First ice trip of the season was a big success. Found 6" of ice and several 16" (and fat!) cutties. I went in on skis, and Lance was on foot.
I posted very detailed ice reports on 30 alpine lakes last season (a virtual goldmine of data), and hope to do the same this season, so I'm not stingy with information. But this particular lake would not benefit from extra traffic, so if you recognize it or figure it out please do not name it. (Even though very few would attempt to get there anyway)
That having been said, I'll give you some pointers if you want to look for early ice. This was above 11k feet. Smaller bodies of water, shallower water, and those with more shade tend to freeze first. There are actually lakes around 9500 feet that are currently frozen, while some up to the 12k range are not yet frozen due to those variables.
Obviously, going into the backcountry has risks, and even more so in the winter, so do your homework and be safe-ish.
