Ridges

Just a quick note to say not much has changed over the ridges-they are in good shape and dry-- even with the mild temps.
Leonard has been sanding Treaty and Strawberry Portages and both are in great shape

Ridges

Beautiful day today,sunny,calm High of-14c. logged close to 2.5Hrs airtime this afternoon--no destination-just wandered around. Lots of camp owners,snowmobilers and fishermen out enjoying the day.
The picture was taken @ 600ft. above ground level-looking North towards Strawberry-that is Allan's reef ridge running East to West in middle of picture.
The road lower right runs to Railroad and angles back to the Moore Bay road-then to the Main road South of Strawberry-I traveled this route by vehicle after flying this afternoon-a little blown in in places but still good.
They have cut another pass over ridge on the Main road @ Allan's Reef-from the air it also looks good--dry.
Flew as far South as French Portage from the Keewatin Channel--several ridges along this route as well. We are not the only area effected with ridges!! Seems the whole lake is cut up with them.

Update of Allan's Reef

On morning of 25th Sharon sent out an e-mail saying Leonard had been out the previous evening making a new crossing over the ridge-just West of the old one-I crossed it at noon today and it was level and dry.
On 24th Bill Holm(he plows from Queer to Andrew Bay) plowed a bypass from North of Queer towards Railroad Island,here it crosses the ridge which is hardly noticeable and connects to the Moore Bay road-less than 1 km East of the Pine tree on main road South of Strawberry. I checked the ice every 100 yards on this route and could not get water from my 16" chain saw,The road is only 30' wide--a good alternative if the new crossing Leonard made pushes up again.
The ridge at NE tip of Queer has been stable for a couple weeks now.
Check conditions before crossing.

Alternate Route

This afternoon I plowed from 12 Mile Portage to French Narrows. So anyone wanting to access their camps on Queer Island/French Narrows / Andrew Bay can do so using this route:

Leave Ministry Landing and travel over Strawberry Portage-turn right on the 1st road and follow this to 12 Mile Portage. Take the trail to the left once over 12 Mile-- It's 35 km's from Ministry to French Narrows--I have also plowed up to the ridge at tip of Queer.

There is good ice from 12 mile to French Narrows( 6 miles) with no ridges-this is the route we used in years past before coming through Dorian Marsh.

Ridges

This picture is of the ridge @ NE corner of Queer Isl.-that is Pipestone Pt. in the background. There was enough room under the ridge that I could crawl through it!!! I cut the ice chunks into little bits and used fire pump to flood the area. I'm hopeful that when I go back in morning it will be solid enough to drive a vehicle over. I tried to do the same to the ridge at Allan's Reef but by the time I got set up my equipment was froze up and nothing would work. So I went visiting at Moore Bay Lodge-ice was good in Moore Bay-drove through there yard and into Andrew Bay -tried to go over the Portage at Bottle Bay but there were 5 trees in a clump over the trail and my chain saw was frozen,had to back out and travel West in Andrew Bay to Dorian Marsh to get home. Will check out the ridge in the morning and if it's froze I will attempt to freeze Allan's Reef.
I froze pine trees at both ridges to mark the safest passage--But if anyone is traveling this route I strongly suggest you do not assume it is safe to cross!!-please check for yourself,

Finally made it to Town!!

Plan was to snowmobile to Town this morning--the strong winds over the past 2 days blew all the snow off the ice and onto the shore. So I made the trip by quad!! the least amount of ice we came across was 6" this was in the areas that froze last.I left French Narrows and traveled West to 12 mile portage(only 1 pressure ridge and it was a long WET one). From 12 Mile traveled North to Strawberry Portage(2 pressure ridges here and again both had water either side) Once over Strawberry there was only 1 small ridge close to Rocky Narrows then good right into Bare Point.
The trip home took us over Strawberry Portage and headed straight for the Point of Queer Island-the pressure ridge in the picture was taken @ Allan's Reef looking West. This pressure ridge starts out @ South tip of Scotty's and travels through the Slate Islands past Allan's reef. and heads towards Pipestone Pt. There is another real bad ridge @ the Most NE tip of Queer,after that good travel all the way home.
Tomorrow I will go back and place Pine trees at the 2 bad ridges and attempt to flatten them out so they will freeze.
Quad travel is great-not enough snow for sliders yet-not enough ice for vehicles yet!!
If anyone is venturing out check the pressure ridges on both sides as ice is not very thick and is soft.
Stay away from Copper Island as this was one of the last areas I know of to freeze and will have only 1-2" ice??

Flew into Bare Point after lunch today. We have 8" of good blue ice @ our landing and ice at Bare Point is also good-just have to tighten up that stretch in between!!! I did not see any open water in my travels today.It will be a few more days before we snowmobile into Town.
The pressure ridge in middle of the picture is At Allan's reef,your looking towards Strawberry Portage.