Treading On Thin Ice

How to survive a dangerous plunge through ice

Story and photos by Elizabeth Piseczny

As winter approaches, outdoor activity options are limited, but most nature lovers won’t let a little ice stop them. With seasonal winter sports kicking into full gear,  many winter enthusiasts will start taking to the ice while hiking, skiing or snowshoeing in the frosty Adirondack wilderness. Every season, however, there are reports of those who were less than careful and put their lives or belongings in danger. For the frigid months ahead, here are some things to remember out on the open ice.

Even though you’re hoping to have fun and enjoy natural scenery, there are a few vital things to consider when consciously putting yourself into a potentially dangerous situation like crossing a frozen lake. Serious expeditionists always take into account risk management, planning and prevention. Managing your risk means identifying and taking an assessment of the factors that may make your endeavor hazardous. Planning your trip and how you’ll protect yourself will help you prevent an accident and put yourself at the highest probability of survival.

The best way to start is to “make a decision about how much risk you’re willing to take,” Laurence Soroka, an expeditionary studies professor at Plattsburgh, says. “It’s not if an accident will happen, it’s when an accident will happen.”

“Take your risk if you want to, but know what you’re doing.”

In the planning stages, research the area you are going to explore and assess your personal level of risk tolerance. Being nervous or scared is a good thing and could signify that, “Wow, this could be dangerous,” Soroka says. 

“How are you prepared in case an accident happens? Do you have spare clothes, a means for warming yourself? How far are you from help?” Soroka suggests as questions to ask. Other external factors should also be considered, like the thickness of the ice or the insulating effects of snow on the ice. Even experienced Adirondackers should make sure they are adequately prepared for the conditions that may be present.

“My observations about people who don’t (think about) this reflectively: they fall into a trap. If we’re successful at something, we may think the way we did it was okay,” Soroka says. However, this may not be true. A person’s choice to ignore the risks may result in a treacherous situation. “Take your risk if you want to, but know what you’re doing,” he advises.

“We don’t do many of the ideal rescues. We have gone into cold or swift water.”

Another way to prevent a tragic accident, and to share the beauty of the outdoors, is to always bring a friend. If you’re venturing out on a frozen lake or pond, mind the buddy system. If you fall through, it might be critical to have someone else along to help you out. Safety in groups applies to most scenarios, so this isn’t one to forget.

When members of the Cumberland Head Fire Department’s Cold Water Rescue Team respond to an emergency call for an ice rescue, at least four people are required-- a driver, two rescuers and a commander. While the rescue team has only had to go onto the ice twice in the last ten years, but Captain James Lavoie says, “We don’t do many of the ideal rescues. We have gone into cold or swift water.”

If you have thought about these factors and reduced your risk so you can manage anything that comes your way, you can feel more comfortable and confident, and that means you can relish your time outdoors on the ice. But once you’re out on a frozen lake, or worse, once you’ve fallen through ice to the glacial waters below, it’s too late to take these steps. However, even if you’ve prepared, an accident can still occur.

If you’ve broken through the ice and are submerged, first locate the surface. Although plunging into freezing water may cause shock initially, finding the surface and maintaining an access to oxygen are your first priority.

“Most people immersed in extremely cold water gasp. They’ve just filled their lungs with water,” Soroka says referring to CWR, a reaction to being suddenly submerged in frigid waters. Soroka recommends testing for CWR beforehand by simply just going with a friend, a blanket, and dry clothes and jumping into cold water. “Know your body, know yourself,” he recommends.

Knowing how your body reacts to freezing water will help you to remain calm while pulling yourself out. After all, struggling and thrashing around will only exhaust you, making it more difficult to save yourself.  According to The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook, the popular book written by Joshua Piven and David Borgenicht, the best way to get out is by using your forearms and elbows to lift yourself onto the edge of the ice. By dispersing your weight along the length of your arms, you reduce the chance of the ice breaking off again. Face in the direction you came from, since you know the ice in that area was strong enough to hold your weight.

Piven recommends having “things like rope or long (finger) nails” to help heave yourself out. Piven says, “Obviously, in a pinch, you could use your keys,” to get a grip on the slippery ice.  “Use it as a crampon to pull your body, your core, out of the water.”

Lavoie suggests using the frigid conditions to help. “You’re wet. Put (an arm) down on the ice and let it freeze there. Use this limb, cloth frozen to the ice, if the temperature is right, to get out of the ice.” 

However, he says that getting out of the ice is not like getting out of a pool. “Bobbing in and out, up and down… like someone might come out of a pool… that rarely works, and it increases the submersion,” he explains. “Do not try to go under the ice. Do not try to go down. Don’t try to swim under,” he says emphatically.

“It’s very physically demanding to do an ice rescue.”

Once you’ve managed to pull yourself up, reach as far from the edge as you can and pull yourself forward, using anything you have to maintain your grip on the ice.
Pulling your body out of the water is the most difficult part, and having a friend with rope or a long stick could be the difference between exhausting yourself in the chilly waters or getting to safety as quickly as possible.

When the Cold Water Rescue Team is on a call, the victim is immediately transported to a hospital to be cared for, another reason that a minimum of four firefighters are required, according to Lavoie.

Piven and Soroka agree that kicking your feet may help propel your weight out of the water. Once you have managed to get onto stable ice, wiggle your way out of the ice hole, but do not stand up. Continue to crawl, roll, or slide away from the water’s edge and toward stronger ice. Crawling helps disperse your weight until you reach stronger ice and decreases your chances of falling through again. Avoid standing until you are sure the ice can hold your weight.

If you’re with someone who has fallen into the water, lay flat on the ice to disperse your weight and prevent falling through as well. If the ice was weak enough for one person to break through, it probably won’t hold another. If you have rope or another means of heaving the person out, you can stay farther away from the thin ice. Additionally, “It’s very physically demanding to do an ice rescue,” Lavoie says.

However, if you must grab the person to help them out, grab by each other by the wrist, not the hand, to have the strongest grip and least chance of slipping. Remember to follow the same procedure and crawl or roll away from the water’s edge and toward thicker, stronger ice.

“The first sign of hypothermia is mental confusion.”

After taking a plunge like this, it’s important to avoid hypothermia. “The person has minutes from the time they go in, if they are not in a rescue suit. They have minutes before their core temperature drops to the point of hypothermia. It’s very hard to come back from hypothermia,” Lavoie says.

While many people believe the first sign of hypothermia is feeling extremely cold, this is not the case. “The first sign of hypothermia is mental confusion,” he says.

 If you’ve fallen through ice and are at risk of hypothermia, Lavoie says, “Go to an area that’s dry and warm. Get wet clothes off, and get dry.” Avoid breezes that dry you by cooling, he also urges. 

“Your limbs are very fragile because the blood supply closes down and they become numb. Use gentle handling, avoid positional changes, and if you try to walk, don’t be surprised if you pass out,” he adds.

All in all, the expert advise remains the same: be prepared and know how to react. But the ultimate advice is, Lavoie says, “Don’t trust the ice.”

Do you have an ice-crossing story to tell?