An all-too-familiar wrinkle these days may make it harder than usual to cross Lake Baikal. The Baikal search and rescue unit reports that in the central part of the lake, the ice is still not “durable” — presumably, thick enough.
This search and rescue team is located around the perimeter of the lake and constantly monitors ice formation and stability. Even though ice has now formed across Lake Baikal, the growth has been slower due to heavy snowfall in the central part of the lake. An insulating blanket of snow impedes ice formation.
Photo: www.bpso.ru
In the northern section of the lake, from Severobaikalsk to central Khakusa, the ice is a marginal three centimetres thick. From Cape Nizhnyaya Izgolovye to Cape Khoboy, large sections are five centimetres thick or less.
This news was mainly aimed at motorists but has been noted by those attempting Lake Baikal crossings. Mike Stevenson has said while his plans have not changed, he will be “cautious as always,” and he will continue to monitor the conditions in the three weeks before he sets off.
