Early season truck trails are open for travel on the Kuskokwim River, according to an update from Bethel Search and Rescue (BSAR) on the morning of Dec. 6.
The early truck trails are not part of the Kuskokwim Ice Road, which will be built later in the season. The trails are open between Bethel, Napaskiak, and Napakiak. There is also a trail open between Bethel and Kwethluk that routes around Joe Pete’s Bend and into Church Slough.
The trails are marked with willows and white reflectors. Red reflectors have been placed to distinguish areas to slow down and use caution. BSAR is cautioning against going into Straight Slough, as there is still open water towards its upper end. They also advise caution with travel between the Y and Kwethluk where there are several open holes. All open water is marked.
With recent high tides, BSAR said that the best Bethel entrance and exit for river travel is the hospital landing above Crowley where vehicles have been safely moving through the 8 inches of overflow.
Along the open routes, BSAR said that the smooth ice thickness is between 14 and 17 inches, with rough ice thickness between 20 and 24 inches.
That’s thicker than last year. BSAR reports that these measurements are close to a month ahead of where they were in 2023, when smooth ice over 1 foot and rough ice over 2 feet weren’t observed until late December and early January.
