Our crew responded to an emergency call after a truck and fish house broke through a large crack on Upper Red Lake in Northern Minnesota. Everyone made it out safely!
Upon arrival, it was apparent both the house and truck needed to be secured independently before rigging and unhooking. The truck was successfully removed first and driven away under its own power with minimal damage. The fish house presented a greater challenge—with one wheel completely torn off and another flat, plus unstable ice on all sides. Our crew strategically positioned both cranes to lift and rotate the house safely onto solid ice. After a quick tire change, the owner was able to tow the fish house back to shore using the same truck.
One-ton, heavy-duty pickup truck successfully extracted from Red Lake in northern Minnesota.
Polaris Ranger with plow broke through the ice and sunk to the bottom of Grace Lake near Bemidji, MN.
Chevy Silverado 2500 pickup truck with plow through the ice on Red Lake in northern Minnesota successfully recovered.
We were called out on December 26th for a large skid house that broke through Upper Red Lake’s ice, our crew arrived the next morning to find challenging conditions—the house had gone through 9.5 inches of ice, with only 10.5 inches available to work with and open water just 200 yards away.
The team successfully uprighted the house and began extraction, pulling it over 100 feet. However, the ice continued breaking with each lift. Prioritizing safety, the crew made the difficult decision to pause operations and wait for better conditions. Nine days later, there was 12+ inches of ice to work with and the ice shelf shifted in to close the open water allowing the team to complete the job.
This recovery demonstrates our commitment to safety over speed. Sometimes the best decision is knowing when to wait for the right conditions
Snowmobile went through a patch of thin ice on Lake Bemidji and sank to the bottom. The ice was so thin we had to stage 100 yards away and cut the ice to pull it to a safer position.
John Deere gator side by side was towing a wheeled fish house off the lake ahead of some rain and broke through. We detached and recovered both in deteriorating conditions.
Anglers on ATV traveled off marked resort trails early in the season. After dark on the way in, they hit a crack that had opened up and went down in open water. All got out safely, but a good reminder to follow resort rules and trails especially on early ice.
From ATVs to trucks, boats to pontoons, and SnoBears to snowgroomers, no two recoveries are exactly alike. Browse our gallery to see the range of challenging situations we’ve successfully handled on the ice, the open water, and beyond —and the equipment, expertise, and determination it takes to bring your gear back safely.
Follow us on Facebook for real-time updates on our latest recovery success stories. From complex ice recovery services across Minnesota (and beyond) to open water and off-road recoveries throughout the summer, we share fresh photos and details of the challenging jobs we tackle that no one else will touch.
