l can talk a lot about skating . . . but l have zero experience skating on a REAL frozen pond.I've read and heard about it . . . but would love to hear your personal experiences!

Is it romantic as it sounds (skating outdoors in nature . . . unlike the artificial rinks in the middle of downtown with skyscapers all around) . . . or would a figure skater really be happier in a controlled rink enviroment??

Thanks all!:)
D. B Cooper - Your answer ''cracks'' me up!!!:)
toonew2two - T'is true!We are so spoiled - hee hee!!

hmm, most naturally frozen ponds dont have as much of a smooth or even surface as an artificial one. ice freezes unevenly , leaving bumps or ridges on the surface. the overall hazard of skating on a real frozen pond is much greater for multiple reasons.sorry

There is a thrill when you hear the ice start to crack.

It is much harder on a real pond because of it is imperfections it is rougher. The wind and snow helps to make it this way. Some parts are more frozen than others. If your going to be doing advanced moves, you may want stay inside and use the pond just for a fun time. The bumps can alter you landings and you may fall. Yes it is more picturesque, l just wish that they were smoother, so that you could enjoy the scenery and do all the great moves, without tripping.

My parents took us kids out on Xmas Day with new skates and we went to the park where the pond had frozen over.

Not a fun experience at all! The ice was full of bumps and clumps, and my brother wandered over to the deep end and fell through the thinning ice on that side. We had to go home after that. Thankfully the pond was only about two feet deep where he had fallen through.....

l used to skate in my back yard when the pond there froze over. It was difficult to skate because it was bumpy and had bits of grass and other plants sticking up through it. It was enormously fun, though. Thanks for brining back the memory. I've lived away from that kind of climate for so long I'd forgotten.

It is BUMPY!!! :) So much for a Zamboni-free world! Sometimes its hard to find a flat surface to attempt spins & stuff,but it is a fun experience. There is nothing quite like how quiet it can be outside in the winter & it is so pretty skating under the stars. But look out for leaves & sticks that froze into the ice -- those will end a spiral pretty quick & it is not the best for ur blades! l do enjoy skating on groomed ice, but skating outside is an experience l think every skater should have.

omg! l would LOVE to skate over a frosen lake or pond!! especially with my new nice skates!! l love figure/ice skating only!!! (NOT roller skating, NOT inline skating, NOT hockey skating, & NOT speed skating!!!!!! ICE/FIGURE skating!!!!!) but l would also especially like it if the ice was really thick that it would break, & if the water under it was just like 1 or 2 feet deep (super shallow!) then l would not be afraid of skating on it!! anyways, but they probably would not have any frozen lakes/ponds here in sacramento california!! but they would in a place where it actually snows!!

l just read the answer to ur question. Not being a skater (just a skater is Mom) l see things a little differently than a skater would.

As u think about how bad the natural ice is just remember that all of this, & all of these jumps & spins, & all of the competitions all began on that bumpy natural ice!

And now we complain when the hockey kids leave a little divot in the''jump zone!''

And, yes, l know that they were not doing triples then but my point is that we forget our history!

Neat question Bunny, thanks for asking it.

Outdoor ice is romantic, as long as you're not afraid of falling through the ice. (Some people are!) A rec skater would be happy to swan around the ice. Buuuuttt...a figure skater would be happier with surfaced ice. If u remember the movie ''Ice Princess'' - the boyfriend drove the Zamboni to her pond to help her train.

Natural outdoor ice in a snowy place has to be shoveled, then scraped, then watered & refrozen to get a smooth surface. After two hours of skating, it is got scratches & grooves, not to mention freeze/thaw cracks.

You feel every bump & dip, & the ice contains dirt, twigs, & bird droppings that wear down ur blades very fast. Jumps r scary because the ice often cracks or shears off when u pick in or land. Spins r lovely, but they scar the ice. (No resurfacer, remember?)

The better solution is to find an outdoor ice rink in a park setting. The Central Park rink in Manhattan, the Wollman rink in Brooklyn, & the Menlo Park Family rink in Edison, NJ r all great solutions in the NY/NJ area. Washington, DC sets up an outdoor rink on the Mall, Fairfax, VA also puts up a temporary rink at their downtown.

It will take a bit of searching, but it is worth it - the fresh air & beautiful view r wonderful & l think it makes u skate better. l grew up skating on an outdoor rink every year, ponds as well, but the rink lets u fly without falling. Because the ice is hard & slow, u build up great control & strength as a skater. (Plus, the rookies love to watch u skate, not fall.)