After two long winters of waiting, pilots and community members were thrilled by the return of the Alton Bay Ice Runway on Lake Winnipesaukee last winter. Located on the frozen surface of New Hampshire’s largest lake, this FAA-registered, state-managed runway is the only one of its kind in the contiguous United States.
For most of the year, Alton Bay Seaplane Base (B18) accommodates floatplanes; but weather permitting, Runway 1-19 is plowed and marked, typically at 100 to120 feet wide and 2,600 to 3,000 feet long. There is also a parallel taxiway, a parking area for 40 aircraft and a warming hut where visiting pilots can learn about the community and collect souvenirs of their flights to Alton Bay—all on top of a frozen cove in the lake.
If and when the runway opens is up to Mother Nature. Ice must be least 12 inches along the entire length of the runway. The state Department of Transportation gives the official go-ahead, but Mother Nature actually holds the cards.
 facts&figures
Project: Ice Runway Location: Alton Bay Seaplane Base, on Lake Winnipesaukee, NH Length: 2,600-3,000 ft. Width: 100-120 ft. Open: Weather permitting Minimum Ice Thickness: 12 in. 2025 Landings: 733 Runway Operator: New Hampshire Dept. of Transportation /Bureau of Aeronautics Est. Annual Cost: Funding: New Hampshire Dept. of Transportation/Bureau of Aeronautics |
This year, locals and aviation enthusiasts celebrated the runway’s opening on Jan. 24. News spread quickly via the runway’s Facebook page, sparking excitement among pilots near and far, and leading to its busiest season ever. Although the ice runway was only usable on 16 days from Jan. 24 to Feb. 28, it accommodated 733 aircraft landings.
“Our busiest day was Jan. 25, when we had 164 aircraft land,” reports Airport Manager Jason Leavitt, who is also Aeronautics UAS Planner for the State of New Hampshire Department of Transportation/Bureau of Aeronautics. “It was the busiest day in the runway’s history. If you do the math, that’s one plane landing every four minutes for 10 straight hours. We were the busiest airport in the Northeast that day, even busier than Logan International Airport.”
That’s quite an achievement for a seasonal airport without a control tower, terminal facilities or any airfield pavement. With pilots self-announcing their arrivals and departures over the radio, focus and cooperation are paramount.
“We have planes of all sizes coming in,” Leavitt says. “So, getting that many aircraft in and out safely on a single day is no small task.”
During the 2025 season, one pilot came all the way from San Antonio, TX. The trip took a day and a half, but he relished the novel experience of landing on ice without the aid of skis and proudly collected a commemorative certificate and “ice chip” before flying back home.
Another standout moment occurred when a Cessna Caravan touched down. “It was the largest aircraft we’ve ever had land on the runway and then park on the ramp,” Leavitt remarks. “It was pretty neat to see it parked next to the smaller planes (such as Cessna 172s and Piper Cherokees) we normally see.”
Like the weather, sometimes the traffic was almost too brisk. “We had one day where the ramp and taxiway were full, and people were just waiting for airplanes to leave so they could find a place to park,” he reports.
Reviving a Legacy
The Alton Bay Ice Runway was originally established in the 1960s, but began fading into obscurity in the 1980s. Years of inconsistent maintenance had taken its toll, and the iconic winter airstrip was on the verge of disappearing altogether. But a simple request during preparations for the local Winter Carnival in 2009 changed everything.
“We were just looking for someone to do helicopter rides,” explains Paul LaRochelle, a longtime Alton Bay resident, local contractor and member of the Alton Business Association. “We had no idea the runway wasn’t being actively managed anymore.”
When he and fellow Association members contacted the state Department of Transportation to ask if helicopters could operate on the ice runway, they were surprised by the response.
“The guy on the other end of the line said, ‘Wow, Alton Bay. We actually need someone to manage the runway,’” LaRochelle recalls. “We weren’t expecting that. There were three of us in the room. They others looked at me, and that’s how I became the ice runway manager.”
During his first year, 2009, LaRochelle received guidance from the state for coordinates, latitude and longitude markers and layout instructions. He and other volunteers constructed a small runway, obtained state approval, and ran a successful, albeit short, season. From that moment forward, LaRochelle was all in.
Leavitt succeeded LaRochelle as airport manager in 2021, but LaRochelle continues as the runway manager and provides plenty of vital hands-on assistance.
How it Happens
As soon as the snow flies, preparations for the ice runway begin anew. It’s like starting an airfield from scratch every year, notes Leavitt.
“As soon as we get about 4 inches of ice, we’re out there on four-wheelers with cordless drills and spade bits, measuring the thickness,” he explains. “Once we have over 4 inches of ice, we put out cones and markers to let the ice fishermen and snowmobilers know the runway is coming and to request that they stay clear.”
