saveourpens 0 Report post Posted January 27, 2007 I've always been fascinated with the prospect of playing hockey on a pond. It's getting pretty cold and I was wondering if it would be feasible to play hockey on a pond in the Pittsburgh area. Would anyone happen to know of any safe ponds in the Pittsburgh area? I've searched some previous threads and someone in NY plays pond hockey and thats right next to PA. I've just never heard of any of my teammates doing such a thing around here. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SickLife 2 Report post Posted January 27, 2007 just bring a dirll, drill the ice, & see how thick it is. people on long island do it when cold enough Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AnthonyJTa 0 Report post Posted January 27, 2007 I've always been fascinated with the prospect of playing hockey on a pond. It's getting pretty cold and I was wondering if it would be feasible to play hockey on a pond in the Pittsburgh area. Would anyone happen to know of any safe ponds in the Pittsburgh area? I've searched some previous threads and someone in NY plays pond hockey and thats right next to PA. I've just never heard of any of my teammates doing such a thing around here.poke around for man made ponds/bodies of water..... here in Massachusetts we have a lot of them, usually only 3 feet deep or so. Our local golf course flooded a sugarbowl a few weeks ago... people were skating on it today, we're looking to get a game going tomorrow morning. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Langenbrunner15 0 Report post Posted January 27, 2007 In Pittsburg? When I was there I didn't see an large pond.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
w1zard 0 Report post Posted January 27, 2007 oh man i live real close to pittsburgh too and i would kill to play some pond hockey. let me know if you find anywhere. i was talking to my one friend about testing out his pond to see if the ice is thick enough. im going there for the super bowl so im gonna try to check it out. but i think it hasn't been cold long enough. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
saveourpens 0 Report post Posted January 27, 2007 In Pittsburg? When I was there I didn't see an large pond..I know of a pretty large pond in Schenley Park. The problem isn't finding a pond, its weather or not it's cold enough. Then again, I'm worried that it might be too deep in case I fall through. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
whbd18 0 Report post Posted January 27, 2007 In Pittsburg? When I was there I didn't see an large pond..I know of a pretty large pond in Schenley Park. The problem isn't finding a pond, its weather or not it's cold enough.Id say it is according to the NOAA.http://www.erh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick....PA&site=PBZ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheSnake22 0 Report post Posted January 27, 2007 Lol Schenley park has an ice rink but it's not on a pond. It is a pretty nice outdoor rink, one of a few in Pittsburgh. Where do you live in Pittsburgh? People play pond hockey every winter on Campbells Lake in Fox Chapel. It's on land owned by a real nice family and they always let the kids skate on it or play shinny when it freezes over. I don't know what its like this year, haven't been by it since i moved downtown... I would guess there are some other ponds that freeze over but this is the only one i've played on... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
saveourpens 0 Report post Posted January 27, 2007 In Squirell Hill, the pond that I'm talking about is next to the bridge which is next to Phipps conservetory. We sometime practice on that Schenley Rink. It has the best ice when the weather is good in my opinion. Fox Chappel is about 15-20 minutes away from me, I think I might check out that Campbells Lake. How big is it and how often do you think it freezes over? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
usahockey22 0 Report post Posted January 27, 2007 Find some good shallow subdivision or golf course ponds...those will freeze thick enough after only a couple nights. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheSnake22 0 Report post Posted January 27, 2007 Like i said i haven't been by it this year, but it freezes over every winter for a good while... there's always an article every winter in the local fox chapel paper, the herald, about the kids skating and playing on it... it's pretty big, bigger than an ice rink, but they only shovel off the snow on a certain part... it's not really "public" per say as i mentioned it's on private property, but it shouldn't be too hard to find a contact for someone in the area if you want to badly enough... if it's frozen, there's probably something going on there on the weekends... i think a golf course sounds like a cool idea but it probably would take some searching to find the right pond...and as for outdoor rinks, the best is probably south park, a couple of my boys play there every sunday morning, good hockey. north park is nice but not for hockey lol... schenley is nice too, grew up in point breeze and squirrel hill skating there but it's pretty hard to find decent hockey... no ice like cold hard outdoor ice though... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chris68 0 Report post Posted January 27, 2007 in my town there is a lake that freezes up every year and i wanna go skate on it cause i dont have a rink in my town or close to it, but because of this weird winter one day its freezing cold and it starts to freeze and then the next day its like 40 degrees and it starts to melt Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
