How are the lakes shaping up on the Chain? I know it is just going to get better and better this week. I am guessing the entire chain will freeze up good - including the upper and lower river. Any info you have as far as lakes, ice thickness and where people are riding and fishing would be appreciated. Also please keep updating as the week goes on - looking to ride this weekend!
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Chain o' lakes - il
- Thread starter bladeguy
- Start date
Given the majority of the lakes were wide open a week ago it will be a few weeks of cold to get them to a safe condition. As I look out across Lake Marie the middle is still open and the 2 inches of snow we have gotten the last 48 hours at least makes things appear snowmobile-like. Remember we were in the 50s less than 4 weeks ok so the early freeze was gone followed my lakes looking like boating season was still open.
Snopro711
Snopro711
Went over the Grass Lake Rd bridge between Grass & Fox lakes. Wasn't overly surprised to see a set of tracks run under the bridge from the middle of Grass running the West side of the channel towards Fox. Every year I'm amazed at how fast guys jump on the chain & run. Better keep the throttle squeezed this early. It was all wide open a couple days ago.
Snopro711 - Has Marie tightened up yet? I would think this latest bout of cold should have froze her over...As I look out across Lake Marie the middle is still open
The lakes definitely are changing nightly with these temps. Channel to Catherine under 173 still open, channel to Grass Lake and Bluff and still open. If we keep the low temps with virtually no snow cover through the weekend and once we get a good snow we should be good to go on the northern lakes.
GoodSitting at the Broken Oar right now. The hole just to the south of the docks that is almost always open, is completely froze over. Amazing! Also drove through Mchenry and the river is ice covered all the way through town. Never seen the river freeze this fast!
Thats great! It's not often that we get six days in a row below (and well below) zero. That freezes things fast!!! Good news is we have two more nights below zero before the weekend!
Well the cold did its job. The lakes are plenty froze for the die hard, has been a pretty steady day for the sleds out there. All normal holes are froze over, the channel to grass exploded open which did not stop the water skippers, but with the amount of folks out there all is good for now, although there is not a whole lot of snow cover about the minimum to keep the sled form overheating.
Snopro711
Snopro711
yesterday I drove through the side roads in Union Grove in Racine County and through Kenosha County. The trails were fairly thin but they didn't look too bad. There was some grooming but there also was grass and dirt sticking up through the trails.I guess I will write them fair to poor. I am sure they're just getting worse.the chain is pretty good all the way up to route 50. There are some open holes but if you follow the tracks you'll be fine. I did not yet headed down to Fox Lake and pistakee Lake but I'm sure they are fine. I'll have to find out about the Grass Lake bridge and the route 12 bridge.when talk to some girls that actually rode all the way fromthe broken or through Johnsburg. They would not do that again! It was pretty hairy I guess.
Blade, chain is the lowest I have ever seen in the 13yrs of living off a channel to pistakee. Open spots in areas that you don't normally see.. Every year is different.Be careful out there. Saw them pull a couple sleds out by the Rt12 bridge.That was yesterday..I wouldn't take to much stock in anyone running threw J.B. That area does not hold up because of water from fox lake water treatment.Lots of tracks, just don't stop in shaky areas. be safe, I don't want my buds from the fire house to have to risk there lives just so we can screw around. Be safe. Jake ---By the way Mchenry county will more or less shut down monday.
Jakester is spot on there is definitely some strange freeze patterns in all the channels, as well the Rt 12 Bridge is not for the faint of heart. Its much safer to avoid the bridge if you have to go out onto the river or Pistakee in general there normally is a alternative path that blasting under bridge. Unless you really know the river south I would not venture onto that for a few more weeks (depending on weather) there are many places to avoid and you need to know which side to be on at any particular time. When froze up its nice to run and adds to the Chain Experience. Going north on river is usually a fun run and can jump off on to the Wisconsin trails in several places.
Be safe out there.
Be safe out there.
Ditto what Bladeguy is stating. There were about 9 sleds being pulled out of the water from various areas I am aware of this weekend, while no major injuries there were a couple of close calls on Grass Lake.
Here is the report
Two injured in separate snowmobile crashes in Antioch
Posted: 01/11/2015, 09:33pm | George Slefo
Firefighters responded to two separate snowmobile accidents Sunday night in north suburban Antioch.
Both crashes occurred after 7 p.m. at Blarney Island, which is part of the Chain O’Lakes waterway system and located one mile off shore, according to the island’s website.
The first crash happened at 7:03 p.m.., when a male snowmobiling with family lost control of his sled and jumped off, a spokesman for the Antioch Fire Department said. The male’s unmanned snowmobile then crashed into a pier.
The male – who was only said to be a minor – was taken to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, the spokesman said. His condition was not immediately available.
About 20 minutes later, at 7:27 p.m., another person lost control of his snowmobile about 200 yards west from the first crash, fire officials said.
The man – who was only said to be an adult – lost control of his snowmobile after his vehicle made contact with a portion of the ground that wasn’t covered with snow. He was tossed off his sled and also taken to Condell Medical Center, fire officials said. His condition was also not available.
Both of these sound like the panic a rider has when they believe glare ice is open water and does something against what they actually should do. Either way both are safe and please be careful out there next weekend especially as temps climb and more unstable ice is present.
Here is the report
Two injured in separate snowmobile crashes in Antioch
Posted: 01/11/2015, 09:33pm | George Slefo
Firefighters responded to two separate snowmobile accidents Sunday night in north suburban Antioch.
Both crashes occurred after 7 p.m. at Blarney Island, which is part of the Chain O’Lakes waterway system and located one mile off shore, according to the island’s website.
The first crash happened at 7:03 p.m.., when a male snowmobiling with family lost control of his sled and jumped off, a spokesman for the Antioch Fire Department said. The male’s unmanned snowmobile then crashed into a pier.
The male – who was only said to be a minor – was taken to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, the spokesman said. His condition was not immediately available.
About 20 minutes later, at 7:27 p.m., another person lost control of his snowmobile about 200 yards west from the first crash, fire officials said.
The man – who was only said to be an adult – lost control of his snowmobile after his vehicle made contact with a portion of the ground that wasn’t covered with snow. He was tossed off his sled and also taken to Condell Medical Center, fire officials said. His condition was also not available.
Both of these sound like the panic a rider has when they believe glare ice is open water and does something against what they actually should do. Either way both are safe and please be careful out there next weekend especially as temps climb and more unstable ice is present.