While most people try to avoid icy roads on their commute, one cyclist’s decision to do the opposite is leading to new frontiers in ice measurements for Southwest Minneapolis lakes.
“I really like the ice,” Steven Glasford said over the phone, after we connected on Reddit. Glasford has started posting ice reports from Southwest Minneapolis lakes on Reddit this winter.
Glasford bikes to a lake about once a week, takes out his ice auger, and methodically measures the ice across the body of water or until it’s unsafe to continue.
Glasford records his ice measurements on a Google map with dropped pins across the lakes. Loring Lake, the southern part of Cedar Lake, and Lake of the Isles have been measured so far this winter. Glasford said he started with Loring Lake because he lives near that area.
Last year Glasford attempted to measure the ice on lakes with a manual ice auger that he found at a thrift store for 40 bucks.
“It didn't really work that well,” Glasford said. “I sharpened it and everything, and it just never really worked.”
Glasford saved up some money and bought himself a brand new electric ice auger this year. He found one for half off on Black Friday, running him $350.
After hearing his story over the phone, I asked him if I could come with during one of his ice measurement days. He agreed, sending me coordinates on where to meet up later that week.
When I met Glasford at Lake of the Isles to observe his ice measuring routine, I was shocked to see him on the lake. It didn’t look iced over (the technical term is "iced in").
“It’s because the ice is very clear,” Glasford said, adding on some reassurance, “The clearer the ice, the stronger it is.”
His new auger measured the ice in seconds. The ice was 7.5 inches deep–plenty thick to safely walk on. Glasford uses a broken plastic hanger to measure the ice, utilizing the hanger to find the bottom lip of the ice.
Glasford also mentioned that clear ice is great for ice skating, too. The Lake of the Isles skating rink opens Dec. 21.
“Ice is not 100% safe,” warned Robin Smothers, spokesperson for the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board.
The Park & Recreation Board measures lake ice for internal purposes, such as maintaining its ice rinks, but does not provide public ice measurements.
“We are not ice experts,” Smothers said, recommending people refer to the Minnesota DNR ice guidelines.
Even though the Lake of the Isles ice was safe enough to walk on, Glasford offered me a lifejacket when I arrived and I accepted without hesitation.
If someone falls through the ice, there’s a “95% chance you are going to die because you drowned by going under the ice,” Glasford explained. By wearing a lifejacket, it can help keep you above the ice.
Smothers said what Glasford is doing is legal. But why does he do it, and so methodically?
He is an avid winter bicyclist and uses the lakes as paths.
“I can reduce my commute times by half by being able to go across the ice,” Glasford said. “So that’s what I do it. It’s so I can make sure I can cross safely.”
Steven the Ice Guy is also one of those diehard winter fans. Originally from western South Dakota, he has fond memories of coming to Minneapolis to buy clothing in the “cool city.” After a stint in Boston, he missed the Midwest winters and knew just where to go.
“I moved to where the winter is best,” Glasford said. “Eventually I got my whole family to move down here from South Dakota.”
You can catch Glasford in Southwest Minneapolis this winter on any given lake with his e-bike and neon-colored Trash Messenger Bag or driving Route 2 as a Metro Transit bus driver.
