Death of ice angler a reminder of dangerBy Karl Licis, Special to The Denver Post
December 30, 2009Quiet solitude in the backcountry is among the attractions of wintertime outdoor activities, but the death of an ice fisherman last weekend at Nichols Reservoir northwest of Colorado Springs may serve as a somber reminder of the risks inherent to such pursuits.
The El Paso County Sheriff's Department received a call from a hiker shortly after noon Sunday reporting a body on the lake. The sheriff's office and county search and rescue group responded to the call and discovered the body of Dr. Tony Ikehara, a Colorado Springs optometrist, on the ice. According to the sheriff's office, evidence at the scene indicated Ikehara, 46, had fallen through the ice while fishing alone. He had been able to pull himself from the water and toward shore, but apparently died of exposure to the elements. He appeared to have been on the ice overnight.
Nichols Reservoir is near the larger Rampart Reservoir, east of Woodland Park, and both are part of Colorado Springs' water supply. They are part of the Rampart Recreation Area, managed by the U.S. Forest Service. The road branching off the Rampart Range Road to the recreation area and all the forest service amenities are closed during the winter, but the several trails within the area remain available to hikers, cross country skiers and snowshoers. Ice fishing is not permitted on Rampart Reservoir because of potential fluctuations of the water level below the ice, said Brent Botts, district ranger for the Pikes Peak District of Pike National Forest. It is not specifically prohibited on Nichols Reservoir, but few fishermen venture onto the ice.
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