Warmer winter makes thin ice a pressing priority

MAT-SU — Local officials and fishermen are urging residents to use caution on the ice after at least four vehicles went through the ice on Valley lakes last month.

First it was a truck that went through Finger Lake, according to reporting by Alaska Dispatch News, followed by another truck that punched through Big Lake the same week, according to Mat-Su Borough Emergency Services Deputy Director Ken Barkley. A few days before Christmas, a couple four-wheelers fell through Figure Eight Lake near Point Mackenzie.

Incidents like these happen every year, Barkley said, but as more and more people move to the Valley and with warm weather for much of this winter, an increase in public safety awareness is necessary.

West Lakes Fire Department Battalion Chief Jim Keel said the best thing to do before driving a vehicle out on the ice is to walk out first and check for any soft spots. If you aren’t sure about local ice conditions, he suggested contacting local chambers of commerce, fire departments, or Alaska State Parks.

“Always call, get an update before you go,” Keel said.

Ice fishermen Butch and Jehnifer Ehmann say increased community interest in their sport of choice also contributes to the need for more safety information.

“I think what’s hard for people is that there isn’t like a hard and fast date that they can hit the ice and then just continue on through the season when we’ve got this kind of weather,” Jehnifer said.

The Ehmanns run a local guiding service and offer educational classes as members of Cabela’s Pro Staff team, so they have had ringside seats to watch ice fishing grow in popularity here over the last several years.

“With that (growth) comes people who are wondering ‘how can I get out on the ice, how should I,’” Jehnifer said.

The problem arises when those people “wonder” without actually asking any questions. Each lake has it’s own topography, for example, and generalizing or making assumptions about the features of a given lake without physically checking often leads to mistakes.

The Ehmanns cited Finger Lake, for example.

“Half the lake was open and half of it was frozen on Thanksgiving, and so if you didn’t know where those troughs were or where that open water was, you’re gonna think ‘oh well I see cars over here, I’m fine to drive all the way across the lake,’” Jehnifer said.

Driving to a good fishing spot isn’t the only reason people bring their vehicles out on the ice, however. For decades, Barkley said, Valley residents and even businesses have been plowing and using ice roads on Big Lake for convenient winter travel between hotspots,.

Drivers are advised to use caution and stay away from any channel areas, such as Mud Lake and Flat Lake, Barkley said.

“We don’t recommend any heavy equipment out on the lakes right now,” either, Barkley said.

While most personal vehicles should have no problem on the well-marked ice roads, Keel said Big Lake needs to build up a few more inches of ice before it can support rescue trucks.

“We’ve got about 17 to 20 inches of good, clear ice right now,” he said, but the department requires a minimum 24 inches for its emergency vehicles.

The Ehmanns also advocated for lighter transport. While they might take a four-wheeler out in certain areas on specific lakes, Butch said they’re mostly sticking to walking right now.

“I wouldn’t drive out here,” he said, of lakes in the Palmer and Wasilla area.

In either case, testing the ice first is of utmost importance.

“You should be drilling at the point where you’re gonna bring a car out,” Jehnifer said, “and when you’re walking out it should be an ax or a pick before every step.”

For beginning educational materials on ice fishing, visit the Alaska Department of Fish and Game website at 1.usa.gov/1tIr0Gv.

For updates and press releases regarding winter safety and ice conditions, check the corresponding section of the Mat-Su Borough website at bit.ly/1zLfiaH.

Contact Caitlin Skvorc at 352-2266 or caitlin.skvorc@frontiersman.com.