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23-472: Ice Alaska put on its first ice art championship in 1991; it featured 16 sculpting teams and lasted a week. Today the event begins mid February and, weather permitting, lasts until the end of March, featuring the art and skill of as many as 75 teams from around the world. Locations: Through 2011, the ice festival took place on a 20-acre (8.1 ha) site across the Chena River from Pioneer Park , which

46-616: A larger number of soft rays in these fins. There is a dark midlateral band between the pectoral and pelvic fins, and the flanks may possess a pink iridescence . T. a. arcticus has been recorded as reaching an age of 18 years. Arctic grayling are widespread in Arctic Ocean drainages from Hudson Bay , Canada to Alaska and in Arctic and Pacific drainages to central Alberta and British Columbia in Canada. They do not occur naturally in

69-532: A sculpture. The Multi-Block Classic is open to 15 Teams (4 Artists with 9 Blocks of Ice) Each Team is provided 9 blocks of ice 6’x4’x3’ (roughly 15,490 lbs) and 132 hours to create a sculpture. This competition is held during the week of School Spring Break, usually the second week of March. Is open to ~5 to 15 teams. A Team is defined as 1 or 2 Carvers. Available to students in grades 8th thru 12th 2’ x 3’ x 2-3’ block of ice. The Youth Carvers have an opportunity to be mentored by Master Carvers who volunteer with

92-532: A wide variety of float trips possible. Most of the river is rated Class I (easy) on the International Scale of River Difficulty ; however, the upper reaches along the North Fork near Chena Hot Springs are "extremely swift" with few safe eddies and are rated Class II (medium). High water increases these difficulty ratings. Dangers on the North Fork include a much narrower channel than that of

115-450: A youth event, and an amateur exhibition. abstract and realistic categories. The Single Block Classic is open to 30 contestants. (One Artist and One Block of Ice) Each Artist is provided one block of Ice 6’x4’x3’ (roughly 1,720 lbs) and 48 hours to create a sculpture. The Double Block Classic is open to 25 Teams (2 Artists and 2 Blocks of Ice) Each Team is provided two blocks of Ice 6’x4’x3’ (roughly 3,440 lbs) and 72 hours to create

138-673: Is not listed on the IUCN Red List of threatened species. The fluvial population in the upper Missouri river basin once merited a high priority for listing under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) by the US Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS). This unique southernmost population is now extirpated from all areas of the basin with the exception of the Big Hole River watershed. In preparation for an ESA listing,

161-818: Is widespread throughout the Arctic and Pacific drainages in Canada , Alaska , and Siberia , as well as the upper Missouri River drainage in Montana . In the U.S. state of Arizona , an introduced population is found in the Lee Valley and other lakes in the White Mountains . They were also stocked at Toppings Lake by the Teton Range and in lakes in the high Uinta Mountains in Utah, as well as alpine lakes of

184-521: The Boulder Mountains (Idaho) in central Idaho . The scientific name of the Arctic grayling is Thymallus arcticus . It was named in 1776 by German zoologist Peter Simon Pallas from specimens collected in Russia. The name of the genus Thymallus first given to grayling ( T. thymallus ) described in the 1758 edition of Systema Naturae by Swedish zoologist Carl Linnaeus originates from

207-678: The Fraser and Columbia river basins . There are remnant native populations of fluvial Arctic grayling in the upper Missouri River drainage in the Big Hole River and Red Rock basin (" Montana Arctic grayling "). Fluvial Arctic grayling have been reestablished in the upper Ruby River , a tributary of the Beaverhead River . The native range formerly extended south into the Great Lakes basin in Michigan . They occur naturally in

230-591: The White Mountains to the Tanana River near the city of Fairbanks , which is built on both sides of the river. The Tanana empties into the 2,300-mile (3,700 km) long Yukon River . Named tributaries of the Chena River include the North Fork, South Fork, West Fork, Middle (East) Fork and the Little Chena River. The Chena River State Recreation Area surrounds much of the upper half of

253-428: The main stem . The Chena River is used for recreational fishing and boating. During the winter months, it is also traveled by snowmachines and mushers (sled dogs). The Chena River Lakes Flood Control Project dam is about 40 miles (64 km) up the Chena River from Fairbanks . The dam was built in response to the 1967 Fairbanks flood , which inundated much of the city. When closed, the dam impounds water and, when

