What are your tricks for no snow (banking)?

Hey guys my Dad and I are heading up to Upper this weekend! I have a house up there that I leave up there year round, I have not had it out on the ice yet this year. It sits up kind of high off the ice. Last year this was no problem as there was so much snow. This year I am worried that I will not be able to keep the holes open. Any advice much appreciated. How well do hole sleeves work if you don’t have the house banked? I don’t have any but might get some if they work. Thanks to all.

I think the sleeves work great. When I had my last house I made my own out of pvc pipe and never banked the house. I would drill my hole, spread out the slush and push the sleeve into the slush a bit.
DT

I’ve seen some guys that have a canvas skirting that velcros on. Blocks the wind I guess. The sleeves work well and maybe a fan to keep some heat down low.

Man, if it sits up off the ice, you are in trouble about either way if you have no snow and it gets cold. Hole sleeves help obviously, but if you aren’t banked, etc, and you sit up that high, they won’t keep your holes from freezing.

I would try using slush and banking that way. Drill a few holes and try to freeze the slush and make a seal. When you drill the holes in your house, push as much slush up against the frame as you can.

A trailer and a scoop shovel can help too. Drag it(snow) from shore if there isn’t any out on the lake. Have done this more than once myself if I was going to sit up in a spot for a little while.

Take some rip strips of plywood up with you and screw them to the skids if it is a skid house.

If its a wheel house you need to angle the boards a bit and lean the tops against the house then use some scrap lumber in the corners to fasten them together. Use some foam or any snow you can find for the wheel well areas.