Winter Ice Season

To provide safer meeting and passing conditions during periods of heavy ice which requires a "track" the Hudson River Pilots, in coordination with the USCG and tug/barge companies, have developed new navigation and vessel communication strategies for the Upper Hudson River.

Foremost among these strategies is the creation of 6 areas (meeting zones) where the USCG has committed to breaking ice within each zone to the full width of the channel limits. Use of these meeting/passing zones is strictly voluntary and subject to the judgement of the vessel operators.

Pictured below are the locations of the zones:

Castleton

New Baltimore

Stuyevesant Anchorage

Middle Ground

Hudson Anchorage

Hudson Light

Germantown

Maiden On Hudson