SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Semi-trailers parked at some Yellowknife stores is a sure sign the city is in break up season - the four to five week period when the city is isolated by the closure of the ice bridge and ferry at Fort Providence.

Wal-Mart store manager Terri Andre stands by a row of semi-trailers parked in the store's parking lot on April 19. Those trailers carry merchandise the store will need during the four to five weeks between the closure of the ice road and the opening of the ferry. - Jeanne Gagnon/NNSL photo

While some customers will stock up on their favourite items, others will take the reduce selection in stride.

Each store has its strategy to cope with the reduced transportation options, with some having extra merchandise on site while others rely on air transportation for some goods.

Seventeen semi-trailers are parked at Wal-Mart, carrying enough merchandise to last four to six weeks, said store manager Terri Andre.

"I think (we're as) prepared as the store has ever been," she said. "You've got your trailers in the parking lot ready to go. You bring in what you think your customers are going to buy and hope that it's enough to last."

As this is her first break-up, Andre said she prepared using last year's numbers and advice from other retailers.

"We stock up on consumables first and then it goes accordingly after that, so obviously foods, health and beauty, chemicals, toilet paper," she said. "We're hoping that it lasts us at least four to six weeks. It will get pretty skinny, I'd say, toward the end of break-up, especially if it goes past that mark but they don't predict that. As long as we're on target with how long they said break up would last, we should be right on schedule."

At the Yellowknife Co-op, manager Ben Walker said they are "very well" prepared, having stocked merchandise while fresh goods will be flown in.

"We have on hand here most every goods that are out there - sugar, flour, milk, bottled water, things of that nature. Anything that's light, all fresh goods will fly. They should come across Tuesday nights. We should be just great for four weeks," he said.

"We're prepared, we're ready. We do it every year. I'm not going to say 'piece of cake' but we're pretty used to it."

The Department of Transportation (DOT) does not expect the Mackenzie River to break up until some breakage occurs upstream, said

Earl Blacklock, manager of public affairs and communications for DOT, adding that will also depend on the weather in upcoming weeks.

The Merv Hardie ferry closed for the season Jan. 21, after it hit a piece of ice and broke a rudder crossing the Mackenzie River at Fort Providence. The ferry is still undergoing repairs, said Blacklock, adding the repairs are expected to be finished in time, even if the Mackenzie River breaks up early.

"The repairs are continuing. We expect to have the repairs done before the start of the ferry season," he said.

The ferry opened May 15 last year, on par with previous years. The earliest it has opened was May 7 2006 and prior to that in 1998.