After the ice is 10 inches thick, crews prep the runway, taxiway and parking ramp, marking them with cones. But the runway doesn’t open for traffic until the ice hits a consistent 12 inches for the full length of at least 2,600 feet, and for the taxiway and parking ramp as well.
“Many people think we need 12 inches of ice for the planes, but it’s really for the plow trucks,” Leavitt explains. “We need to maintain the runway; and if there’s an incident, emergency vehicles need to reach the site safely.”
Once the minimum thickness is reached, crews plow the runway, meeting FAA specifications—typically at least 100 feet wide and 2,600 feet long.
Leavitt and New Hampshire Department of Transportation Aeronautics personnel inspect the layout to ensure it meets length and width requirements. They also document any changes of nearby terrain or obstructions, such as new buildings or tree growth, to ensure safe aircraft approaches.
With state approval secured, Leavitt files a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen), officially opening the runway for the season. “As soon as the NOTAM goes in, it’s like flipping a switch,” he marvels. “Within 30 minutes, we’ll have planes circling overhead, ready to land.”
Pilots can receive information about operating conditions on the runway’s official Facebook page, through NOTAM updates and by contacting the New Hampshire Aviation Department.
“We check the runway by 7:30 a.m. to monitor conditions and decide if the runway will be open for the day,” LaRochelle says. “Then, we update all online information immediately. Most pilots start coming in after 8 a.m.”
Ice must be at least 12 inches thick before the runway can open.
Because there is no control tower, pilots coordinate traffic on their own. “They govern themselves as they take off and land, and talk to one another,” LaRochelle says. “We have radio communication with them and can talk to them if they ask questions, but we cannot tell them how to land or how to take off.”
For this reason, LaRochelle issues a stern word of caution: Inexperienced pilots should not attempt solo landings on the ice runway. “It’s always a good idea for those pilots to come in with another pilot who has been here before so they can learn what to do,” he says. “Landing on ice differs from landing on blacktop, cement or a grass field.”
He also advises pilots to bring warm clothing and ice cleats to help navigate the icy airfield surface after they land.
Leavitt and LaRochelle work to keep things running smoothly on the ground. “We don’t direct aircraft in the air. But once they’re on the ice, we guide them to parking and help keep traffic organized on the airstrip, taxiway and parking ramp,” Leavitt explains. “If we didn’t, it could be chaos out there.”
No one is allowed on the runway, taxiways or parking areas except pilots and runway staff. However, there are roped off areas to the sides where spectators can watch from a safe distance.
“People just love to come out and watch,” Leavitt says. “In the winter, when there isn’t much going on, families come to watch planes land.”
Landing on the ice runway is a bucket list item for some pilots.
A temporary fishing shack provides a place for visitors and spectators to get a cup of coffee or hot cocoa. That’s also where pilots can pick up their signed certificates and commemorative chips.
Those unable to travel to New Hampshire in person can watch the action online at facebook.com/AltonBaySeaplaneBaseandIceRunway. The state posts videos of planes landing and explains how the runway is coordinated and maintained.
Mom’s in Charge
While opening the ice runway requires careful coordination, diligent inspections and hard physical labor, none of it is possible if the weather does not cooperate.
“How long the runway stays open is entirely up to Mother Nature,” Leavitt emphasizes. “The biggest challenge is snow. If we get a lot of snow early in the season—before the ice is thick—it acts like an insulator. Even if it’s really cold, the ice underneath won’t build.”
An insulating snow layer can prevent ice from reaching the minimum thickness needed to safely support plow trucks and emergency vehicles. And without the ability to clear snow from the lake surface, the ice won’t thicken or, worse, will turn to slush.
“This year was perfect,” Leavitt adds. “We didn’t get much early snow, so the ice formed fast and strong. It was like jet-black glass, the strongest kind of ice you can get. But in other years, the ice has been cloudy, white and weaker.”
Labor of Love
Once the runway is open, maintaining it is a full-time job. Personnel check ice thickness every day, and sometimes several times a day, at multiple points throughout the bay.
Local individuals and employees from the New Hampshire Department of Transportation use pickup trucks outfitted with plows and hand shovels to remove snow from the ice-covered lake. No salt or sand is applied, per state environmental standards for lakes.
Snowstorms are a constant threat. “A 3- or 4-inch snowfall can take four of us six to eight hours to clear,” LaRochelle says. “If we can’t finish until late in the day, we’ll shut down and reopen the next morning. Sometimes we’re plowing for days in a row if storms roll through back-to-back.”
The combination of heavy snow, slushy conditions and inconsistent ice depth can sometimes cancel an entire season.
“We’ve only had heavy snow and slush conditions cancel the season once,” says LaRochelle. “We just couldn’t keep up. The slush was too deep, and we kept getting stuck.”
Despite such challenges, this labor of love and commitment to an aviation novelty will continue. Leavitt says as long as the ice is thick and there are willing hands to help clear snow, the Alton Bay Ice Runway will accommodate adventurous pilots for years to come.
