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Nathan VanderKlippe
Northern News Services
Yes, spring is coming, in all its dirty glory.
And nature-lovers beware: it's a dangerous time of year to traipse about. Even though the cold has hung on thus far -- and most lakes are probably still coated with a good metre of ice -- it won't be long before warmer temperatures crack winter's rigid grip on the land.
Deputy fire chief Clem St. Croix warns that "the only safe ice is in your glass of water." He urges extra caution while snowmobiling or hiking at this time of year.
"Stay away from the Yellowknife River. The temperatures are starting to warm up, and as a result there's going to be overflow happening in the lakes above the river, which increases the flow of water coming down through the river system," he said. "Coupled with warmer days, sunshine, possibly a little jolt of rain here and there, it makes for very unsafe ice conditions."
Snowmobilers should stick on the beaten path, and avoid zipping around at night.
"If you're only within headlight range and you come across open water, by the time you see it it's probably too late," said Force One owner Doug Witty.
The most dangerous spots are where water is running quickly below the ice -- such as in creeks or river narrows.
Witty said it's important to carry dry socks, mitts and boot liners. An incursion through water-covered ice can leave you dripping wet.
And if you do fall through, St. Croix has the following advice: "Stay calm, kick with your feet, stretch your arms out and kick hard until you get onto the ice. Don't stand up, but roll a safe distance before you stand up. Get to safety, get to warmth."
NWT chief coroner Percy Kinney advises snowmobilers to be prepared and make a plan and follow it. He says something as simple as an ice pick can be useful. A piece of wood with a nail at the end can be used to grab ahold of ice and pull you out if you crack through.
Spring is in the air
Around the territory, the GNWT is beginning to prepare for spring. All winter long, the territory maintains about 1,437 kilometres of winter roads. Now, 823 kilometres are closed in the Deh Cho and Sahtu regions. In the North Slave, the road to What Ti and Rae Lakes is only open during night-time hours, from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m.
In the Mackenzie Delta, all of the winter roads are still open.
Winter roads are closed to minimize damage to the environment on portages, to give crews time to disassemble bridges, and to ensure safe passage for motorists.
"If conditions are just too wet on the ice, or if there's too much potential of people being stranded or stuck in deeper water, we close it," said South Slave regional superintendent Art Barnes, who has worked on winter roads from Inuvik in the past.
In Yellowknife, the city will close its outdoor skating rink when the lake edge begins to melt and the Zamboni can no longer drive onto the ice.
And some ice fishers are bringing their season to an end. Ragnar Wesstrom, owner of Enodah Wilderness Travel, is taking his last Japanese tour group to the north arm to fish today. But, he said, its safe to fish as long as its safe to take a snowmobile out on the lake.
As a matter of fact, spring may be the best time of year to fish.
"It's nice and sunny and warm out this time of year," he said.
A cold spring
Spring has hung on longer than usual this year. As of this Wednesday, the ground was still hidden under 45 centimetres of snow. Average for the 16th of April is 25 cm.
That means that most lakes and rivers are still safe. However, Environment Canada meteorologist Yvonne Bilan-Wallace warns that if one thing is certain about this area, it's that when change comes it will come quickly.
"The spring time is a very dangerous time because you're at the edge of the season. You're going from the ice road to water travel, and that transition is always very (unexpected)," she said.
And while Bilan-Wallace refuses to predict when the thaw will finally begin in earnest, she is trusting in the natural cycle of seasons:
"It's April. Next month it's May, and warmer weather is coming. The sun is back, you don't need to say any more."
