SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - The Dettah ice road and Mackenzie River ice crossing at Fort Providence will remain open for at least a couple more days, even with the mercury rising, according to the Department of Transportation.

A driver heads towards Yellowknife on the Dettah ice road Monday afternoon. The ice road remains open to vehicles weighing up to 40,000 kilograms. - Jeanne Gagnon/NNSL photo

Ice thickness and the safety of motorists are critical when determining if and when an ice road or crossing should close, said Earl Blacklock, manager of public affairs and communications with the department.

"We haven't had any indication that the Dettah (ice road) is going to close imminently," he said. "In the spring, the ice roads have a long way to go to actually melting. We constantly test, we constantly profile to look (if) the ice thickness is still sufficient. If it is and the temperature is very warm, we continue operating."

More than a couple of days of warm weather is needed to warrant the closure of ice roads and crossings, said Blacklock.

"We've had five or six days of warm weather straight just two weeks ago. At nighttime, it freezes again," he said. "Whatever melting that happens during the day, nighttime freezing builds the road back up again. It's when the melting is constant - 24 hours - that you get much closer to (closure)."

He added his department usually advises travellers, through its website, 48 hours in advance of any season-ending closures. That website indicated Monday the Dettah ice road was open to all vehicles weighing no more than 40,000 kg. No restrictions were posted for the Mackenzie ice crossing but the Whati and Gameti winter roads were on 48-hour notice.

Matco Transportation Systems, a transportation company with an office in Yellowknife, transports goods from Edmonton to Yellowknife and elsewhere in the territory. Leon Johnson, the company's corporate and international sales manager, said the ice crossing closes in mid-April on average, leaving a four to five week gap before the ferry opens for the season.

"Approaches are getting a little bit of water and a little bit of slush," he said, recounting what one of his drivers noticed travelling the ice crossing Easter Sunday. "Otherwise, it was looking pretty good. It will just depend on what Mother Nature does here now for the next little bit."

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. It is undergoing repairs but the fix is not straightforward, said Blacklock.

"It's being fixed and when the ice is clearing up for the season to begin, it will be ready to go," he said. "It will take however long it takes but we don't expect it will take the entire time between now and the end of break up."

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

The expected high in Yellowknife today is 6 C, and will remain above zero until the weekend, according to Environment Canada. The high in Fort Providence, meanwhile is expected to be 8 C today but zero by Friday.