Bill, we finally had courage to put the snow removal machine (4 wheeler with plow) on the ice. We had heat trapped under heavy layer of snow since early December and edges stayed soft. Even the bitter cold wouldn't firm up the edges. Finally some of the snow melted and the cold won out. We have layers of ice, frozen snow and then ice on top. Got the ice cleared and pond flooded for skating finally in February!! Need a few more floodings to get to that super smooth ice. I'm happy last weekend that the sun had 2 days of direct access through clear ice to help whatever plants are in there to make some oxygen.
At a small pond down the road the nephews got to do some ice fishing and tied into a skinny NP. It is lots of fun for the kids to be able to walk where they want and see the fish through the hole in the ice.
