As far as you know, there is no bridge over the Lena River at all. Therefore, to cross the river, locals are forced to use ferryboats from June till October and ice roads in winter, officially from the midst of December till early April.
Late April – May and late October – November are considered to be dangerous periods for crossing the river. Nevertheless, some people take the risk and as result we can periodically read news about accidents, precisely about sunken cars and trucks.
It is a must for local drivers to know ice roads requirements, and travelers are recommended to keep them in mind as well. So…
How thick must ice roads be?
It depends on the total weight of vehicles and people. Here is the list:
5 cm thick will be enough for a sole pedestrian.
An ice must be as thin as 7 cm for a group of people.
15 cm is for cartages.
20-25 cm is for a light passenger car/minivan.
More than 50 cm is a must for 5-ton truck.
70-100 cm is required for 30-ton truck.
That’s what happens, when requirements are ingnored:
How come taxi minivans offer people ride over the river, when an ice road is not thick enough?
When the ice is critically thin, less or about 20 sm, a car and passengers cross a river separately. That’s what, for example, was practiced on the Khandyga River in early November of this year. In any case, be careful in these periods.
When will ice roads near Yakutsk be officially open this year?
Dates are directly depends on weather conditions. This winter they are as follows:
Khatassy – Pavlosk, Dec. 15 (for 5-ton cars) and Dec. 30 (for 30-ton cars).
Yakutsk – Nizhnij Bestyakh, Jan. 05 for 30-ton cars.
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