WHITE LAKE, NY — The King of the Ice contest, sponsored by the Sullivan County Conservation Club, had been scheduled for February 21 but was cancelled this year because authorities deemed the conditions to be too dangerous due to unstable areas, open areas and a period of unusually warm weather.

The conditions, however, did not deter a few ice-fishing enthusiasts from taking to the ice on February 20 to drop a line. The sun was out, the temperature was flirting with the 50 degree mark, and the ice was covered with large areas of water.

Not far away, at Black Lake, rescuers from the White Lake and Kauneonga Lake fire companies responded to a call regarding an ATV that had fallen through the ice. According to information on the White Lake Fire Company website, the victim managed to pull himself out of the ice, but, “as the subject attempted to get off the ice he fell through again and had to strip clothing off to extricate himself from the frigid waters.”