http://www.jvtcwinterroad.ca/jvwr/

Click n 2012 updates and look for alternate route:

The unusually warmer weather conditions continue to challenge the construction of the winter road. During the start of this week, strong winds (10-25 knots) within the central and northern regions have caused some additional issues with keeping the road clear. Warmer than seasonal temperatures continue to fluctuate, causing water to overflow from small lakes on to a few portages. Plow crews have the loaded lane completed from high grade to the mine sites, as they continuously prepare the running lane for traffic. Portages and water truck crews are finishing off the remaining few portages along the route.

TYHEE ROUTE:

Secondary Route - Prosperous Lake to Gibbs Lake

Ploughing of lakes to full width and initial portage construction was completed this week. Re-ploughing to clear snow from recent storms was ongoing throughout the week. Flood crews have target flooded low ice sections from Bluefish to Clan. Ice profiling continued on this section. Prosperous to Sito now has recorded minimums of 21”. Sito, Clan, Johnson and several of the small ponds still have sections with minimums from 15” to 20”. From Johnson to Giauque, minimums are 20”+

Re-ploughing on Giauque, Thistlethwaite and the Tyhee bypass ponds to clear snow from recent storms was completed. Additional profiling was carried out from Smoky to Gibbs to confirm sufficient ice thickness for full width snow clearing operations. Ploughing to full width started on Smoky. Heavy, hard packed snow conditions are making for slow progress. Portage construction has progressed from the Tyhee bypass to the south end of Smoky. Ice profiling on this section shows thicknesses on Giauque and Thistlethwaite of 23”+. Smoky and the small lakes to Gibbs have minimums ranging from 16” to 20”

Gene Skellig assessment: Not good. We need some sub - minus 30 temps in the next 2 weeks or this could be a lost season, like 2006. The only good thing to come out of a failed ice road season would be big profits for the air freight carriers in YK, and some motivation for GNWT to consider permanent roads to the north, through the Tyhee area, and on to areas north of the boggy, temp-sensative southern parts of the ice roads. they have discussed a permanent road that would benefit Tyhee in a huge way, while reducing the risks of failed seasons for the northern stretches of the ice roads.

I think the impact of not getting some extra equpment to the Tyhee site is not huge, but it would take away some excitement when, next summer, with permit in hand, that equpment could become active in the pre-construction & roadbuilding activities at the future site of MY gold mine in NWT.

GS