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Driving your vehicle on the lake isn't safe yet, says GSSA President

Despite increasingly cold temperatures, riding on lakes can be dangerous if thin ice is present, said Great Slave Snowmobile Association president Michael Arbuckle.

“I feel comfortable taking my vehicle out when there is at least 16 inches of ice,” said Arbuckle. “A lot of places aren't marked (for thin ice).”

On Friday, the City of Yellowknife released a newsletter indicating all ice measurements in the surrounding lakes met the standard code of six-inch thickness. Saturday, a truck riding on Prosperous Lake plunged into the water, causing no serious injuries.

President of the Great Slave Snowmobiler Association Michael Arbuckle warns of the dangers of driving on thin ice.
Michael Hugall/ NNSL photo

“It would be impossible for anyone to test all the ice surface to ensure uniform thickness, said city spokesperson Richard McIntosh. “Residents still need to be aware of dangers of travelling on the ice due to varying dangers.”

Six inches of thickness is the city of Yellowknife's mandate for walking or snowmobiling on the ice and Arbuckle intends to develop an advanced mapping system for residents to get a better understanding of where the soft spots in the ice are located.

“At one spot on the lake it could be 20 inches thick, the other could be three inches,” said Arbuckle. “That is something I will add to the local map system.”

He adds anywhere water is flowing can be an area for thin ice, however, the city stated to ensure a uniform thickness in the ice would be impossible.

The GSSA is currently in discussions with the the GNWT Department of Lands to install markers on the ice road to indicate where a berm is present which will further ensure snowmobiler safety.

“The GSSA and Department of Lands have worked well together in the past to collectively encourage the safe construction of unregulated ice roads,” said spokesperson Leslie Campbell.

Campbell adds the Department of Lands suggests roads be marked by leaseholders for the temporary ice roads.