An ice rink has popped up on Pinecrest Lake. Here’s why it’s a dumb, dangerous idea
An illegal ice rink appeared on Pinecrest Lake, prompting a warning to the visiting public about the danger.
That part of the Sierra Nevada does not get cold enough to allow safe skating, according to a news release Friday from the Stanislaus National Forest.
The lake is about a mile off Highway 108, about 30 miles from Sonora and 80 miles from Modesto. It is part of a hydropower system operated by Pacific Gas & Electric Co. under a federal license.
The rink is fairly elaborate, as shown in a U.S. Forest Service photo: Wooden stakes were driven into the ground in an oval shape. They support planks about 8 inches wide that create an edge for the skating surface.
An area resident reported the rink Thursday, and officials hoped to remove it Friday, Benjamin Cossel, public affairs officer for the Stanislaus National Forest, said in an email. No injuries were reported, nor were the responsible people named.
In the release, Forest Supervisor Jason Kuiken hearkened back to his boyhood to warn of the hazard:
“Growing up in Wisconsin, I spent plenty of time playing hockey, broomball, ice fishing and more. However, here in California, with changing temperatures and on reservoirs, I don’t trust the ice, and therefore strongly recommend that you avoid the ice as well. The last thing I want is fun to end in tragedy.”
Forest rangers cannot cite someone for building the rink, Cossel said, because it is in the area controlled by PG&E.
Utility spokesman Denny Boyles said he believes that the people who erected the rink have agreed to remove it.
“PG&E will work with the Forest Service to address this safety issue and has posted safety messaging on social media and will post signage warning people to stay off the ice,” he said by email.
Cossel said the forest staff is working on the matter also with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which oversees hydro systems.
Pinecrest Lake is partially drained in winter to prepare for the spring snowmelt, but remains open to hikers amid this year’s deep snow. It refills by summer for swimming and boating, one of the most popular recreation spots in Tuolumne County.
People with an urge to skate legally can visit Long Barn Lodge, just off Highway 108 about eight miles west of Pinecrest. Its rink will be open until mid-March.
The county also has the new Columbia Skating Park, operating year-round on synthetic ice near the Gold Rush town by the same name.
This story was originally published February 17, 2023 at 1:26 PM.
