Nenana Ice Classic
The Nenana Ice Classic is an annual ice pool contest held in Nenana, Alaska. It is an event in which individuals attempt to guess the exact time the Tanana River ice will break up at Nenana.[1] Tickets are on sale from February 1 through April 5 of each year throughout Alaska. The Nenana Ice Classic is a non-profit charitable gaming organization. As such, the proceeds benefit many volunteer and non-profit organizations.
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History
The Ice Classic began as an ice betting pool in 1906 with six entries: Adolph Nelson, Jim Duke, Gunnysack Jack, Jonesy, Louis and Joe Johnson, and the first winner, Oliver Lee.[2] After coming the closest to betting on breakup of the Tanana ice, Lee won an equivalent amount of "a couple of rounds at the trading post bar."[2] The ice pool subsequently became inactive until 1916.[2] In that year, railroad workers revived the betting through ticket sales at Jimmy Duke's Roadhouse, but limited the betting to Nenana residents.[2] After word of the lottery spread to towns along the local railroad by Alaska Railroad Commission workers, the lottery was opened up to residents of the Alaska and Yukon territories in 1917.[2]
In 1917, railroad engineers bet $801 on when the ice would break. In 2009 the 93rd annual prize money was $283,723. In 2014 the jackpot was a record $363,627.[3] Since the Classic's beginning in 1906 over 10 million dollars in prize money has been given away.
The tripod
The "tripod", which actually has four supports, is planted on the river ice between the highway and railroad bridges in Nenana, 300 ft from the shore. The tripod is connected to a clock which stops as the ice goes out, moving the tripod with it. The Nenana Ice Classic annual festival is the time that the tripod is erected on the ice of the frozen Tanana River. The tripod parts are built and painted prior to the festival sourcing local timber and enlisting community members. Using a chainsaw, a trough is carved into the river ice which is usually around three feet thick at that time of year. The base of the tripod is lowered into the trough. An auger is implemented to bore a hole further into the ice until the river water is released, flooding the trough. This will freeze the tripod securely to the frozen river. As a high point during the festival the community gathers together and using ropes attached to the tripod uprights they work together to lift the uprights into place. The uprights are then secured to each other. A line is attached to the top of the tripod and once that end is anchored the other end is taken to the Ice Classic tower nearby on the banks of the river. Attached there to the clock inside the tower, when the ice goes out and moves the tripod 100 feet the line breaks and stops the clock. [3]
Ice measurements
