Archives West Finding Aid

In Alaska, the spring ice breakup is a noisy and very important event that signals the beginning of the season of boat transportation. Until the advent of airplanes, ships were the most efficient mode of transportation to remote areas. Frozen harbors and river channels hinder water transport in winter. In spring, ice is pushed downstream as a river or stream thaws, sometimes breaking into flows that build on top of each other. The resulting piles can cause great damage. This damage may be to the natural environment such as the riverbanks or river bottoms. It can be so severe as to change the course of the main channel or even the entire waterway. Ice can also destroy any man-made objects in its way including piers, wharves, or seawalls. If the ice is pushed onto land, it can also destroy any buildings near it. By using explosives, channels can be "cut" in the ice to direct where it goes as it flows downstream. Once the waterways have been cleared of ice, boat transportation is again possible.