And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

“That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”

General ice thickness guidelines

 ICE SAFETY: The cold hard facts!

 

Contact: Wade Miller, state trails and snowmobile program consultant, 651-259-5643

Minnesota DNR shares reminders about the snowmobile riding season

As snowmobile riders prepare for the upcoming riding season, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reminds riders of important dates, safety tips and registration requirements. While the snowmobile riding season can start as early as Dec. 1, as yet this year there are no locations in the state with suitable conditions for trail grooming. Several conditions must be met before trails are open, groomed and ready for travel:

• The ground must be frozen. Where trails cross wetlands, 15 inches of ice are needed to support the weight of trail groomers.
• Adequate snow cover of about 12 inches must be on the ground to allow for trail packing and grooming.
• Trails must be cleared of fallen trees, signs put in place and gates opened.

While snowmobilers await the arrival of more snow and groomed trails, now is a good time to make sure registrations are current and snowmobiles are in good operating order, review safety training, and check local trail maps for route changes or new trails.

Registrations for new snowmobiles must be purchased in person at a deputy registrar of motor vehicles or at the DNR License Bureau in St. Paul. Renewals of registrations and state trail passes for snowmobiles not registered in the state of MN can be handled in person at these same locations or on the DNR’s licenses and vehicle registrations website (mndnr.gov/licenses).

The DNR shares information about snow depth and state-managed trail conditions on its DNR snow depth and groomed trail conditions webpage (mndnr.gov/snow_depth). Local trail conditions are often posted online by tourism associations, chambers of commerce and volunteer snowmobile clubs. To find the nearest club, visit the Minnesota United Snowmobiler’s Association website (mnsnowmobiler.org).

Important snowmobile riding safety tips include:

• Be weather aware and don't ride in adverse weather conditions.
• Check the trail conditions and weather forecast for the destination before leaving home.
• Measure ice depth before riding on lakes and rivers. The DNR recommends a minimum of 5 to 7 inches of new, clear ice for snowmobiles.
• Always stay on designated snowmobile trails. Venturing off trails can result in accidents, loss of trails from landowners, and trespass violations.
• Don't drink alcohol and ride. Alcohol is a factor in more than 60% of fatal accidents in Minnesota.
• Always wear a quality DOT-approved helmet and facemask.

An interactive snowmobile trail map can be found on the DNR’s snowmobiling website (mndnr.gov/snowmobiling). Paper trail maps can be requested from the DNR Information Center. Email info.dnr@state.mn.us or call 888-646-6367 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday.

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This can be compared to the final reading last fall on November 25, 2023 of 979.33' and the Ordinary High Water Level for Sarah of 979.90'. The Spencer family will continue as the appointed volunteer monitoring our lake’s water levels for the MN DNR, the LSIA and the lakesarah.com community website.

 

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