Break Up in the Brooks Range

Break Up has arrived in Coldfoot.  It is a bit early this year, and seems like it might be an easy one.  The ice is out on the Middle Fork of the Koyukuk River, and the snow has left the floor of the  valley for for the time being.

As the winter snow melts and runs onto the lakes, the lakes temporarily flood like at Wild Lake.  In a few more days the lake ice will brake free from the shore and float.  Then all the water will run off of the ice and we will be able to land on the ice for another week or more depending on ice thickness and temperatures.  This is always a fun time of year as the changes that happen are rapid and we are always wet and muddy.  If you look closely you will notice that Jean (the aircraft) is on Skis.

This year we did not have a large snow pack in the central Arctic.  Valleys on the North side were largely blown clean, so break up on the North side will probably also happen quickly when it starts.  I have seen a few bear tracks in the hills, and the caribou seem to be heading north at this time. Most noticeably  the sun is just setting at 10:00 P:M.  Summer is definitely close.