Let the wait begin: George Black ferry at Dawson City finishes last crossing of 2019
West Dawson is now cut off from outside road access until freeze-up at best
The George Black ferry is done sailing for the season.
That means people who live in West Dawson are once again cut off from Dawson City, Yukon, and road access out of the community until river freeze-up, at best.
The ferry, which provides transport across the Yukon River from about mid-May until mid-October, completed its last sailing on Tuesday. It is typically pulled from the water between Oct. 15 and 18th, when freezing ground makes it hard to keep the ferry ramps at the proper height.
"At colder temperatures the rudders on the George Black ferry can also freeze, making operations unsafe," said Keely Bass with Yukon Highways and Public Works, adding the ferry must be removed before ice begins to accumulate on the river.
Now, the waiting game begins to see if the river will freeze enough for the Yukon Government to build an ice bridge. It has tried and failed for the last two years, leaving tenacious West Dawsonites to build their own, unsanctioned crossings.
Bass said a request for proposals for the design and inspection of an ice road has closed and the contract award is pending. She said a request for proposals for the construction has not yet been issued.