THE BIBLE OF WALKING ON THIN ICE


FROM                       CHERNOBYL  COWBOYZ  

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To: richard@io.org
Subject: Sorry to bother you again

THE BIBLE OF WALKING ON THIN ICE

Ice is always thin unless otherwise proven.  In survival conditions this is
easisest where the ice has cracked and you can see the water.  Unless you
bother walking by the crack the information is useless. 

The ice varies greatly.  It remains thin the whole time where there is a
current.  Unless you are a local it's hard to tell where the current is.

However, the current is always where two land masses are close to each other 
forming straits.  Rivers have frequently thin ice, however, I have been able 
to walk on a river ice unharmed when just a few meters away the water is 
flowing free of ice.  

The greatest factor is the weather around freezing.

If the fall has been windy it means that the lake has frozen unevenly.  This
information is crucial, however in survival conditons you don't usually know
that.  Also reedy lakes tend to have a bad ice cover.  The ice bends towards
the shoreline and in my experience, it might break there easily.  

The recent outside temperature has very little effect on the ice thickness, 
so don't think you are safe walking in -40.  

It might have frozen some little cracks, but if you fall, your condition is 
very severe.  Also I'd rather see the little cracks open than frozen.  
If you read a book, you want to see all the pages.

The ice is layered, so that you can break the first level and you find water
there that is sometimes deep, but the main ice is below.  You'll learn to
see the difference by experimenting.  Spring ice is more devious than fall
 ice.

You must listen to the ice.  Thick ice is totally silent or you hear the
echo of your steps at the very most.  When the ice is thinner it starts
bending making howling noises.  Ice can bend quite a bit before it cracks,
but be extremely cautious.  The noise of bending ice is very creepy.  The
breaking ice is like gunshots and you should turn immediately around and
return the way you came.  

If the ice is seriously breaking, spread your weight over a greater area, 
crawl or roll away.

Ideally you should have exposed knives in both hands and a rope to pull your
friend out and a stick to listen to the ice.

Walking on the ice offers great benefits compared to walking in the forest,
namely you can usually select straight paths and there is less snow.  If
possible, ski rather than walk.

Don't go to the ice when it is dark.  It USUALLY IS in the northern
 latitudes.

I have heard an experience when a man was crossing a great lake expanse.
the ice didn't crack.  It was so heavy to walk in the snow that he became
exhausted and finally froze to death.

There are never ideal conditions and therefore even experienced locals fall
into cracks.  It can cause you another great danger or it can save your
life.  You must assess the risk.       

                        CHERNOBYL  COWBOYZ