Warm weather forces early closure of Alaska sled dog camps
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) – An Alaska company has closed its sled dog camps early due to warm weather that has caused poor snow conditions.
The Juneau Empire reported Tuesday that Coastal Helicopters closed the camps due to an unusually small amount of remaining winter snow.
The company says a high rate of snowmelt on the Mendenhall Glacier has made the surface unsafe.
Coastal Helicopters General Manager Mike Wilson says the snowmelt has caused the possibility of crevasses opening.
He says the vertical cracks that open in glaciers can be shallow or deep, but are always a safety concern.
The National Weather Service says readings taken at the Juneau Airport indicate the area has had more than 41 days this year above 70 degrees Fahrenheit, twice the usual number.
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Information from: Juneau (Alaska) Empire, http://www.juneauempire.com