Alton Bay, New Hampshire’s Ice Runway Opens Spectacularly in 2026
Story and photos by Ken Kula
Alton Bay, New Hampshire is a village nestled at the end of an inlet of the much larger Lake Winnipesaukee. During three seasons, a seaplane base with the identifier of “B18” is active, but in winter, if the weather cooperates, an ice runway is operated. The facility is operated by the State of New Hampshire and is the only FAA approved charted ice runway in the lower 48 states.
Certain conditions govern the winter operations… there must be a full foot of ice under all parts of the operating surface, and the ice runway is only maintained for a certain amount of time until operations are abandoned for the season. Many years in the past few decades, the ice hasn’t fully developed, and the ice runway has not been open.
In early 2026, New Hampshire’s weather did cooperate, and a full foot of ice was attained by late January. After more than a foot of snow fell during the last week in the month, a half-mile long runway and associated taxiway and parking areas were cleared and the ice airport was NOTAM’d open on the final Saturday of January. \
On Opening Day, 82 aircraft arrived and several more flew by, creating a festive aviation-friendly atmosphere. The Bay is shared with many snowmobilers and ice fishermen, who are cautioned to stay away from the well-marked airport operating areas. The iconic bandstand in the Bay is a great visual reference for pilots and boasts a windsock and American Flag to help gauge the weather in the cove. Spectators marvel at the closeness of the aircraft as they glide into the cove and alight on the ice. It’s a great time to celebrate the freedom and excitement of flight.
To fly onto the ice is an event many pilots plan to do each year, and a coveted poker chip is given by the airport’s operations team for proof of an ice landing here. Planes, pilots and passengers arrive from airports near and far, in past years visitors from Texas and Georgia have made the aerial trek.
Attendance isn’t limited to fixed wing aircraft either, at least three helicopters arrived on the first day of operations too.
This rather early 2026 opening looks to be the beginning of a relatively long ice season, as temperatures for the first half of February look to be at or below freezing daily, and evenings temps are forecast to be around zero Fahrenheit. When snow is cleared from the ice surface, it allows for more ice to form. If not cleared, snow acts as a blanket that thwarts ice accretion, even with frigid temperatures. The runway must close down by the end of March each year, even if there’s still enough ice to operate safely.
