The house is a pretty standard homemade skid house. It has 2x2 studs, with 1/2 inch plywood on the floor and walls (nothing fancy). Last year we went out on 9in with no problem. My buddy insisted we go out on 7in this year. What would you need to pull it out. I would call the house lighter than most 9x5 perm skid houses........Thanks

You should be plenty safe on 5" or so. Isn't that what the DNR says is safe for ATVs anyway? Remember, your spreading the weight of the house out over a large area, so if you bring it out with an ATV, you'd be safer riding in the house then on the ATV.

Give you a great example. I had a 1000 lb hovercraft, 1300 lbs with me and gear. As it hovered, it still exerted the weight of the machine onto the surface, it just spread it out over a large area, like your house will. I was able to travel across less than 1" of ice without breaking it. It actually had less impact than a duck per square inch. I love that little tidbit

well i've put a 6 x8 out on 6" before and felt comfortable doing it. I'm building a 7 x 12 skidder right know that I'll put out on 6" as well as long as it's a good clear ice versus the slush snow mixed junk that we see every once in awhile. If I can run the wheeler (atv) the house is going to be behind it.