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FromChiptoTukwinterroadsstartingtocloseTuesdayMarch10201521WINTERROADSBridgestoneBlizzakMichelinX-IceNokianR2TIRENORTHLTD.917MacKenzieHwySS22HayRiverNTX0E0R8Callusat867874-2686GREATSAVINGSONALLTIRESTHATHAVEBEENTAKENOFFBRANDNEWTRUCKS-BUTHAVENEVEREVENSEENTHEROADTAKEOFFEHGreatWhiteNorthByDALICARMICHAELThrowsnowtiresonthecaraddsomeweighttothebackoftheoldpickupstockuponfoodandemergencysupplieskeepthegascansomewherethefumeswontbotherthepassengers-ormoreimportantlythedriver-andremembertakeofftheseatbeltbeforecrossinganyiceroads.Fromthesouthernmostpointofthe60thparalleltothetopoftheNorthwestTerrito-rieswinterroadsstarttoforminDecemberactingastemporaryarteriestotheoutsideworldfory-incommunities.Thenthedaysstarttogetlongertheairgetswarmerandonceagaincommunitiesarecutofffromtheoutsideworld-amixedblessing-usu-allystartinginMarch.Maintenancefortheseroadsdoesntcomecheap.IntheGNWTs2016-2015capi-talbudget108millionwasdedicatedtoupkeepingandbuildingwinterroadsandhighways.Oncethosewinterroadsaremeltedawaymanycommunitieswillbelimitedtoexpensiveightsandinsomecasesboatsandbargesinordertotravelandshipgoodsincludinggasoilgroceriesandmail.TheNorthernchainofwinterroadsactuallystartsjustsouthFortChipewyanAlta.tothenorthoftheoilsandsandFortMcMurray.Alreadytheicebridgesthatconnectlengthsofroad-createdbypackingdownsnowovermuskeg-arecrackingattheseamsliftingfromtheedgesoftheshorewiththeincreas-inglyhotsun.OnMar.6theroadwasclosedfortheweekendwhentheQuatreForchesicebridgedroppedleavinganoverowofriverwaterpoolingonthesurface.TheroutenorthofFortChipismaintainedbyWoodBuffaloNationalParkforabout2.5to2.8billionannually.Ifitwerentfortheenvironmentalprotectionrestrictionsim-posedbythefederalparkthetighttwistsandturnsoftheroadwouldmakeforoneofthebestrallycartracksintheworld.Unlikemanyy-incommunitiesduringthesummertimeFortChipewyanisacces-siblenotonlybyplanebutalsobyboat.AfewhourstripdowntheAthabascaRiverandresidentscanreachFortMcMurrayforalltheirpersonalneeds.AfteradrivenorthwestthroughFortSmiththenextwinterroadisfoundinHayRiver.TheseasonalinfrastructureleadstotheKatlodeecheFirstNationcreatinganaccessrouteabout20kmshorterthantheexistingyear-roundroundroad.ContinueheadingalongHighway1fromHayRiveranddrivershavethechancetoturnnorthtowardsFortProvidenceandYellowknifeorcontinueheadingwestto-wardsthewinterroadturnoffforTroutLakeotherwiseknownasSambaaKe.Thesmallcommunityhousesabout90peopleandinthesummerisonlyaccessiblebycharterplane.FurtherwestisNahanniButteaccessiblebyawinterroadstationedofftheFortLiardhighway.BusywithtouristsontheirwaytoadventuresatNahanniNationalParkinthesummermembersofthesmallcommunityareabletostockupforthebusyseasondur-ingthecoolermonths.ShoulddriverselecttoheadtowardstheterritoryscapitalwinterroadslieaheadofthemviaaquicktripthroughBehchoko.Thesmallcombinedcommunityistheaccesspointtoiceroadsleadingnorththroughthesnow-coveredbarrenlandstowardtheTlichocommunitiesofGametiandWhati.Amajorityoftheseroadsitshouldbenotedcanholdtransporttrucksweighingbetween40000and64000kg.SomecanonlystarttocarrytheseloadsinJanuaryandFebruarywhentheicehashadenoughtimetofreezetoadesirablethickness.FromHighway1roadwarriorscancrosstheLiardandMackenzieRivericebridgesandheadintoWrigley.FromtherewinterroadsdirecttravelersnorthtowardsDelineTulitaNormanWellsandFortGoodHope.AsharpturneastandtheycangotoColvilleLakecurrentlytheendoftheroad.ForthosetravellingtoInuvikalongtheDempsterHighwaywinterroadsareinter-ruptedbyicebridgesthattakeovertheworkofsummertimeferries.FromInuvikwinterroadssprawlouttoAklavikandTuktoyaktukthenorthernmostsettlementintheNWTlo-catedonthemainland.Soonitwillbepossibletocompletethisjourneythroughouttheyear.Anall-season140-kmgravelroadstretchingfromInuviktoTukisinitssecondyearofconstructionwithanestimatedcompletiondateofwinter2018.EventuallythishighwayisexpectedtowindallthewaytoWrigleyconnectingawholechainofisolatedcommunitiesandcuttingshippingcostsandtravelexpensesforthepeoplewholivethere.PhotoDaliCarmichaelIceandwinterroadslikethisoneattheMooseIslandcrossingenroutetoFortChipewyanarealreadystartingtocrackwiththerecentwarmweather.