by Xavier Kataquapit
www.underthenorthernsky.com
Winter road season has finally started again on the James Bay coast. This seasonal ice road is an important transportation route for everyone because it offers a sense of freedom, allowing people to travel away from their home communities for all kinds of activities. This is the time of year when major bingo events take place in the communities and families from nearby First Nations can travel to visit their relatives. There are also major hockey tournaments that bring people together to take part in fun and exciting events.
The winter ice road is also an opportunity for many families to access southern communities and the railway network in Moosonee to gather food items, household goods and other necessities at a more affordable price. This is also the time for individuals to search for their next major vehicle, snowmachines, ATVs or other large equipment down south, so they can more easily and affordably transport them north.
This seasonal road is the only overland route for transporting heavy items back to northern communities. The only other way to bring anything to the community is by air which is prohibitively expensive for heavy items. There is also the seasonal barge that travels from Moosonee over the waters of James Bay but that is an expensive option and it takes a great deal of time and effort to organize.
Originally, the winter ice road connected the communities of Moosonee and the First Nations of Fort Albany, Kashechewan and Attawapiskat but over the past decade, a newer southern section of the ice road now connects these northern communities to the Ontario highway system. The route between Moosonee and Attawapiskat is known as the James Bay Winter Road and it is managed by the Kimesskanemenow Limited Partnership, a limited partnership between the First Nations of Attawapiskat, Fort Albany, Kashechewan and Moose Cree. Kimesskanemenow is a James Bay Cree word that translates as ‘our road’.
The newer southern 170 km winter ice route between Moosonee and Otter Rapids is known as Wetum Road. At Otter Rapids, a 48 km all-season road connects to Highway 634 at Fraserdale and 78 km further south, this connects to Highway 11 at Smooth Rock Falls. The word ‘Wetum’ was created using the names of two Moose Cree FN Council members who were instrumental in the continued development of the seasonal road. ‘We’ is taken from Councillor Peter Wesley’s last name and ‘Tum’ is for Councillor Robert Echum, who was called Bobby Tum in his younger days. ‘Wetum’ is also translated to Cree as ‘we told them’, which the original road project leaders explained is a phrase they used to tell everyone that the road was being developed.
For more information and updates on these ice road systems, go to the James Bay Winter Road website at winterroadcompany.ca or follow their Facebook page at ‘Kimesskanemenow Limited Partnership’ for more information. Information for the Wetum Road can be found by following the Moose Cree FN website at www.moosecree.com or by following their Facebook page at ‘Moose Cree First Nation’.
Individuals who want to use these roads should be fully aware of the dangers involved. These are unstable ice and snow-packed road surfaces that can change from day to day. Not only does solid ice pose a slippery driving hazard but there is also the constant danger of newly formed holes and rough terrain. At the northern James Bay river crossings, daily tides can affect ice landings along the shoreline and leave giant ridges of ice that change from day to day. Travellers also have to be mindful of cold northern weather, which can bring winter storms that can overwhelm the road system and it could take road crews days to clear the path again.
Driving on the winter ice road should not be taken lightly, as it places individuals and their families in risky situations that could leave them stranded in the middle of nowhere. Going on the winter ice road is not like driving down a modern all-season highway. There are no services, gas stops or service stations along the route.
Although there may be regular traffic on the road, there is always the risk of being stranded without a running vehicle on your own for many hours. It is even more dangerous when you become stranded for many hours during extreme weather events.
For these reasons, everyone who goes onto these ice roads should prepare themselves and their families to be out on the land on their own. Everyone should carry cold-weather gear and be prepared to stay warm with emergency equipment or be able to build a campfire. It is not recommended for inexperienced individuals to go out on the road by themselves. Instead, individuals should do their best to travel on this road with experienced travellers who have used the road before.
Go to the Moose Cree FN and Kimesskanemenow websites and social media pages for a full list of tips, recommendations and instructions that drivers and passengers should consider before heading out on these winter ice roads.
As great as these seasonal ice roads can be for northern residents from our remote communities, as well as southern travellers who want to venture north, these routes should be used with caution and awareness of the dangers. I hope everyone has a safe and prosperous run of the winter ice roads this year.
www.underthenorthernsky.com
