The city carved out the public path around our frozen lake for the first time this year. So I cleared a path to connect it to our house, so it’s more welcoming to friends and neighbors who happen by on ice skates, skis or snowmobile, and stop for coffee or beer 🙂
6 inches is probably very safe for walking already right? So ~1 ft should be more than enough to not worry.
3" is usually fine. The trick is, it might be thick enough around the lake but not at the center.