By james art 
From Katie Clingporn
Like cheeses, it attracts. A smooth space of ice, limiting what in other seasons would be found water – invites people to skate, fish or slide around.
But with the winter of Wyoming, beginning the undeniable warm, wild ice conditions are inconsistent and in places dangerous. As Public Lands Rangers and other emergency officers convened at Kurt Goody State Park earlier this month to participate in an ice-saving workout, they had a reminder first hand why it is always best to take precautions on ice.
Even in specialized insulated dry suits and equipment such as ropes and slings, rescue “can definitely be difficult,” said Kurt Gowdy Ranger Mark Caulan. The ice is slippery, the water is frigid, and the surface often cracks and falls apart under the person trying to pull out someone.
It is best to avoid all this along with many precautions, he said. This involves measuring the thickness of the ice before getting on it with ice augur or ax. Caughlan also encouraged recreeders to travel with a personal flotation and equipment device such as throwing or ice AWL.
Ice should usually be at least 4 inches thick, according to the Wyoming state parks. A 6 inches thick ice can support an ATV, UTV or a motor sled. The ice should be between 9 and 12 inches thick for cars or small trucks, and on average the pickup requires ice, which is 13 to 15 inches thick.
Another Tip from Caughlan: Pay attention to the texture of the ice. If it is cloudy, rough or full, it may show weaknesses.
“Pure ice is the most stable ice, there are not many impurities, no air bubbles,” he said. “If you see this white ore, this is the most unstable.”
This article was originally published by Wyofile and was reprinted here with permission. Wyofile is an independent non -profit organization focused on people, places and policy of Wyoming.