw)	11 in	200 m	November 17, 2012
4	Fault Lake	6 in	middle of lake	November 10, 2012
5	Frame Lake (by City Hall)	6 in	40 m	November 10, 2012
6	Frame Lake (by Co-op)	8 in	200 m	November 17, 2012
7	Kam Lake (by City Garage)	9 in	200 m	November 17, 2012
8	Kam Lake (off of Curry Drive)	7½ in	40 m	November 10, 2012
9	Long Lake Plane Launch	7½ in	40 m	November 10, 2012
10	Long Lake Boat Launch	8 in	100 - 200 m	November 17, 2012
11	Niven Lake	6 in	middle of lake	November 10, 2012
12	Pond behind Kasteel Drive	8 in	200 m	November 17, 2012
13	Range Lake (behid Circle K)	8 in	200 m	November 17, 2012
14	Range Lake (by Parker Field)	6.25 in	40 m	November 10, 2012
15	Rat Lake	6½ in	40 m	November 10, 2012
16	Stock Lake (Jackfish)	9 in	100 - 200 m	November 17, 2012
17	Yellowknife Bay (Boat Launch)	9 in	200 m	November 17, 2012
18	Yellowknife Bay (by Air Tindi)	11 in	200 m	November 17, 2012

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.