According to Kuskokwim Ice Road crews, the road is now fully established between Napakiak and Tuluksak, and is safe to drive on as far upriver as Kalskag.
Following what was the warmest start to the new year in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta in three decades, the tables have turned. The bitter cold that recently descended on Bethel has not only been welcomed by mushers preparing to square off in the Akiak Dash and Kuskokwim 300 sled dog races, but by ice road crews.
“This good, cold weather was just what we needed. We’ve been working constantly every day to get caught up,” said Kuskokwim Ice Road crew leader Mark Leary on Jan. 26.
According to Leary, the ice road is fully established between Napakiak and Tuluksak, and is safe to drive on as far upriver as Kalskag. Leary said that the river between Akiak and Kalskag is not yet fully marked, but that marking is sufficient for travel in clear weather conditions.
“Any open water in the vicinity of the road is marked, so that shouldn’t be an issue,” Leary said.
According to Leary, there is no established ice road along the approximately 25-mile stretch from Kalskag upriver to Aniak due to an area of concern.
“Believe it or not, it still has a layer of ice and water from the warm weather,” Leary said.
As for conditions downriver from Bethel, Leary said that ice road crews have plowed the approximately 5-mile stretch from Napakiak to the mouth of the Johnson River, but they plan to return in the coming days to provide better access to prime ice-fishing grounds.
“We're gonna run a grader down there and make a road over to the manuqing area,” Leary said.
Leary said that the Kuskokwim Ice Road crew wanted to thank communities along the river for their help and support.
Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly referred to the distance from Napakiak to the mouth of the Johnson River.
