Alton Bay, New Hampshire’s Ice Runway Is Attracting Much Attention

Story and photos by Ken Kula

Airplanes and ice normally don’t mix very well. There are issues like carburetor icing, airframe icing, and contaminated (read: icy – adverse breaking action reports of “medium”,” poor” or “nil”) runways that lend themselves to peril or worse, a crash. On the other hand, some wintertime conditions offer a positive opportunity for ice and airplanes to coexist – like the one for which a landplane can alight on the water without floats or amphibious gear. Such is the case with the Alton Bay Ice Runway, in New Hampshire.

Located on the southeastern corner of New Hampshire’s largest lake – Winnipesaukee – the Alton Bay Seaplane Base and Ice Runway (B18 is the identifier) opens during the famous New England wintertime. As long as there’s a foot of good, solid (sometimes called “black”) ice, the New Hampshire Department of Transportation and volunteers groom the bay area and this year, opened a 2800 foot by 150 foot runway, plus a parallel taxiway and parking area. The minimum one foot of ice insures that both aircraft and the plow trucks which clear snow from the runway will be safely supported.

The operation of the airport is heavily dependent on weather. Continuous temperatures below freezing help a lot, but the past 3 years’ warm temperatures forced the curtailed or full cancelation of landing operations on the ice runway. The 2024 – 2025 season had a cold month of December and early January that allowed a rapid build-up of ice. Snowfall, which actually insulates the lake surface, was almost nil, allowing for the rapid build-up of ice too.

The ice runway opened on Friday, January 24, 2025. The next day, the weather was fine, allowing some 164 landings, a new record. One report that some 20 aircraft were lined up on the taxiway at one point, awaiting a parking spot. There was definitely a pent-up demand for visiting the Alton Bay by plane! The following day, Sunday, was mostly clear, but a strong wind and afternoon snow showers held down attendance. Such is New England weather during the wintertime…

The Alton Bay Ice Runway is the most southerly frozen surface airport in the U. S. that is FAA recognized. The only other examples of a recognized ice runways are located in Alaska. The novelty of landing on ice draws pilots and their planes from all over the U. S., one pilot flew all the way from San Antonio, Texas to be there, according to the Alton Bay Seaplane Base and Ice Runway Facebook page. Poker chips with a photo of the ice runway operation are handed out to the pilots who alight on the ice.

Scores of people from nearby towns and from out of state flocked onto the frozen lake. Whole families, including kids in sleds, walked alongside the parking area and runway. Many people walked dogs. A number of snowmobilers and ice fishermen took in the sights and sounds too.

Here are a handful of photos of aircraft from the first Sunday’s operation on January 26th. Many have the aircraft type available if you hover over the thumbnail. Click on a gallery photo for a larger sized picture.