It’s winter in Canada, so that means lots of us are eager to get out on the ice! Taking caution around ice is an important part of enjoying some great outdoor activities like snowmobiling, ice fishing, skating and hockey. Learn to check for proper ice thickness with these tips.
Ice colour can help indicate the strength of ice:
- Clear blue ice is strongest
- White opaque or snow ice is half as strong as blue ice – this type of ice forms by wet snow freezing on the ice
- Grey ice is not safe. The ice gets its grey colour from the presence of water.
Ice thickness is the best way to measure safety. Ice should be at least:
- 15cm for walking or skating alone
- 20cm for group skating or games
- 25cm for snowmobiles
Floating ice on open waters like ponds, rivers and lakes is never considered 100% safe, regardless of thickness.
Remember to check local reports before heading out on ice and avoid going out on ice at night.
Just because the weather is cold enough for there to be ice on ponds and lakes does not mean that ice is thick enough to safely skate or walk on. A lot of factors can impact ice thickness such as water depth, fluctuations in water levels, changing air temperature, docks and rocks absorbing heat from the sun and shock waves from vehicles travelling on the ice. Ice thickness can change as quickly as the weather does, so always be sure to check, even if ice was safe the day before.
FAQs
Ice Safety: Know when it's safe to play
How to check if ice is safe? ›
Blue to Clear - High density, very strong, safest ice to be on if thick enough, stay off if less than 4 inches (10 cm) thick. Mottled and slushy or "rotten" ice - not so much its color but its texture. This ice is thawing and slushy.
Is the ice safe to go on? ›
Ice can vary in thickness and strength from area to area because of temperature, water current, springs, snow cover, and time of year. Never walk on ice that is less than 10 cm (4 in.) thick and do not drive on ice that is less than 30 cm (12 in.)
How safe is ice to walk on? ›
4 inches: Walking, ice fishing, ice skating, or other activities on foot are permitted. 5 to 7 inches: Snowmobiling or riding ATVs are safe. 8 to 12 inches: Driving a car or small pickup is allowed. 12 to 15 inches: Driving a medium-sized truck is safe.
Is ice never 100 safe? ›
Ice is never 100 percent safe. You cannot judge the strength of ice just by its appearance, age, thickness, or the temperature. Other factors, including water depth, size of the water body, water chemistry, currents, and local weather conditions, all impact ice strength.
What is the best way to test ice? ›
Use a tape measure to accurately measure ice thickness. Put the tape measure into the hole and hook the bottom edge of the ice before taking measurement. You can also use an ice angler's ice skimmer with inch markings on the handle in place of the tape measure.
How long can you walk on 2 inches of ice? ›
General Ice Thickness Guidelines
2 inches thick The ice is very susceptible to breakage and is not safe to walk on. 4 inches thick It should be ok to stand, skate, and ice fish on the surface.
Can you walk on 2 inches of ice? ›
Follow the instructions above to do so. Note that the Army Corps of Engineers says that a person on foot will only need 2 inches of strong ice to be safe (and even a little less than that if you're on skis), but other experts recommend erring on the side of 4 inches.
How much weight can 2 inches of ice hold? ›
Loads on Ice
| Required Minimum Ice Thickness in inches | Description of Safe Moving Load |
|---|
| 2 | One person on foot or skates |
| 3 | One snowmobile |
| 3 | A group of people walking single file |
| 7 | A single passenger automobile |
4 more rowsOnce you've measured the ice, you will also want to know if it is safe enough to be on. The strongest ice is clear/blue in color and found over non-running waters. Since white/gray ice is much weaker, you should only consider traveling on clear/blue ice.
Based on studies, “19 percent of 156 bagged ice were contaminated with bacteria, and 56 percent of those bagged ice were contaminated with fungus and yeast.” The causes of bacteria appearing in ice is not only due to the lack of sanitary precautions when handling ice but also have to do with what kind of water ice ...
Is bagged ice ok to drink? ›
Prepackaged ice is considered a food product by the FDA. Unfortunately, even with standards in place, not all prepackaged ice is created equal. Recent studies have shown that ice can become contaminated with serious foodborne bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella.
How can you tell if ice is tap water? ›
So if you look at ice cubes made from tap water compared with distilled water, you might find that the tap water ones are not as clear and transparent as the distilled water ones because of all the air bubbles inside.
What does safe ice look like? ›
Look for clear ice, which is generally stronger than ice with snow on it or bubbles in it. Carry some basic safety gear: ice claws or picks, a cellphone in a waterproof bag or case, a life jacket and length of rope.
It’s winter in Canada, so that means lots of us are eager to get out on the ice! Taking caution around ice is an important part of enjoying some great outdoor activities like snowmobiling, ice fishing, skating and hockey. Learn to check for proper ice thickness with these tips.