saveourpens 0 Report post Posted January 27, 2007 So, I went on a pond search today. I didn't see any ponds on the Schenley golf course, then I stopped by Westinghouse Memorial pond, then I went to Panther Hollow Lake. Poking to check for thicknessMy feetmeh....I didn't see a soul there. That lake is considered a dump. Knocking on the ice...Big view of the whole frozen lake Earlier pond, where my brother's foot fell through, not thick at all. It's going to get much colder the next 3 days, I'll bring a drill out and check the thickness then. The best thing about this place is that it's sorrounded on all sides by mini mountains, so it's much cooler down there than the 37 degrees that was supposed to be today. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OhMyGodImOnFire 0 Report post Posted January 27, 2007 Any way to check where there are ponds, besides a map, which will take way too long for my attention span? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jake 0 Report post Posted January 27, 2007 I live in Butler and skate on my pond all the time.Stay out of the deep end. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OhMyGodImOnFire 0 Report post Posted January 27, 2007 uh....Where's Butler? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Langenbrunner15 0 Report post Posted January 27, 2007 It's in Jersey..so only about 8 hours away from Pitts... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheSnake22 0 Report post Posted January 27, 2007 the butler he is referring to is a northern suburb of pittsburgh... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Langenbrunner15 0 Report post Posted January 27, 2007 I guess that makes sense too.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trooper 8 Report post Posted January 27, 2007 I played on a pond growing up just outside of Pittsburgh. It gets cold enough, this winter notwithstanding. The problem you run into is liability. We had been the only ones playing on this pond for years and then one day the owner just said it was too risky for him to let us play on it any more. That's why the lake in Panther Hollow is marked no skating. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
saveourpens 0 Report post Posted January 28, 2007 I played on a pond growing up just outside of Pittsburgh. It gets cold enough, this winter notwithstanding. The problem you run into is liability. We had been the only ones playing on this pond for years and then one day the owner just said it was too risky for him to let us play on it any more. That's why the lake in Panther Hollow is marked no skating.If you still live in Pittsburgh, have you found another pond or lake which you're willing to share info about? I'm having second thoughts playing on that...I have to respect the owner's decision....it's pretty cool that I found someone on this board who played there years before...I guess I'll have to find a place where the owners are fine with it, and when its not the worst winter ever for winter things. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SirJW 207 Report post Posted January 28, 2007 If you live in a house consider a backyard rink. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
saveourpens 0 Report post Posted January 28, 2007 If you live in a house consider a backyard rink.My backyard is unfortunatley smallish but maybe doable. Though if you freeze your backyard like that, wouldn't it mess with the soil and/or grass? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Langenbrunner15 0 Report post Posted January 28, 2007 Yeah it would..since the grass would need the oxygen to stay alive. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trooper 8 Report post Posted January 28, 2007 I played on a pond growing up just outside of Pittsburgh. It gets cold enough, this winter notwithstanding. The problem you run into is liability. We had been the only ones playing on this pond for years and then one day the owner just said it was too risky for him to let us play on it any more. That's why the lake in Panther Hollow is marked no skating.If you still live in Pittsburgh, have you found another pond or lake which you're willing to share info about? I'm having second thoughts playing on that...I have to respect the owner's decision....it's pretty cool that I found someone on this board who played there years before...I guess I'll have to find a place where the owners are fine with it, and when its not the worst winter ever for winter things.I haven't played pond hockey since I was young. I didn't play at Panther Hollow, I meant the farm pond by my house, but was pointing out that liability is the reason you can't skate at either place. I don't know where you can skate on a pond anymore, but it is a fun time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
