Let the wait begin: George Black ferry at Dawson City finishes last crossing of 2019

The George Black ferry is done sailing for the season.

Thatmeans people who live in West Dawson are once again cut off from Dawson City, Yukon, and road accessout of the community until river freeze-up, at best.

The ferry, which provides transport across the Yukon Riverfrom about mid-May until mid-October, completed its last sailing on Tuesday.It is typically pulled from the water between Oct. 15 and 18th, when freezingground makes it hard to keep the ferry ramps at the proper height.

"At colder temperatures the rudders on the George Black ferry can also freeze, making operations unsafe," said KeelyBass with Yukon Highways and Public Works, adding the ferry must be removed before ice begins to accumulate on the river.

Now, the waiting game begins to see if the river will freeze enough for the Yukon Government to build an ice bridge. It has tried and failed for the last two years, leaving tenacious West Dawsonites to build their own, unsanctioned crossings.

• Yukon gov't gives up on attempt to build ice bridge in Dawson City

• Yukon halts river-freezing experiment at Dawson City

Bass said a request for proposalsfor the design and inspection of an ice road has closed and the contract award is pending.She said a request for proposals for the construction has not yet been issued.