thin ice,what not to do.

[Adk_dib]

I was cross country skiing this sunday at mosslake ny when I came to the bridge at the outlet. The water was up to the top of the bridge and all the water around it was thin ice. the only way across without getting my skies wet were across the pond about 20 feet out. while I was deciding to cross or go back my 70 pound dog made the decision for me. she wandered to close to the bridge and fell through. I took my skis off not wanting to fall through with my skis on. I laid out and pulled her out by the neck. I go up and took one step towards the shore and I fell through to by belly.There was never any danger becouse I was close to shore but the last half hour to the car was "COLD"! If I had kept my skis on my weight would have been evenly distributed and I wouldn't have fallen through. Something to think about.
While I am at it I should give a trail report. DO not ski the west side of Moss lake. It is all water and you have to carry your skis almost he whole lenth of the lake. It was like this 5 years ago the last time I tried this trail so it wasn't just the warm wheather.

 

[MattC]

Glad you and your dog got out of that one okay. Live and learn. I imagine there's quite a lot of high water and thin ice all around the northeast right now.

Matt

 

[sardog1]

There are many, many dog owners who have died in the same circumstances. And in many, if not most, of those times, the dog has survived without being rescued by the deceased owner.

I know the urge. I also know how dangerous it is. We have five dogs. I've seen two of them go through the ice. One made it out on his own. There was nothing I could have done to help him, because he weighed fifteen pounds and went through the ice far beyond the point I would have gone through.

I helped the second one out on another occasion -- he probably needed my help to get out of a stream channel. I came real close to going in myself while pulling his seventy-five pounds out nearly vertically. After that experience, I started carrying a floating rope, with a loop and a floating throw weight attached. And spike handles for me.

 

[TomD]

ice rescue

This video clip about ice rescue was posted in another thread a couple of days ago. It shows a skier falling through the ice to demonstrate how to rescue yourself.
http://www.exn.ca/video/?Video=exn20020325-icewater.asx

 

[catskillclimber]

Thank you for sharing that video Tom. Good to know.

 

[TomD]

Giving Credit

The thanks go to ExploretheEast who posted it in the other forum. Not sure I could survive that kind of dunking-I've got like zero body fat (the polite way of saying I'm too damn skinny).