Dettah ice road expected to close for the season on Friday

The ice road connecting Yellowknife and Dettah is expected to close for the season at 10am on Friday, April 22.

The territorial government’s Department of Infrastructure posted the expected closing date to Twitter on Wednesday. The Wekweètì and Gamètì winter roads are set to close on the same day, the department said.

Ice crossings to Fort Simpson and Wrigley are expected to close on Monday, April 25.

This year, the Dettah ice road – which opened on December 24, 2021 – has lasted almost a week longer than last time around.

In 2020-21, the road again opened on Christmas Eve but closed on April 16. In 2019-20, the road closed on April 19.

This year, a set of snowmobile drag races is being organized on the Dettah ice road on Saturday, April 23.

From noon on Saturday more than a dozen categories of race will take place, culminating in a “king of the great lake” finale, organizers said.