The Tanana River at Nenana usually freezes between October and November, reaching an average peak thickness of 41 inches (104 cm) on April 1. The ice then melts on top due to weather and bottom due to water movement.
Ice measurements from 1989 through 2019.[4]
Date | Ice Thickness |
---|---|
Jan 16 | 16 in |
Feb 7 | 16 in |
Feb 26 | 23.5 in |
Mar 4 | 32.5 in |
Mar 13 | 25.7 in |
Mar 18 | 23.8 in |
Mar 21 | 26.3 in |
Mar 25 | 31.9 in |
Mar 28 | 25.3 in |
Date | Ice Thickness |
---|---|
Feb 10 | 28 in |
Feb 25 | 34 in |
Mar 4 | 36 in |
Mar 12 | 28.3 in |
Mar 19 | 32 in |
Mar 26 | 26.5 in |
Apr 2 | 26.8 in |
Apr 5 | 26.7 in |
Apr 9 | 26.8 in |
Apr 14 | 24.7 in |
Apr 18 | 25 in |
Date | Ice Thickness |
---|---|
Jan 6 | 35 in |
Feb 2 | 35 in |
Feb 23 | 31.5 in |
Mar 5 | 38 in |
Mar 16 | 39.5 in |
Mar 23 | 36.3 in |
Mar 30 | 39.7 in |
Apr 3 | 38.8 in |
Apr 6 | 39.5 in |
Apr 10 | 39 in |
Apr 13 | 37 in |
Apr 17 | 35.6 in |
Apr 20 | 34.7 in |
Apr 24 | 29.7 in |
Date | Ice Thickness |
---|---|
Jan 13 | 25 in |
Feb 8 | 33.5 in |
Feb 22 | 33 in |
Mar 01 | 40 in |
Mar 06 | 40 in |
Mar 10 | 36 in |
Mar 16 | 37.2 in |
Mar 21 | 35.3 in |
Mar 24 | 38 in |
Mar 28 | 36.7 in |
Mar 31 | 35.7 in |
Apr 4 | 36 in |
Apr 7 | 34.8 in |
Apr 11 | 34.7 in |
Apr 14 | 32.3 in |
Date | Ice Thickness |
---|---|
Feb 6 | 22 in |
Feb 20 | 34 in |
Mar 5 | 38.5 in |
Mar 19 | 35 in |
Mar 23 | 35 in |
Mar 26 | 35.8 in |
Mar 30 | 35.7 in |
Apr 2 | 35.5 in |
Apr 6 | 33.5 in |
Date | Ice Thickness |
---|---|
Jan 7 | 25.75 in |
Feb 6 | 31.0 in |
Feb 20 | 34.0 in |
Mar 2 | 39.2 in |
Mar 13 | 38.0 in |
Mar 20 | 38.2 in |
Mar 27 | 40.2 in |
Mar 31 | 36.3 in |
Apr 3 | 38.7 in |
Apr 7 | 36.8 in |
Apr 10 | 38.5 in |
Apr 14 | 36.5 in |
Date | Ice Thickness |
---|---|
Jan 14 | 41 in |
Feb 6 | 42 in |
Feb 20 | 51 in |
Mar 3 | 48 in |
Mar 7 | 48.7 in |
Mar 11 | 52.8 in |
Mar 14 | 50 in |
Mar 18 | 50.3 in |
Mar 21 | 50 in |
Mar 25 | 51 in |
Mar 28 | 47.2 in |
Apr 1 | 49.3 in |
Apr 4 | 43.3 in |
Apr 8 | 50 in |
Apr 11 | 50 in |
Apr 15 | 50.3 in |
Apr 18 | 49.6 in |
Apr 22 | 49.2 in |
Apr 25 | 51 in |
Apr 29 | 47 in |
May 2 | 36.7 in |
May 6 | 40 in |
Date | Ice Thickness |
---|---|
Jan 12 | 23 in |
Feb 6 | 33 in |
Feb 20 | 33 in |
Mar 4 | 34.5 in |
Mar 12 | 35.7 in |
Mar 26 | 40.7 in |
Mar 29 | 41.3 in |
Apr 2 | 43.3 in |
Apr 5 | 44.3 in |
Apr 9 | 42.7 in |
Apr 12 | 39 in |
Apr 16 | 33.7 in |
Apr 19 | 28.7 in |
Date | Ice Thickness |
---|---|
Feb 8 | 38.3 in |
Feb 24 | 40.75 in |
Mar 6 | 45.3 in |
Mar 10 | 41.5 in |
Mar 16 | 39.66 in |
Mar 24 | 42.0 in |
Mar 31 | 41.5 in |
Apr 4 | 39.9 in |
Apr 15 | 42.5 in |
Apr 18 | 41.6 in |
Apr 21 | 41.4 in |
Apr 25 | 39 in |
Date | Ice Thickness |
---|---|
Feb 3 | 44 in |
Feb 18 | 50 in |
Mar 7 | 47.0 in |
Mar 17 | 51.5 in |
Mar 24 | 51.25 in |
Mar 31 | 50.4 in |
Apr 5 | 46.3 in |
Apr 8 | 45.3 in |
Apr 12 | 44 in |
Apr 15 | 45.2 in |
Apr 19 | 40.9 in |
Date | Ice Thickness |
---|---|
Feb 5 | 42.5 in |
Feb 19 | 45.5 in |
Mar 5 | 41.5 in |
Mar 8 | 45.0 in |
Mar 12 | 43.5 in |
Mar 19 | 44 in |
Mar 25 | 43.75 in |
