After the overwhelming support of my launch yesterday I figured I better keep momentum up and report some hard news. Yup, you got it, whats harder than ice? I'm often asked by non-alaskans what happens to the river in winter. Well, this is how it starts. The river like the animals that use it is truly a living thing. Now its in transition. The water freezes along the edges and gradually works to the more current areas. This pan ice floats down and eventually grounds out in the shallows below, for us at mile 14 that usually happens right above Fall-In-Hole. The grounded ice backs up the water killing the current and making it freeze easier on the surface while all this time the river is trying to find its escape, running under the ice. Under some conditions the ice flows will back the water up miles and miles upriver until the head pressure finally releases it under the ice. Of course the two things that are so cool right now at mile 14 is the sound and the fog. The pan ice makes the most wonderful slushing sound, it kind of groans and I guess we do to. Of course the water is warmer than the air so walla, fog.
So from here its a simple wait until the ice goes out....but thats another story. And this poor guy, he'll be heading to the Soldotna Landfill real soon.
Do you guys have enough snow to ski along the river yet??
ReplyDeleteThe snow is just a 'skiff' to coin one of MP sayings. I wouldn't be surprised though if they've gromed and created enough to ski at the Talsheitna complex.
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