Ice has cleared

Good news! The ice has moved from behind the islands so camp is now accessible by river. Inland Barge is planning to land at KHBC with supplies and building materials around May 30.

Ice Jam Photos

Woody Salmon and John Huntington flew down to Bible Camp (from Tanana) and took these photos of the ice jammed in behind the islands. You can see all the sandbars showing -- water is really low. It needs to raise enough to float the ice of the slough. This would require heavy rain (not usual for this time of year) or warm weather so snow melts in the mountains. The barge which was loaded with KHBC supplies offloaded the KHBC material and reloaded with freight for other locations. The plan is to load the next barge (arriving KHBC approx June 2) with all the KHBC freight.

Ice Jam at Bible Camp

Charley had the barge all loaded in Nenana. He planned to leave tomorrow for KHBC and Galena. That was Plan A.

Plan B went into action after John Huntington and a friend took off from Tanana and flew over the Bible Camp. The river is flowing freely in the main channel, but the whole north side behind the island is plugged with ice. No way a boat (or a barge) could get anywhere near the Bible Camp.

Charley off loaded the Bible Camp load and reloaded with freight for other locations. The Bible Camp stuff will have to wait for a second trip, and, hopefully, by then the water will have raised far enough to float the ice out of the slough.

This has never since camp started in 1965 - but the Yukon River is always full of surprises.

Less than a month to go

Less than a month from now KHBC's grounds will be buzzing with activity. Samaritan's Purse plans on getting two guys there the third week in May to begin preparing for the dining hall project. Dozens and dozens of workers have purchased airplane tickets (Alaska Airlines luv's ya!). The ice at Nenana moved last week signaling the official begin of breakup in the Interior.

Russ and Freda and a small army of others purchased more than $12,000 worth of food and supplies. It's all on the two trailers in these pictures -- heading to the barge in Nenana tomorrow.

In all the work and preparations, don't forget to pray!