Apr 2 | 45.00 in |
Apr 6 | 46.00 in |
Apr 9 | 46.75 in |
Apr 13 | 46.4 in |
Apr 16 | 44.6 in |
Apr 20 | 44.2 in |
Apr 23 | 42.7 in |
Date | Ice Thickness |
---|---|
Jan 11 | 38.8 in |
Jan 21 | 44.0 in |
Feb 15 | 41.0 in |
Mar 1 | 51.0 in |
Mar 10 | 44.5 in |
Mar 17 | 46.3 in |
Mar 20 | 47.5 in |
Mar 24 | 46.0 in |
Mar 28 | 54.5 in |
Mar 31 | 47.5 in |
Apr 3 | 45.6 in |
Apr 7 | 44.3 in |
Apr 11 | 45.6 in |
Apr 14 | 44.3 in |
Apr 17 | 44.6 in |
Apr 21 | 40.5 in |
Date | Ice Thickness |
---|---|
Jan 11 | 40.5 in |
Feb 7 | 42.0 in |
Feb 14 | 44.0 in |
Feb 21 | 46.0 in |
Feb 28 | 51.5 in |
Mar 8 | 46.5 in |
Mar 12 | 46.0 in |
Mar 15 | 46.6 in |
Mar 19 | 49.0 in |
Mar 22 | 51.0 in |
Mar 26 | 49.0 in |
Mar 29 | 48.7 in |
Apr 2 | 49.7 in |
Apr 5 | 48.8 in |
Apr 11 | 46.5 in |
Date | Ice Thickness |
---|---|
Jan 4 | 43.0 in |
Jan 31 | 38.0 in |
Feb 9 | 35.0 in |
Feb 15 | 38.0 in |
Feb 23 | 36.0 in |
Mar 2 | 45.0 in |
Mar 6 | 42.0 in |
Mar 9 | 34.0 in |
Mar 13 | 32.0 in |
Mar 16 | 32.5 in |
Mar 20 | 34.5 in |
Mar 23 | 34.3 in |
Mar 27 | 34.0 in |
Mar 30 | 34.5 in |
Apr 2 | 32.7 in |
Date | Ice Thickness |
---|---|
Jan 14 | 29.0 in |
Feb 8 | 35.0 in |
Feb 17 | 40.5 in |
Feb 24 | 40.0 in |
Mar 3 | 42.0 in |
Mar 10 | 33.5 in |
Mar 14 | 37.0 in |
Mar 17 | 42.0 in |
Mar 21 | 36.3 in |
Mar 24 | 37.0 in |
Mar 28 | 36.0 in |
Mar 31 | 36.0 in |
Apr 4 | 32.0 in |
Apr 7 | 35.5 in |
Apr 12 | 40.0 in |
Apr 15 | 40.0 in |
Apr 19 | 35.3 in |
Apr 21 | 35.5 in |
Date | Ice Thickness |
---|---|
Jan 7 | 21.5 in |
Feb 4 | 30.00 in |
Feb 11 | 35.0 in |
Feb 18 | 36.5 in |
Feb 25 | 37.5 in |
Mar 3 | 25.0 in |
Mar 9 | 28.0 in |
Mar 15 | 33.0 in |
Mar 18 | 33.5 in |
Mar 22 | 34.5 in |
Mar 25 | 34.7 in |
Mar 29 | 35.0 in |
Apr 1 | 35.5 in |
Date | Ice Thickness |
---|---|
Jan 13 | 30.0 in |
Jan 27 | 41.0 in |
Feb 10 | 40.0 in |
Feb 24 | 43.7 in |
Mar 2 | 43.7 in |
Mar 9 | 45.8 in |
Mar 17 | 48.2 in |
Mar 23 | 47.5 in |
Mar 26 | 48 in |
Mar 31 | 47.5 in |
Apr 2 | 48.2 in |
Apr 6 | 51.0 in |
Apr 9 | 47.3 in |
Apr 13 | 47.6 in |
Apr 16 | 45.6 in |
Apr 22 | 38.3 in |
Date | Ice Thickness |
---|---|
Jan 14 | 42.0 in |
Jan 28 | 43.5 in |
Feb 14 | 47 in |
Mar 3 | 51 in |
Mar 12 | 51.5 in |
Mar 17 | 51 in |
Mar 20 | 50.5 in |
Mar 24 | 50.8 in |
Mar 27 | 49 in |
Mar 31 | 48 in |
Apr 3 | 48 in |
Apr 7 | 48 in |
Apr 11 | 48 in |
Apr 14 | 48 in |
Apr 17 | 45.5 in |
Apr 21 | 47.3 in |
Apr 25 | 44 in |
Apr 29 | 42 in |
Date | Ice Thickness |
---|---|
Jan 16 | 34.5 in |
Feb 6 | 37 in |
Feb 11 | 33.3 in |
Feb 19 | 33 in |
Feb 25 | 44 in |
Mar 4 | 42 in |
Mar 11 | 41 in |
Mar 18 | 37.3 in |
Mar 22 | 40.3 in |
Mar 26 | 38.7 in |
Mar 29 | 39 in |
Apr 2 | 39.3 in |
Apr 6 | 38.3 in |
Apr 12 | 36.3 in |
Apr 16 | 33.5 in |
Date | Ice Thickness |
---|---|
Jan 23 | 31 in |
Feb 13 | 31 in |
Feb 20 | 33 in |
Feb 27 | 33 in |
Mar 5 | 35 in |
Mar 12 | 36 in |
Mar 16 | 35 in |
Mar 19 | 32.6 in |
Mar 23 | 35.6 in |
Mar 30 | 36.7 in |
Apr 2 | 32.7 in |
Apr 4 | 37.7 in |
