Regular visitors of RideApart know that we're big fans of the Cboys here. They ride anything you can think of on a frozen lake, but always remain cautious of the ice breaking and, despite their carefree attitudes, always check the depth of the ice before ripping around. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for a man whose snowmobile broke through the ice on Pleasant Lake, Michigan, on New Year's Eve.
The man was treated for hypothermia, Oakland County Sheriff's Office officials reported. The sheriff's office sent a search and rescue team to the incident in Waterford Township at around 5:45 pm, after the snowmobiler's wife reported that he fell through the ice. “Two nearby neighbors went onto the ice in an attempt to locate him,” the report stated. “They became lost and disoriented in the whiteout conditions. Both neighbors were able to safely return to shore.”
Thankfully, the neighbors were on, and the Oakland County Sheriff's Office responders were able to find the rider with the assistance of the Waterford Regional Fire Department officials. After the rider was returned to shore, he was transported to a local hospital.
“This incident is a stark reminder that ice conditions can change rapidly and remain unpredictable, even during sustained cold weather,” the sheriff’s report stated. “We encourage extreme caution around ‘frozen’ lakes and ponds and to avoid traveling on ice unless conditions are clearly known to be safe.”
The thing is, you don't need to be involved in a powersports activity to wind up in the hospital due to a mishap on the ice. A close member of my own family is in the hospital right now due to a simple slip, which could've been much worse had someone not found him sooner. This is my PSA to anyone living in icy conditions who owns a Garmin inReach, or any similar portable satellite communicator—keep the device on your person, whether you're going hunting or simply walking from your front door to your car, at least until things clear up.
