In Santa’s Wake
Santa didn’t quite deliver what I asked for at launch sites throughout the region, but hope is on the horizon as ice continues to build. Maybe, just maybe, we’ll be out there soon. Spotters have been going to great lengths to assess the ice conditions, from the ground to the tops of neighboring peaks. A big thank you to Mark for taking a moment between carving turns and amassing vertical drops to capture a shot of Lake Sunapee from the ski mountain. Here’s to icy adventures ahead!
The picture is Lake Sunapee (from the mountain). All the white areas are 1 inch of snow from last night. The blue is presumably still open water. The ice just off the State Beach launch area made cracking noises under my weight and is probably little more than an inch. I punched through with a hammer blow. The ice in Newbury harbor, which is older, is solid and at least 3 inches thick. I could not break through the hammer in some spots. I did not venture out on the plate to test it further from shore. My guess is anywhere from 1 to 3 inches. Subfreezing days and colder nights are forecast til Friday. Over the weekend it is supposed to warm up and rain. Light winds are forecast till Friday. Not encouraging, but I will continue to monitor.
I skated Squam Lake yesterday. There is a good expanse of solid gray ice in the coves and thinner (2 inches) black ice further out that may be thicker now.
Newfound lake is iced over but I did not check it.
Hopefully, we will have additional info by tonight’s call and out on some ice in the next few day.
Think Ice,
John
John@neiya.org
New England Ice Yacht Association 
Update Lake Sunapee 12/26. The ice is thicker (2-3 inches) but the surface is poor – snow >1 inch and drifts. Awaiting resurfacing
12/26/2024 at 3:30 pm