Ice goes out on Tanana River ending Nenana Ice Classic

ANCHORAGE — The ice has gone out on the Tanana River, marking an end to the Nenana Ice Classic.

The guessing game ended Saturday at 3:39 p.m. Alaska Standard Time.

The game dates back to 1917, the first attempt for people to predict when winter ice would break up on the Tanana River in Nenana. People now pay $2.50 per ticket to guess the correct time the river pushes the wooden tripod downstream and stops a connected clock on shore.

This year’s jackpot is $300,000. Anyone who correctly guessed the moment the ice would move will split the pot.

Last year, 28 winners split a $330,000 jackpot.

April 20 is the earliest the tripod has moved. May 20 is the latest date.

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