Winter Events
ICE FISHING – BY THE NUMBERS
The lake ice does not freeze to a uniform thickness due to areas with current, like inlets, outlets and springs. Therefore, one has to be cautious and know the areas to avoid before venturing out on the ice. Ice-claw type equipment and knowledge of the proper procedure to follow in the event one falls in is useful, but the best safety precaution is to always travel with a buddy.
Cars average around 4000 lbs. Class 1 trucks (light pickups) can weigh up to 6000 lbs.
According to the US Army Lab, the “rule of thumb” is 8″ – 10″ of hard ice for Snow Machine or All-Terrain Vehicle travel. However, ReadyNH.gov states that 6″ is the minimum for a snowmobile or an ATV, 9″ is the minimum for a small automobile, and 12″ is the minimum for a pickup truck or SUV.
HISTORY OF WINTER EVENTS
Sled dog racing down Laconia’s Main Street in the 1960’s (color photos) and in the 1930’s (black and white photos).
While sled dog racing began in 1929, 1936 was the first “World Championship” sled dog race. A pinback button is a common memento of the race. The race course is about 20 miles long. The 1968 winner, veteran musher Dick Moulton, covered it in a then record time of 1 hour, 8 minutes and 55 seconds.
Sled dog racing down Laconia’s Main Street in the 1930’s past two local banks. The two banks shared the same building and had a common entrance. The bank on the right in the photo, the Laconia Savings Bank, existed until 2011, when it renamed itself the Bank of New Hampshire. The bank on the left in the photo, Peoples National Bank, merged on August 15, 1969, with the Laconia National Bank, forming the Laconia Peoples National Bank. Laconia Peoples eventually became the Laconia branch of Citizen’s bank. The building in the photo was torn down in November, 1972 during the City’s Urban Renewal project.
