b'THE MOST TRUSTED NAME IN AVIATION INNOVATIONLanding on the ice runway is a bucket list item for some pilots. 40 B18GENERAL AVIATION Total Airport Management SystemThe Only 100% AI/ML-PoweredA temporary fishing shack provides a place for visitorsLabor of Loveand spectators to get a cup of coffee or hot cocoa. Thats also where pilots can pick up their signed certificates andOnce the runway is open, maintaining it is a full-time job.Software from the U.S for the U.SPersonnel check ice thickness every day, and sometimes several commemorative chips. times a day, at multiple points throughout the bay. Those unable to travel to New Hampshire inLocal individuals and employees from the New Hampshire person can watch the action online at facebook.com/ Department of Transportation use pickup trucks outfitted with AltonBaySeaplaneBaseandIceRunway. The state posts videosplows and hand shovels to remove snow from the ice-covered of planes landing and explains how the runway is coordinatedlake. No salt or sand is applied, per state environmental and maintained.standards for lakes. Moms in Charge Snowstorms are a constant threat. A 3- or 4-inch snowfall While opening the ice runway requires careful coordination,can take four of us six to eight hours to clear, LaRochelle diligent inspections and hard physical labor, none of it is possiblesays. If we cant finish until late in the day, well shut down and if the weather does not cooperate. reopen the next morning. Sometimes were plowing for days in a row if storms roll through back-to-back.How long the runway stays open is entirely up to MotherThe combination of heavy snow, slushy conditions and Nature, Leavitt emphasizes. The biggest challenge is snow.inconsistent ice depth can sometimes cancel an entire season.If we get a lot of snow early in the seasonbefore the ice is thickit acts like an insulator. Even if its really cold, the iceWeve only had heavy snow and slush conditions cancel the underneath wont build. season once, says LaRochelle. We just couldnt keep up. The An insulating snow layer can prevent ice from reaching theslush was too deep, and we kept getting stuck.minimum thickness needed to safely support plow trucks andDespite such challenges, this labor of love and commitment to an aviation novelty will continue. Leavitt says as long as the iceVisit www.prodigiq.com oremergency vehicles. And without the ability to clear snow from the lake surface, the ice wont thicken or, worse, will turn tois thick and there are willing hands to help clear snow, the Altonemail info@prodigiq.comslush.Bay Ice Runway will accommodate adventurous pilots for years This year was perfect, Leavitt adds. We didnt get muchto come. 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.September 2025AirportImprovement.com'