It may look safe, but maybe it's not, especially if it's not a marked trail crossing a lake. It's been a mild winter so far, most lakes aren't as frozen as they normally are in mid January.

Some one found out the hard way last night. Less than a mile from home...

https://waow.com/2021/01/20/one-person-dead-after-snowmobile-goes-through-ice/

Open water was one of the few things that scared the hell out of me when I used to ride.

I remember a few times even avoiding the lakes I grew up on when there happened to be fog on the lake.  Too easy to get turned around and end up in a part of the lake we usually avoided.  I'd ride the extra 20 miles of trails just to go around.

Last year was pretty bad by this point. You ought to hear the story from the recovery guy! His tracked recovery vehicle went through on Boom Lake last year, and he had to wait for the cabin to fill up enough to open the door.

I've gone through on foot twice, so I stay off the lakes as much as possible, lol.

There is no good ice down here anywhere.

Back when I worked in Lake Geneva, every winter some idiot(s) went into open water on Lake Como. From what my supervisor then said, theres a spot in the middle that doesnt freeze and people like to skip their sleds over it. I would say that over half of the ones that went in ended up as fatals.

Hell Prairie Du Chien had a 72 yr old woman fall through trying to rescue her dog that went through last week. FD got both out.

There's a spot like that on the Fox chain of lakes in ILL near Antioch. It never freezes. When I lived down there, I used to ride on those lakes as an indestructible 20-something. And yup, I skipped over it more than once. At about 80 miles per hour... otherwise known as "top speed of a 1980 Yamaha 440 Exciter". I still own  pair of '80 440 Exciters..

You'd be surprised at how much water you can cross on a sled if you're moving fast enough, and don't panic and slow down. Instead, mash the throttle. Don't make sharp turns, but steer towards the closest spot that's not open water.

I know all about that one. My granddaughter's husband used to work at a tow outfit in Minocqua, and he knows Tom. I've sent him customers more than once myself.