CLOSE CALL CLOSE TO HOME: Boaters dragging for a snow machine that went into an open hole at the lower end of Straight Slough on December 1st. You can see Bethel in the background
Despite BSAR’s efforts to get the word out about the dangers of early season winter travel on the River, the word never reaches everyone and there’s some that don’t listen anyway.
On December 1st a snow machine with one adult and two children on board drove into the open hole at the lower end of Straight Slough.
We are very thankful that all three made it out of the water. The snow machine was lost.
BSAR will be working over the next few days to get this very dangerous area marked. Volunteers are needed.
Please help us get the word out: Travelers must avoid Straight Slough. Traffic above Bethel should use the trail around Joe Pete’s Bend to Church Slough.
Also with truck traffic opening up on the River, BSAR did some additional ice measuring along the route from Bethel to Napaskiak.
Ice thickness was consistently 10″ – 12″ thick. The top 2″ is snow ice which has less strength than good clear ice.
This thickness is considered marginal for trucks by experienced travelers. You can get away with it but please travel with extreme caution.
December 2 – Marginal Conditions for truck travel: Sample of ice taken right on the truck trail by Nick O. Nick’s old fish camp: this area was 11″ thick minus 2″ of snow ice = 9″ of good ice
That’s report.
Safe travels from BSAR
Thank you.
*Please note that this report is not an advisory that it is safe to travel. It is for informational purposes only.
