Garrison Pub. Access

Just wondering if this is a good access to snowmobile to the flats from. Any pressure ridge problems or problems at the access.
Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Dan

With a snowmobile you shouldn’t have any problems going anywhere.

I’ve been all over the northern half of the lake with my sled and haven’t had any issues this year.

It’s the best way to travel in my opinion.

I have been all over the entire lake with my 3/4 ton Diesel, including on & off the Garrison Public Access. I use that access when I need to make a quick run to McDonalds. There is one ridge 1/4 mile out, that is not a problem but you should always check them before crossing. After that it is clear sailing

Scott,

So how, exactly, do you check those pressure ridges? I generally wait until there is about 2 feet of ice before venturing out in my truck… and I rarely get up to Mille Lacs… So forgive me for being dumb. But, when you come across one… what do you look for? how do you know it is “safe”? (on the other hand… I prefer to play it safe and always pay to go out of the resorts)

First, they are never really safe, as they are a crack in the ice. What I look for is to see if they are “Active” meaning moving. Active cracks or ridges will have open water in the seam. The shifting of the ice sheets creates a current in an active crack. I do not cross these without a bridge.

The first thing I do is get out of my vehicle and walk up to it and try to kick open the middle. If the middle is froze solid, most likely it has not moved in a long time. When crossing a crack I look for an area where the ice lines up even on each side, as crossing in these spots puts less pressure on the crack because your weight is distibuted equally.

One other thing you want to avoid is a crack that splits in two cracks. If you have to cross, cross the singal portion or well away from where it splits. Basically you are driving on a floating island if you cross an area where a crack splits. They can be VERY dangerous and I NEVER cross these, even with a bridge.

We are very fortuate this year on Mille Lacs, as most of our “typical” problem areas are froze up real good. Travel on the lake has been excellent. I know the places on the East side have had to deal with a big active crack all year but they are doing a great job over there.

Scott,

Thanks for the information… and possibly saving a life! really appreciate it.