recent strawberry ice conditions?

[buddyz]

Thinking of going tomorrow, has anybody been there earlier this week? Is ice walkable?
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[ponyboyf350]

The road from 40 to the S.B Marina is closed.
It won't be plowed again this season, per the guy who answers the phone.
But, I have heard conflicting reports about its accessibility.
Hopefully, somebody with first-hand knowledge can chime in and let us know.
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[kastmaster]

Was at the Ladders area last Monday, 25 and ice conditions were good for the .8 mile walk to our spot from the parking lot.
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[doggonefishin]

Just got back. Ice is still in good shape and walkable. It was 20 degrees still at the ladders in the morning when we arrived. Obviously, it warmed up but ice didn't seem to degenerate much.
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[Jmorfish]

Any chance an ATV could set out from the Ladders area? Snow still too deep? any thoughts?
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[doggonefishin]

I wouldn't do it. The ice has multiple slush layers and you would probably break through the top ice layer into these pockets and have a big problem.
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[Fisharefriends]

I agree with him. On Saturday when I was there when I drilled my holes the auger went through 2 or three inches of frozen slush then dropped through 5 or 6 inches of slush before it started drilling into anything solid again. Once in a while my snowmobile track would break through the top frozen layer and bog down to half the speed. If your ATV broke through that layer it would be a nightmare getting it out.

Just for what its worth...
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[SkunkedAgain]

I'd tend to agree with the other two guys, I wouldn't take a wheeler on there... It was dicey on the snowmobile, and it really is a nasty ice sandwich of different layers of slush, and water and snow and ice... not the best stuff for trusting your life to. Plus conditions change a lot between morning and noon, so you might get on and not be able to get off... Good luck but be careful... J
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[kniephof]

"Ice sandwich"! I love the term...that's a good description. [cool]
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[Jmorfish]

tks DGF....I've been debating (to myself) whether or not to invest in an ATV for ice fishing purposes mainly....my buddy has one, and we've successfully launched at Strawberry in some past years, and one time not so successfully.[:/]....as some guys have already said, this getting older deal has some of us thinking more seriously about those long hikes that are getting harder and harder to do....especially in deeper or slushy snow....Snowmobile? Just don't like the idea of another toy sitting around 10 months, and I personally didn't see any ATV's on Rockport, Echo, Pineview, Mantua, or E.Canyon this season...guess I'll invest in more trolling gear, for now....[]
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[Jmorfish]

tks FrF---I appreciate your info...pls see my other response...
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[Jmorfish]

tks Jeff.....good info and advice ...pls see my response to Doggone F.....
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