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. 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.
is in the background.

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. 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." The ice pool subsequently became inactive until 1916. In that year, railroad workers revived the betting through ticket sales at Jimmy Duke's Roadhouse, but limited the betting to Nenana residents. 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.
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. 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.

Ice measurements

The Tanana River at Nenana usually freezes between October and November, reaching an average peak thickness of on April 1. The ice then melts on top due to weather and bottom due to water movement.
Ice measurements from 1989 through 2019.

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

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