Apr 9 | 35 in |
Apr 13 | 36 in |
Date | Ice Thickness |
---|---|
Jan 14 | 34 in |
Feb 12 | 43 in |
Feb 17 | 45 in |
Feb 24 | 43 in |
Mar 1 | 44 in |
Mar 8 | 44 in |
Mar 11 | 45 in |
Mar 15 | 47 in |
Mar 18 | 46 in |
Mar 22 | 48 in |
Mar 25 | 47 in |
Mar 29 | 43 in |
Apr 1 | 44 in |
Apr 5 | 46 in |
Apr 8 | 47 in |
Apr 12 | 45 in |
Apr 15 | 43 in |
Date | Ice Thickness |
---|---|
Jan 22 | 41 in |
Feb 5 | 45 in |
Feb 18 | 43 in |
Feb 25 | 38.5 in |
Mar 4 | 38.5 in |
Mar 8 | 46 in |
Mar 11 | 46.5 in |
Mar 18 | 42.3 in |
Mar 25 | 42 in |
Mar 30 | 34.5 in |
Apr 1 | 34.3 in |
Apr 3 | 38 in |
Date | Ice Thickness |
---|---|
Jan 20 | 31 in |
Feb 4 | 46 in |
Feb 19 | 46 in |
Feb 25 | 46 in |
Mar 4 | 44 in |
Mar 11 | 44.5 in |
Mar 18 | 44.5 in |
Apr 1 | 43 in |
Apr 4 | 42.5 in |
Apr 28 | 36 in |
Date | Ice Thickness |
---|---|
Feb 10 | 41 in |
Feb 23 | 44 in |
Feb 28 | 46 in |
Mar 6 | 46 in |
Mar 12 | 44 in |
Mar 19 | 45 in |
Mar 25 | 46.5 in |
Mar 27 | 45.5 in |
Apr 1 | 46 in |
Apr 4 | 45 in |
Apr 8 | 45 in |
Apr 16 | 45 in |
Apr 19 | 43.7 in |
Apr 22 | 41.5 in |
Date | Ice Thickness |
---|---|
Jan 27 | 23 in |
Feb 8 | 24 in |
Feb 17 | 24.5 in |
Feb 20 | 25 in |
Feb 28 | 29 in |
Mar 6 | 28 in |
Mar 15 | 34 in |
Mar 23 | 32.5 in |
Mar 28 | 34 in |
Mar 31 | 34 in |
Apr 7 | 34 in |
Apr 11 | 33 in |
Apr 13 | 32 in |
Date | Ice Thickness |
---|---|
Jan 20 | 36.0 in |
Feb 4 | 43.0 in |
Feb 17 | 47.5 in |
Feb 24 | 51.0 in |
Mar 3 | 51.0 in |
Mar 13 | 52.0 in |
Mar 24 | 52.0 in |
Mar 28 | 55.0 in |
Mar 31 | 58.0 in |
Apr 3 | 51.0 in |
Apr 8 | 54.0 in |
Apr 14 | 57.5 in |
Apr 18 | 52.0 in |
Apr 22 | 51.0 in |
Date | Ice Thickness |
---|---|
Feb 20 | 30 in |
Feb 26 | 30 in |
Mar 6 | 29 in |
Mar 24 | 26 in |
Mar 31 | 28 in |
Apr 1 | 27 in |
Apr 2 | 25 in |
Apr 4 | 26 in |
Apr 6 | 24 in |
Apr 8 | 26 in |
Apr 9 | 25 in |
Date | Ice Thickness |
---|---|
Feb 24 | 42 in |
Mar 1 | 42 in |
Mar 10 | 46 in |
Mar 14 | 46 in |
Mar 24 | 42 in |
Mar 27 | 45 in |
Mar 30 | 45 in |
Apr 1 | 45 in |
Apr 3 | 47 in |
Apr 11 | 47 in |
Apr 13 | 47 in |
Apr 15 | 47 in |
Apr 18 | 47 in |
Apr 22 | 47 in |
Date | Ice Thickness |
---|---|
Feb 14 | 28 in |
Feb 25 | 28 in |
Mar 5 | 36 in |
Mar 17 | 33 in |
Mar 26 | 35 in |
Apr 1 | 38 in |
Apr 8 | 42 in |
Apr 10 | 39.5 in |
Apr 18 | 38 in |
Date | Ice Thickness |
---|---|
Feb 25 | 35 in |
Mar 9 | 38 in |
Mar 19 | 42 in |
Mar 23 | 40 in |
Mar 26 | 41 in |
Mar 30 | 36 in |
Date | Ice Thickness |
---|---|
Feb 26 | 42 in |
Mar 16 | 37.5 in |
Mar 21 | 37.5 in |
Mar 25 | 40.5 in |
Mar 28 | 41.5 in |
Apr 4 | 42 in |
Apr 10 | 43 in |
Apr 12 | 40 in |
References
- "Tripod Days in Nenana set for this weekend". Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
- Sheila Toomey (April 20, 1997). "An Alaska Classic: Betting On Breakup Is More Than Just A Game Of Chance In Nenana". Anchorage Daily News. p. A1.
- Official Website http://www.nenanaakiceclassic.com/
- https://www.nenanaakiceclassic.com/ice.htm