Park staff, along with local agencies, conduct yearly training on ice rescues to be prepared for the unexpected/NPS

It's only November, so no need to rush things and put your life in danger. While winter is a great time to explore Voyageurs National Park in Minnesota by the ice roads or to go ice fishing, park staff warn that the ice is not yet thick enough for those activities. 

Only recently, they say, have the below freezing temperatures allowed the lakes to create a thin layer of ice in most areas.

Travel on ice during this time of the year is dangerous and can create a high potential to cause harm to both those needing rescue and the rescuers. Though the presence of ice may invite users to walk on it, or have the belief it is safe to travel across, ice conditions currently vary in thickness and quality. 

Sudden immersion in cold water can induce rapid, uncontrolled breathing, cardiac arrest, loss of consciousness, and other physical body conditions, which can result in drowning. Death can occur within the first minutes of sudden immersion in current water conditions. Be safe! Don’t go out on the ice this time of year.