Depends on whats under the liner. Really soft soil could be a problem. I wouldn't chance it.

I might try a rope ladder anchored outside the pond. You're only need a step or two.

In sequence I have standard liner, underlay, 4" of medium rounded gravel protecting a groundwater drainage system, and dense clay. There is no give in the liner at all walking on it.

I thought about stone steps but prefer something removable. I have thought about a rope ladder but see it as more difficult than just climbing out, plus I doubt if I can anchor it with my surroundings.

A 3-4' aluminum straight ladder with protected feet is an alternative that I can't find and I can make something for nearly nothing with the protection I mentioned.

I am not an engineer, but think I could distribute the weight over a larger area and be safe, maybe a horizontal padded 2x4, a bit wider than the ladder.

Anyone else use some type of ladder, pass on some tips?
Mike

Hi Mike,
At 2.5 ft of water the pond liner is seeing just over 1 psi of pressure. If you wanted to keep the same pressure the base on the ladder would have to have a 180 sq inches of surface area. A 2 x 4 would have to be 51.5 inches long to do this. This isn't going to happen but you could easily go 20 inches long and give you a pressure of 2.57 psi. which would be the pressure that the liner at the bottom of a pond that is 6 ft deep. I would not be at all concerned about that. If the ladder was constructed with 2 x 4's as rails and you could get a tennis ball to cover and sit flat on the bottom of the 2 x 4 you would have a pressure of 11.25 psi. This would not be a problem for the liner unless you happen to put the ladder right on the point of a sharp rock.
Mike