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Alton Bay (B18) is opening!

Thermos

Well Known Member
Patron
Good news from the frozen northeast - the Alton Bay, NH ice runway (B18) is opening this afternoon or tomorrow morning, check NOTAMS for latest info. More info on the Alton Bay FB page -


Dave
 
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Great news! Check Alton Bay hotline 603-875-3498 before arriving. This year they are only allowing takeoffs and landings to the NORTH. Most likley due to overrun accidents in the past.
Nice restaurant, great people, definitely worth the stop.
 
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Good memories at Alton Bay. First time I visited in Feb 2012 and was coming several times a year as soon as they open. There were two years ice was too thin and they remained closed. There was a year they only opened for two days. Good folks there great scenery and nice food. Go if you can and post some pictures.

Alton%20Bay%202019%20-%201%201.jpg
 
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Alton Bay today

Runway and weather conditions perfect. All restaurants are open. Starts to get real busy around 8:30am.
 

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Id love to go there with my -4

Nice pics! My mother-in-law just moved from there to Fla, too cold! Id love to go land on the ice some time..my -4 is "all white" like your beautiful bird is.We go by call sign "Casper".
 
Never having landed on ice before, what's involved?

Seems like the slightest swerve and the airplane will swap ends. Or worse.
 
No special skills required other than rolling to a stop, assuming little to no braking conditions. Use that rudder thingy. Pick a day without cross winds and don't fall down while exiting the plane. Take it real slow into parking. I just nose it into a space, then rotate it by hand, after shutting down. If you misjudge the landing and go long, or bounce, it's a non-event to do a go around.
 
No special skills required other than rolling to a stop, assuming little to no braking conditions. Use that rudder thingy. Pick a day without cross winds and don't fall down while exiting the plane. Take it real slow into parking. I just nose it into a space, then rotate it by hand, after shutting down. If you misjudge the landing and go long, or bounce, it's a non-event to do a go around.
All good info, glare ice is really the only thing you want to avoid. Usually the ice will have some roughness or a small accumulation of snow which will provide ample braking. Regarding ice thickness, they are using NH DOT trucks to do the plowing at Alton Bay, I would bet those trucks weigh 25K+
 
Ive landed there with my archer. Not sure I’m up for it with my 10. Curious how the castering wheel does on there. How the heck do you steer - cant imagine that differential braking works well. My rudder doesn’t really do much at low speed.
 
Alton Bay closed for the season

On Thursday Feb 25
Alton Bay closed for the season due to warmer temps and melting
AMekler
 
Anybody got a picture of what it looks like in summer?? Sure looks pretty there.

I’m right on top of Alton Bay here so hard to see the landing area - especially with morning fog!
June 2019 and October 2020
 

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