Public Media for Alaska's Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta
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Kuskokwim River ice is thickening

The Kuskokwim River ice near Bethel on Nov. 23, 2016.
Katie Basile
/
KYUK
The Kuskokwim River ice near Bethel on Nov. 23, 2016.

The Kuskokwim River ice is thickening. There's no ice road yet, but there could be one earlier than usual this year.

"We're setting up for an earlier ice road season than we've seen in years," said Mark Leary with Bethel Search and Rescue.

Leary warned that the ice becomes too thin for travel off the snowmachine trail that's already on the river. At this time, Bethel Search and Rescue does not advise car or truck traffic on the ice.

The group will be monitoring the ice thickness along the river in collaboration with village search and rescue groups.

Corrected: November 17, 2021 at 6:06 PM AKST
A previous version of this story said that small trucks could safely drive on the Kuskokwim River ice from Bethel to Napakiak. Bethel Search and Rescue does not advise truck travel on the ice at this time.
Anna Rose MacArthur served as KYUK's News Director from 2015-2022.
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