Some winter roads run late, others early in 2025-26: check the list

Most of the Northwest Territories’ winter roads are on track to open by December 23, allowing holiday travel despite river systems freezing up to 10 days later than usual in some regions.

Dustin Dewar, an NWT government regional highways manager, said conditions vary across the territory this year – with favourable ice-building weather around Yellowknife offset by delayed freeze-ups elsewhere.

In the North Slave, he told Cabin Radio on Tuesday, “the lack of snowfall early and then the quick onset of these really cold temperatures appears to have assisted some of the early winter road conditions.”

That will benefit communities like Gamètì and Wekweètì, who residents might find their winter roads open “a little bit earlier than the normal, maybe even in December,” Dewar said.

The Dettah-Yellowknife ice road, meanwhile, is on track to open before Christmas Day according to the NWT Department of Infrastructure.

While several roads are expected to open ahead of schedule, others face delays.

Tsiigehtchic’s main ice crossing, for example, and the Aklavik ice road are projected to be about a week delayed compared to the average.

However, Dewar said “worrisome” early-season warmth – rivers froze seven to 10 days later than expected in the Dehcho – has given way to weather that is assisting crews.

“The lack of snow early on and then the really, really cold temperatures we’ve had here over the last couple weeks seems to be helping,” he said.

Snow has an insulating effect and can weaken ice early in the season, so less snow often helps to create stronger ice at this time of year.

Dewar’s overall aim? Where possible, “get people moving by Christmas.”

Here’s a rundown of what to expect from winter roads across the territory.

Expected opening dates

North Slave

• Dettah ice crossing: Construction began on Wednesday after ice profiling, expected to open on or before Christmas Eve
• Gamètì winter road: Anticipating early opening, possibly before seasonal average
• Wekweètì winter road: Anticipating early opening, possibly before seasonal average

Dehcho

• Sambaa K’e winter road: Expected December 19-22, pending inspection later this week
• Liard River ice crossing to Fort Simpson: Opened December 6
• Nahanni Butte ice crossing: Opened December 11
• Mackenzie River ice crossing to Wrigley: Opened on Wednesday

Sahtu

• Wrigley to Tulita: Expected to open on Friday at 8am
• Tulita ice crossing: Construction began Tuesday, targeting Monday, December 22 opening
• Tulita to Norman Wells, Norman Wells to Fort Good Hope, Fort Good Hope to Colville Lake: All sections being inspected for opening on or before Tuesday, December 23
• Ice crossing to Délįne: Construction will not begin until the new year

Beaufort Delta

• Tsiigehtchic main ice crossing: Light traffic crossing already open but main crossing for heavier loads potentially opening mid-January as river systems froze late
• Aklavik ice road: Construction began this week, looking at second week of January opening

Climate variability increasing

Dewar said crews who build and manage the winter roads are noticing ever-increasing swings in conditions each season.

“When people ask me about climate change, that’s one of the things I’ve noticed in the last 10 years of working here with ice roads and crossings … the dramatic shifts in weather,” he said. “And that’s reflected in the opening dates.”

He cited an example from 2019 when the Mackenzie Valley winter road closed in mid-March as the NWT posted record-breaking temperatures of 20C.

The variable conditions this year highlight that challenge.

While rivers in the Dehcho and Beaufort Delta froze late, Dewar said the ice conditions are “really, really good,” possibly because low water levels, lack of snow and cold temperatures all contribute to a better environment for that ice to form.

“If we have relatively high water levels, we’ll notice a lot more rubble ice on the ice crossings, because it takes a lot more to freeze them up,” he explained.

“And then once they freeze, they tend to kind-of push ice on top of each other, which makes it more difficult for construction.

“But that’s definitely something we’ve noticed, the dramatic shifts in temperatures – not just one extreme to the other, but shifts of 20C or more can create havoc even mid-year, and definitely during the beginning construction stages.”

Current winter road system conditions are available on the territorial government’s highway conditions map.