
Ice strength can be difficult to determine as it depends on a multitude of factors including thickness, external temperature over a period of time and on the day snow coverage depth of the water under the ice the size of body of water whether it's fresh or saltwater and local climate fluctuations when assessing whether to go out on the ice. Only do so if there has been a hard freeze that forms clear solid ice. Transparent blue in black lake ice is typically the safest. Extreme caution should be used with white opaque ice. Stay off grey ice as well as white and grey ice which is the weakest form of ice.
One professional outdoor skater recommends what she calls the rock test she advises choosing a rock about the size of two fists and throwing it up in the air watching it land on the ice if the rock hits the surface bounces away and leaves only a small mark the ice is thick enough for skating safely if it plops and sticks then that's around 2 inches and that's where you have to be very careful when testing the ice one should also be sure to listen to it the thinner the ice the louder it will sound as it cracks if possible it's always a good idea to formally measure the thickness of the ice before grow going on it 4 inches will typically support a person on foot but will take approximately 6 inches of ice to support someone on a snowmobile or ATV
One professional outdoor skater recommends what she calls the rock test she advises choosing a rock about the size of two fists and throwing it up in the air watching it land on the ice if the rock hits the surface bounces away and leaves only a small mark the ice is thick enough for skating safely if it plops and sticks then that's around 2 inches and that's where you have to be very careful when testing the ice one should also be sure to listen to it the thinner the ice the louder it will sound as it cracks if possible it's always a good idea to formally measure the thickness of the ice before grow going on it 4 inches will typically support a person on foot but will take approximately 6 inches of ice to support someone on a snowmobile or ATV