Norman Wells to Tulita ice crossing may not open until after Christmas

People who need the ice crossing between Tulita and Norman Wells for their holiday travel plans may need to come up with a Plan B.  

The N.W.T. Department of Infrastructure has warned that, because of thin ice, an ice crossing on the section of winter road connecting the two communities may not be open by Christmas Day.

For the past five years, the road between Norman Wells and Tulita has opened between Dec. 16 and 21. The last time it opened after Christmas Day was in 2013 when it opened on Dec. 27.  

The department has been flooding the surface of the river with typhoon pumps to build up its thickness so workers can get equipment on and finish construction of the ice bridge.They're hoping by Dec. 30, the crossing will open up.

Spokesperson Jacqueline Demers says the department will provide an update by the end of the week. 

Dec. 30 would be the latest the Norman Wells/Tulita winter road has opened since the 2004/2005 season, when it opened on Jan. 4. 

Extreme cold also an issue

An extreme cold weather warning in the Sahtu is also expected to delay other winter roads in the region. Department spokesperson Greg Hanna said the low temperatures make it unsafe to work outside for long periods or operate equipment.

Officials first told CBC they were hopeful that over-land portions of winter roads in the region would be finished by Dec. 20 — opening up travel between some communities. They are now eyeing the middle of next week as a more realistic opening date. 

The road from Tulita to Wrigley, including the N'dulee/Camsell Bend crossing, is still expected to open in the next couple days. 

Hanna noted road openings are subject to sudden change and pointed to the department's Twitter and website as the best places to find updates.

Winter in the Northwest Territories is an opportunity for many communities that are normally only accessible by air to connect with much of the territory, including Yellowknife, by these winter roads — making it a critical time for big deliveries, errands, and family visits.

These roads are particularly important in the Sahtu where several communities are only connected to the highway system, allowing access to major centres and southern provinces, during the winter. 

"We do recognize how important this system is to northern people," said Jacqueline Demers. "We are working hard on the Tulita ice crossing to get it open as soon as it is safe."

'It just is what it is'

Yellowknife's Donna Schear was planning to drive up to Fort Good Hope with her husband and 14-year-old for the holidays so they could spend Christmas with her elderly in-laws. With the winter road on hold, those plans are in limbo.

"My daughter doesn't get to see them very often, right? So we were kind of hoping to get up."

But she's keeping her cool and hoping the road will be open for a New Year's visit.

"It just is what it is," she said. "Just go with the flow, right? Safety is the number one priority."

If anything, Schear wonders if this might be a blessing in disguise for her family, as her partner was already driving up to Yellowknife from Edmonton for the holidays — and now, at least he won't be adding another 20 hours to his road trip.

"Maybe it's just the universe saying, 'You need to take a break.'"   

Alvin Orlias is planning to drive his truck from Colville Lake to Hay River in January, so that he can sell it in the southern region of the territory. Right now, the roads are expected to open by the time he plans to drive, but he said if the department needs more time to get that started, he'll just wait until things open up. 

"You can't change the weather or anything by complaining," said Orlias. "It ain't gonna make it go any faster."