At Alton Bay, in central New Hampshire, there is a unique seaplane base that has a hard surfaced runway for a short time each year allowing it to be used by other than seaplanes. It is a runway that is ice; ice that is part of the frozen Lake Winnipesaukee. Alton Bay has the only registered ice runway in the contiguous United States!
This year, the ice runway opened on January 24th with an ice thickness of more than 12 inches, the minimum needed to support aircraft and snow removal operations. This is the first time the runway has been operational in three years due to the colder weather having this year.
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AltonBaySeaplaneBaseandIceRunway
A Facebook post reports that they have had a great start to the 2025 season! “We have had 7 days that we have been able to be open and in those 7 days we have had 363 aircraft land on the bay! Currently Mother Nature is throwing snow at us every few days which we need to clean up. It takes the Ice Runway crew between 5 to 8 hours to prepare the runway after each of these snow events.”
The runway, parallel taxiway, and the aircraft parking apron are plowed throughout the season, providing a clear ice surface for aircraft to operate. Because of its nature, the airport draws pilots from all over New England and beyond who fly to the airport to experience landing on an ice-covered lake without the aid of skis. The nearby town offers a number of restaurants and a general store. The pilots flying into B18 provide a welcome economic boost during the normally slow winter months.
