Many people enjoy Lake Vermilion during the winter.  They may ice fish, go cross county skiing, snowmobile or just stay at a cabin on an island, or if you are lucky enough, all of the above.  With so many lake-related activities during the winter on Lake Vermilion, it is very important to take into consideration ice safety.

First of all, it is important to realized that you cannot judge the safety of ice by its thickness alone and that many factors determine the true strength of ice.  The rule of thumb is to allow 4 inches to walk on the ice, 6 inches to go on the ice with a snowmobile, allow 8-12 inches for a car and 12-16 inches for a larger vehicle.  The Minnesota Department of natural resources has put together a lot of information regarding ice safety, including how to measure it safely and what to do in the event you do fall through the ice.  You can view all of their information by clicking HERE.