|
Jan. 20, 2010
By Lori Lindner
NORTH LIBERTY LEADER
lori@northlibertyleader.com
|
Snowmobilers drifting along Mehaffey Bridge Road.
(Doug Lindner) |
|
|
JOHNSON COUNTY- There is an important message recently posted to the Iowa Snowdrifters' website, and it's very straightforward: stay on the designated trails.
The cautionary advice is issued as both a message to personal safety and a reminder to be courteous in this season of recreational snowmobiling. As riders tuck away in the back of their minds the disappearance of 52-year-old Martin Davis of rural Linn County, who apparently vanished while snowmobiling alone on Jan. 3, the Iowa Snowdrifters' Club member Mel Rinehart agreed that attention to safety should always be a rider's first priority, and consideration of others who enjoy the sport, as well as property owners who are affected by it, is a must.
First of all, Rinehart said, though many people enjoy snowmobiling on the surface of the Coralville Reservoir, there are never any givens when it comes to ice conditions, due to the moving water underneath.
"The floods of 2008 changed so much of the water channel in the lake," said Rinehart, as did the heavy rains in the spring and fall of 2009. The moving water below the ice surface erodes it from underneath, which can make the thickness of the ice inconsistent; it may be frozen down 18 inches in some spots, 5 inches or less in others. Patterns of freezing on the lake's surface may have also changed dramatically; where the lake used to be shallow and quickly frozen, the channel might now run deep. Riders who are very familiar with winter riding on the lake can be surprised to find open water where they don't expect it. In fact, the club website which Rinehart maintains offers an explicit warning.
"The ice on the Coralville Reservoir should not be considered safe to ride at any time. We have had reports of open water upstream of Scales Pointe, I-380 and Highway 965 bridges and also below Mehaffey Bridge. We cannot verify or assure anyone that the ice is safe"
Another problem with ice comes from fluctuating water levels. Even after the lake's surface freezes, the Army Corps of Engineers sometimes must change the levels of the reservoir due to conditions downstream. If they raise the level, it can crack the ice and cause water to push up on top of the existing ice. If they lower the level it can leaveing a gap of air between the ice layer at the surface and the actual surface of the water. The level is routinely dropped starting on February 15 to prepare for the spring melt. Over the following month or so the water level will drop 3 to 5 feet.
"It creates instability in the ice layer," explained Rinehart. "It puts cracks in the ice, which allows the water to come to the top and further stress the ice"
Ice presents more hazards than breaking through it, Rinehart noted. Freezing, thawing and re-freezing can cause uneven spots on the lake's surface.
"Sometimes it creates bumps in the ice and overlaps of the ice layer. If you are going in the right direction, it's like hitting a ramp; going the other way, it can be a square edge. Other times there can be ice shelves that stick straight up at a 90-degree angle from the surface. You don't want to hit one of those, especially at night," Rinehart said.
While Rinehart said the club does not recommend riding on the lake, he knows there are people who do, so the club website offers this advice:
"If you chose to ride the lake, you must verify ice conditions for yourself before going on it. If you do ride the lake, make sure you get off where there is a trail nearly," for example, near Mehaffey Bridge, Highway 965 Bridge or 140th Street.
Members of the Snowdrifters Club work hard to maintain approximately 150 miles of marked trails in Johnson, Linn, Iowa and Benton counties. Much of the maintenance work is done throughout the summer months by volunteers, and the trails are supported entirely through snowmobile registration fees, sponsorships and club fees; no tax dollars are spent to create or maintain snowmobile trails here.
The trails well-marked and mapped: maps can be viewed or purchased through the Snowdrifters' website at www.iowa-snowdrifters.org, or through any of the supporting businesses located near the trails.
Riders should be sticklers about following the designated trails for several reasons, beyond being mindful of private property owners who might be bothered by the noise or snowmobile tracks left behind. Some trails that were damaged by the 2008 floods have not been repaired and aren't suitable for riding. In some cases, bridges or portions of the trail were washed away, and in other cases, the trail just no longer exists.
"There are a lot of hazards that lurk out there," said Rinehart. "Stay on the marked trails, follow the signage and don't travel beyond a 'No Snowmobile' sign for any reason""
Rinehart said other snowmobile safety rules are basic and general: travel in pairs or a group; never ride alone. Make sure your snowmobile is in good condition. Carry tools and spares like belts, sparkplugs and oil. While most snowmobilers carry cell phones, an abrupt event can keep a lone rider from calling in an emergency. And, though the Snowdrifters' trails are generally within walking distance of help in case of a breakdown, riders should always let someone know their destination, their arrival and departure times, and the intended path of travel.
"Inform people of your plans, and let them know if they change," Rinehart said.
Finally, there are on-going efforts to make sure riders know what they're doing. This Thursday, Jan. 21, from 6-9 p.m., and Saturday, Jan. 23, from 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m., the Department of Natural Resources, together with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, will host a snowmobile safety course. It is open to riders above age 18, but is required for riders 12 through 17 years of age. For riders ages 12 through 17, the certificate obtained through the course must be carried at all times while on the sled. Both classes must be attended to earn the certificate. The course is held at the Coralville Lake Visitor Center, located on the east side of the Coralville Dam at 2850 Prairie Du Chien Road. Call 319-338-3543, ext. 6300, to register.
For more snowmobile safety information, updates on trails or any other questions, contact Rinehart through the website at sledmeister@iowa-snowdrifters.org.
Meanwhile, the seasoned sled jockeys of the Iowa Snowdrifters Club implore all riders to "Use your head. If you ride like there's no tomorrow, there might not be"
|
|
|
