stairs for lake access

[Dutch445]

i'm beginning to look at replacing some stone steps that access our lake and dock at
a recent camp we bought.
the old ones are too narrow, not sturdy, and an accident waiting to happen with
the grandchildren and even adults using them to access the dock.

i found some products online at Menards, it's a precast stair tread that caught my eye,
but i'm not sure how they would hold up at the lakeshore and was wondering if anybody has
use them?
https://www.menards.com/main/building-materials/landscaping-materials/stone-steps/rockstep-reg-48-weatheredge-step/p-1444441894344-c-9534.htm?tid=-6143102784105386245&ipos=5

I also have local landscape/hardscape supplier with similar products, but probably natural stone
instead of precast, in similar size stair treads.

has anyone built anything like this on a shoreline? this is a small freshwater lake, with the only waves from
boat traffic, so fairly tame waters. it would be nice to have the steps all the way to the water for winter
access (limited), but for summer the dock will be in place and we won't be using the lower ones.
see attached pictures for a better idea of what i want to do. In the summer picture I outlined the
steps in red with the dock in place, and in the winter picture the yellow line is approximately the top of
the dock during summer :

 

[MossRoad]

Yeah, those existing steps need to go. I don't see why the ones you're looking at wouldn't work. The only thing is getting proper drainage under and behind them so there's no water to frost heave them when it freezes. So if you're planning on putting them into the water, or even on wet dirt, you're still gonna get frost heave eventually on the lower steps unless you sink a footing down below the frost line.

 

[frugalangler]

Does the water level fluctuate? if you take them to water line and the level rises in fall and then freezes, it WILL dislodge anything in the iceflow path. even the heaving from the shorline freezing can cause them to dislodge.

Now, above the water level at it's uppermost level, those would be a great choice.

 

[Dutch445]

this body of water is a reservoir, built to feed the ny canal system and is controlled by
new york state, either thru the canal or thruway division.
in the fall, they drop water levels significantly (which is what i tried to show with
the winter picture) and the ice level is much lower than summer water level. in spring
the water will rise and ice will melt, but it may still be possible to get ice pushed against
these stairs, although only in a high wind event, with water levels at their high level etc.

a landscape supply guy i use has mentioned a larger heavier block for the bottom, flanked
with large rock and rip rap to protect the edges of the bottom steps, but i think that may involve
state DEC approval which makes this whole project a pain in the butt.

another option is have the company where i bought some dock accessories build me a set of stairs
to go from the dock up to shore, they would be safe, have a railing, 12" wide stringers, 48" wide,
and i could remove for winter. but that leaves those old stairs there if we ever want to venture
down onto the ice in winter like we have a couple times this year.

 

[kcflhrc]

Docks around here are accessed via a ramp from shore to the dock that can easily fluctuate with the water levels

 

[Dutch445]

Docks around here are accessed via a ramp from shore to the dock that can easily fluctuate with the water levels

understood, and i'm sure with water levels that fluctuate floating is nice. my docks are roll in docks sitting on the lake bottom,
and during summer the lake maintains a fairly constant level, and really it could only go only so high with the man made ****