Sunday drive takes on a whole new meaning when out in the Alaskan bush in winter. Today, after stopping for groceries, my buddy Tim and I veered down a boat ramp and onto the Kuskokwim River for a little toodling on to the next village downriver called Napaskiak. The weather was great....a balmy 8 below zero! The river is the main mode of transportation between villages by boat in summer, and by snow machine or truck in winter when the ice is over 5 feet thick.
Tim in the Jeep
Standing down river in the middle of the road. Yes, it actually feels warm compared to the minus 20 with minus 47 windchill we had this morning.
The road heading toward Standard Oil
Traffic!
The dock at Standard Oil where the tankers come in.
Getting passed by a snow machine (we were dawdling). Looks like they went shopping in Bethel and are heading home.
Tugboat out off the river for the winter.
Road marker. You can see the reflective tape stuck in the middle of the tree. There are lots of trees, sticks and orange thingies with reflectors marking the ice road this year. Apparently that is not the case every year. Lots of travelers get lost on the river every winter...and the local search and rescue has to go find them. Getting lost in sub-zero weather can be rather perilous. Perhaps they got tired of fetching the lost folks and put up markers this year! I can imagine the difficulty navigating at night or during a snow storm.
Hauling wood home. Many village houses are heated with wood.
These sticks found up and down the river mark whitefish nets. These were located near the village of Oscarville.
Big ole crack in the ice
Pausing momentarily at a crack in the road. Below is another view of the crack across the road.
Tim in the Jeep
Standing down river in the middle of the road. Yes, it actually feels warm compared to the minus 20 with minus 47 windchill we had this morning.
The road heading toward Standard Oil
Traffic!
The dock at Standard Oil where the tankers come in.
Getting passed by a snow machine (we were dawdling). Looks like they went shopping in Bethel and are heading home.
Tugboat out off the river for the winter.
Road marker. You can see the reflective tape stuck in the middle of the tree. There are lots of trees, sticks and orange thingies with reflectors marking the ice road this year. Apparently that is not the case every year. Lots of travelers get lost on the river every winter...and the local search and rescue has to go find them. Getting lost in sub-zero weather can be rather perilous. Perhaps they got tired of fetching the lost folks and put up markers this year! I can imagine the difficulty navigating at night or during a snow storm.
Hauling wood home. Many village houses are heated with wood.
These sticks found up and down the river mark whitefish nets. These were located near the village of Oscarville.
Pausing momentarily at a crack in the road. Below is another view of the crack across the road.
