This story is from January 2010, and while the skis have since come off and the Minnesotans are eyeing their floats, I thought it was an interesting bit.

Minneapolis Star Tribune story: http://www.startribune.com/local/81162897.html?page=1&c=y

The EAA write-up: http://www.eaa.org/news/2010/2010-01-14_lake_landing.asp

Star Tribune wrote:Two pilots landed small airplanes on frozen Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis and left the aircraft there as they walked away for lunch Monday afternoon, then were ticketed and had to wait a few hours before federal officials cleared them for takeoff.

Apparently the municipal law against aircraft landings trumps state or federal? Off-airport land usage for skis and floats seems like a lot of due diligence is involved for covering your ass.

Lake Calhoun is one of the downtown Mpls lakes. If you turn the camera around you see the city center not very far away. The Mpls. inner city lakes are all non-motorized (pretty much sailboat and canoe/kayak only. Not sure about electric trolling motors).


Regards the Minnesota rules for Mpls. / St.Paul metro area lakes, about half are still open to floatplane traffic and the info is published and sent every year to the state's pilot community. So you can still get just about anywhere you want to go.


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Minnesota Administrative Rules
8800.2800 SEVEN-COUNTY METROPOLITAN REGION SEAPLANE OPERATIONS.

Subpart 1. Scope. This part covers only seaplane operations on all public waters within the following counties: Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington. This part does not apply to aircraft equipped with either skis or wheels when public waters are frozen.

Subp. 2. Permissible operations. Seaplane operations are permitted only on the following public waters within the seven-county metropolitan area.
A. Anoka County: Centerville Lake; Coon Lake; George Watch Lake; Ham Lake; Howard Lake; Lake George; Linwood Lake; Martin Lake; Mississippi River; Mud Lake; Otter Lake; Peltier Lake; Pickerel Lake; Reshenau Lake; Rice Lake; and Round Lake.
B. Carver County: Goose Lake; Hazeltine Lake; Lake Minnewashta; Lake Pettersen; Lake Riley; Lake Waconia; Lunsten Lake; Mud Lake; Oak Lake; Parley Lake; Pierson Lake; and Tiger Lake.
C. Dakota County: Alimagnet; Byllesby Reservoir; Crystal Lake; Lake Marion; Mississippi River; Orchard Lake; and St. Croix River.
D. Hennepin County: Bryant Lake; Diamond Lake; Eagle Lake; Fish Lake; French Lake; Lake Independence; Lake Sarah; Medicine Lake; Mississippi River; Ox Yoke Lake; Schmidt Lake; Whaletail Lake; and Lake Minnetonka, except for the following lakes and bays within or adjacent to Lake Minnetonka: Black Lake, Emerald Lake, French Lake, Forest Lake, Gray's Bay, Libb's Lake, Peavy Lake, Seton Lake, and Tanager Lake.
E. Ramsey County: Bald Eagle Lake; Lake Owasso; Long Lake; Mississippi River; Turtle Lake; and White Bear Lake.
F. Scott County: Cedar Lake; Geis Lake; Pleasant Lake; Prior Lake East; Prior Lake West; and Spring Lake.
G. Washington County: Big Carnelian Lake; Big Marine Lake; Clear Lake; Forest Lake; Lake Elmo; Mississippi River; Oneka Lake; and St. Croix River.

Subp. 3. Prohibited operations. Seaplane operations are prohibited on all public waters within the seven-county metropolitan area not listed in subpart 2; also see subpart 5.

Subp. 4. Further restrictions. All seaplane operations are prohibited from 11 a.m. (CDST) to 6 p.m. (CDST) on Saturdays, Sundays, and national legal holidays between June 1 and September 15 on the following public waters: Lake Minnetonka and all bays and lakes therein; White Bear Lake and all bays and lakes therein; and Lake Owasso and all bays and lakes therein.

However, this restriction does not apply to the holder of a private or personal-use seaplane base license issued under parts 8800.2000 and 8800.2200 while operating to and from the holder's licensed base, subject to the following conditions: such operations are limited to a maximum of one takeoff and one landing during these restricted hours and are authorized only when lake traffic and use permit operations to be conducted in a safe and reasonable manner.

Subp. 5. Emergency use. Nothing in this part shall be construed to prohibit the landing or taking off of a seaplane in case of a bona fide emergency.

Subp. 6. Ski-equipped aircraft. When lakes are frozen, aircraft equipped with either wheels or skis may operate on the lakes if such operations can be conducted in a safe and reasonable manner relative to lake traffic and use.

Statutory Authority: MS s 360.015; 360.018; 360.03; 360.90
History: 13 SR 1154; 17 SR 1279; 30 SR 215
Posted: October 2, 2007

Thanks Brad, I knew you'd have some insight.

Here in Idaho it is common to see snow machine tracks places where you would normally not during the summer. ???

That didn't come out right: people here seem to be a lot more liberal in their trespassing and tolerance of trespassing during the winter months. My first winter of ski flying (a couple weeks only but a LOT of landings and takeoffs and not at the airport) went OK, I didn't make the newspapers or other media, always a good sign. Speaking for myself, when I see tracks on my own 40 acres in the winter I don't think a whole lot of it, a different story in the summer. The snow seems to be a great inducement, for better or for worse, for people to loosen up, maybe it helps cabin fever. It sounds like these pilots did not do their homework.