It may be a cliché, but ice never is safe, and don't expect Rainy Lake's ice road to open soon, Voyageurs National Park Acting Chief Ranger Chuck Remus said this week.

There's logic to the lore, he said, joining the chorus of public safety officials warning people to stay off local lakes, rivers and ponds despite the recent spat of freezing temps and snow. Unseen flows and deep waters, deceptive snow cover, unpredictable weather — and simply the early part of the season — all contribute to the danger, Remus and other experts said.

Koochiching County Sheriff Brian Jespersen issued an official warning reminding Borderland residents that the ice is still too thin, even if it looks OK to traverse. He and the state Department of Natural Resources asked parents to keep eye on their children and dogs, while also providing some tips on when it should be safe to head back to the lake for winter sports and play.

Remus said with warmer weather and rain forecasted for this weekend, the park's ice road is definitely still a no go; and what exists now will probably deteriorate. In fact, the 10 miles of Rainy Lake “road” won't be ready until maybe its usual time, possibly between Christmas and the first week of the new year, he said.

“Right now, it's not even frozen over yet, although some bays have ice,” Remus said. “The ice depth is extremely variable. I don't know if we can even say at all when it will be ready yet. I can say we don't recommend any travel.

“If you do go, check as you walk, but I really wouldn't recommend any vehicles of any kind.”

The DNR said people should stay off the ice until it is at least 4 inches thick, even if less can support a walking adult.

“While it's true that slightly less will support an average adult, 4 inches gives you a little insurance factor since ice thickness can vary greatly on any frozen lake,” said Tim Smalley, a veteran DNR water-safety specialist.

Remus said it's too early for park officials to start measuring the road's ice.

The big lake's road isn't ready until they have at least a full foot of dense, weight-bearing ice, which preferentially is blue in color, he said. According to studies, ice that is cloudy or white usually contains water or snow and has been shown to hold up about only half as much weight, Remus also noted.

Park officials use a pilot's eye to first survey the roadway. Then, they work incrementally out from the entrance at the Voyagers' Rainy Lake Visitors Center off state Highway 11, which today is barricaded with warning signs.

In recent years, the park's maintained a seven-mile road ending at Cranberry Bay with a relatively new three-mile loop around Dryweed Island, Remus said.

Crews walk or use snowmobiles to conduct an extensive ice-depth testing process using chainsaw cuts and other tools every 100 feet or so, Remus said. Only after they are satisfied is the public pathway marked off and opened to drivers.

Residents and visitors have been known to groan about how long it takes the park to open the road, which is particularly popular among anglers, of course.

The public's safety simply cannot be put at risk, he said. All things considered, there is just no point in starting the process anytime soon, Remus said.

Remus added a warning that often accidents occur because someone will go out on the ice, and others will see the person and assume it's safe when it is not.

Instead, contact a local bait shop or lake resort to check conditions, the DNR suggested. The department also said never rely on a certain date from year to year to hit the ice.

If someone decides to go out, always make certain to have a plan in case of a break-through. That includes carrying rope, ice picks and a flotation device, the DNR said.

Other DNR advice included being prepared to bail out of a vehicle at any moment. And never drive on ice at night.

Jespersen said residents should keep in mind that not only are they putting their lives at risk, but also the lives of emergency services personnel and good Samaritans who would attempt to rescue them.

“Many years around the holidays, we receive reports of children falling through ice and drowning, which is just so incredibly tragic,” said Smalley. “Kids are attracted to ice like a magnet. They just don't have the knowledge of how much ice it takes to support a person nor the understanding of what is or isn't safe."

In the last decade, the DNR reported 52 people dying after falling through Minnesota's ice. More than 20 percent of those cases involved children under age 9.

Even when conditions are good, Jespersen and the state still recommended that kids are always under adult supervision while on the ice.

Four people reportedly died last winter after falling through the ice and more fell through and survived but lost vehicles. State officials said last season had unusually warm weather both in the early winter and spring that caught many off guard.

In March, seven visitors, including three children, almost perished in Voyageurs after two separate incidents within two days of each other. Their ATVs fell into the icy waters, but everyone was able to reach safety without injury.

These are the DNR's general ice-safety guidelines:

*2 inches or less; stay off.

*4 inches; ice fishing or other activities on foot.

*5 inches; snowmobiles or ATVs.

*8 to 12 inches; cars or small pickups.

*12 to 15 inches; medium-sized trucks.

For more information on ice safety, go to the DNR website at www.mndnr.gov.