Ice Ice Baby
February 28, 2020 12:22 PM   Subscribe

In the depths of winter, Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire turns in to a frozen paradise, attracting ice fishers, snowmobilers, and... pilots.

Nine months out of the year, Alton Bay is a small seaplane base. When the lake freezes, though, it becomes the only ice runway(pdf) in the contiguous United States recognized by the FAA. Maintaining the runway is a volunteer affair, and landing on the ice isn't as crazy as it looks. It's quite an attraction when it's open, and is a popular "bucket list" destination for many general aviation pilots.

Sadly, the runway never opened this winter due to the warm conditions.
posted by backseatpilot (11 comments total) 9 users marked this as a favorite
 
Recent video from FlightChops about a winter fly-in a little farther north in Quebec: link
posted by allegedly at 12:27 PM on February 28, 2020 [1 favorite]


Also attracts guys with pickup trucks, some of which turn out to be heavier than the ice will support. Doesn't happen every year, but it's not rare.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 12:33 PM on February 28, 2020 [1 favorite]


If you are really persistent one of those pilots might let you strap yourself to the wings and ride around a bit: "I fly! I fly!"
posted by TreeRooster at 12:58 PM on February 28, 2020


It's so minor compared to the species extinctions and all the rest, but I always feel a little sad when I come across little cultural things like this that will be extinguished by climate change.
posted by tavella at 1:03 PM on February 28, 2020 [2 favorites]


Sadly, the runway never opened this winter due to the warm conditions.
I'm guessing that's gonna be a theme.
posted by 922257033c4a0f3cecdbd819a46d626999d1af4a at 3:08 PM on February 28, 2020 [1 favorite]


I'm guessing that's gonna be a theme.

Glacier National Park with no glaciers writ in skywriting.
posted by RolandOfEld at 4:15 PM on February 28, 2020


I grew up ice skating on Lake Winnepesaukee. When the ice was clear, you could skate for miles and miles, it was so awesome.

And yeah, there was also the one guy who left his fishing shack on the ice too late and dunked his truck when he went to tow it in...
posted by suelac at 4:31 PM on February 28, 2020


places to love :P
posted by kliuless at 11:06 PM on February 28, 2020


I wonder if the trunk sinkers have to pay for recovery.

In Ontario if you have your snowmobile go through the ice you are on the hook for recovery and that can be pretty expensive if you are somewhere remote.
posted by srboisvert at 5:10 AM on February 29, 2020


I have a cousin who was into flying for a while. He used to participate in these flights over Northern New England where they would drop pumpkins into lakes, simulating bombing. They're called pumpkin drops - you can find info online.
posted by Miko at 6:24 AM on February 29, 2020 [1 favorite]


Oh dear lord that Pumpkin Drop link made me happy. Not sure why, but that really tickled.

Regarding planes on lakes, they are all over the place in MN in the winter. I was ice fishing a couple years ago and a whole bunch of little two and four seaters (six or seven) showed up near our place on Lake Mille Lacs for lunch. They just landed on the plowed road, taxied up near the bar on shore and went in for an hour or two. Then they came out, hopped in the planes and took off. The guys in pickups on the ice road just sort of pulled over and watched, no drama. Apparently it happens a lot, but I'd never seen it.
posted by Cris E at 10:47 AM on March 1, 2020


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