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276-1208: The Arctic Ocean basin in Siberia from the Ob to Yenisei drainages and in European Russia in some tributaries of Pechora river . Lake dwelling forms of Arctic grayling have been introduced in suitable lake habitats throughout the Rocky Mountains including lakes in the Teton Range in Wyoming, central Idaho and the high Uinta Mountains in Utah, Cascade Mountains and Sierra Nevada Mountains as far south as Arizona . Several life history forms of Arctic grayling occur: fluvial populations that live and spawn in rivers; lacustrine populations that live and spawn in lakes; and potamodromous populations that live in lakes and spawn in tributary streams. The Arctic grayling occurs primarily in cold waters of mid-sized to large rivers and lakes, returning to rocky streams to breed. The various subspecies are omnivorous. Crustaceans , insects and insect larvae , and fish eggs form

299-583: The Chena is the most popular sport-fishing river in interior Alaska. Overfishing for grayling reduced their number in the Chena to "dangerous levels" by the mid-1980s. In the 21st century, sport fishing for grayling, which grow in length to 18 inches (46 cm) in the upper river, is limited to catch and release . Easy access to the river from Chena Hot Springs Road, the Chena River Recreation Area, four bridges, and elsewhere make

322-519: The Tanana Valley State Fairgrounds. Ice Alaska has negotiated with a new property owner to harvest ice blocks and transport them to the new venue; the ice is so clear it is referred to as "arctic diamond". In addition to sculptures on view, the event features a Kids Park sculpted out of ice, including ice slides, an ice maze, an ice rink, and spinning cups. The championship is divided into three professional competitions,

345-557: The US FWS began implementing a "Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances" (CCAA). This agreement protects cooperating landowners from being prosecuted under the ESA "takings" clause so long as they fulfill specific obligations, spelled out in a contractual arrangement and intended to restore the dwindling population. Finally, in 2014 the FWS determined not to list the grayling under ESA, due to

368-502: The event to encourage the next generation of artisans. 64°50′51″N 147°48′22″W  /  64.84750°N 147.80611°W  / 64.84750; -147.80611 Chena River The Chena River ( / ˈ tʃ iː n ə / ; Tanana Athabascan : Ch'eno' "river of something (game)") is a 100-mile (160 km) tributary of the Tanana River in the Interior region of the U.S. state of Alaska . It flows generally west from

391-403: The faint smell of the herb thyme , which emanates from the flesh. Arctic grayling grow to a maximum recorded length of 76 cm (30 in) and a maximum recorded weight of 3.8 kg (8.4 lb). Of typical thymalline appearance, the Arctic grayling is distinguished from the similar European grayling ( T. thymallus ) by the absence of dorsal and anal spines and by the presence of

414-498: The inflow is high enough, diverts it about 8 miles (13 km) to the Tanana River near North Pole , upstream of Fairbanks and the natural mouth of the Chena. The Chena River supports populations of many fish species, including Arctic grayling , burbot , chum salmon , humpback whitefish , king salmon , least cisco , longnose suckers , northern pike , round whitefish , and sheefish . Easily accessible from Fairbanks,

437-439: The main stem, possible logjams, overhanging vegetation, and shallows, any of which may require a portage . Dangers below that include possible overhangs, logjams, and channel braiding. In the early season (June), boaters may encounter ice jams anywhere along the river. Arctic grayling The Arctic grayling ( Thymallus arcticus ) is a species of freshwater fish in the salmon family Salmonidae . T. arcticus

460-412: The most important food items. Larger specimens of T. arcticus become piscivorous and the immature fish feed on zooplankton and insect larvae. Spawning takes place in the spring. Adult fish seek shallow areas of rivers with fine, sand substrate and moderate current. Males are territorial and court females by flashing their colourful dorsal fins; the fins are also used to brace receptive females during

483-808: The organizers leased from the Alaska Railroad . In 2012 the event moved to a new location, the George Horner Ice Art Park. In 2017, after a fire destroyed their main lodge, the Ice Alaska organization restructured to protect the future of the event. Then, in 2018 they reached an agreement with the Tanana Valley State Fair Association and moved the World Ice Art Championships, along with the associated Ice Alaska Ice Park, to

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506-449: The substrate until all the yolk has been absorbed. They emerge at a length of around 12 to 18 mm (0.5 to 0.7 in), at which time they form shoals at the river margins. The juveniles grow quickly during their first two years of life. Arctic grayling are considered a secure species throughout their range. Although some populations at the southern extent of its native range have been extirpated, it remains widespread elsewhere and

529-430: The vibratory release of milt and roe . The fish are nonguarders: the eggs are left to mix with the substrate. Although the Arctic grayling does not excavate a nest, the highly energetic courtship and mating tends to kick up fine material which covers the zygotes . The zygote is small (approximately 3 mm or 0.1 in in diameter) and the embryo will hatch after two to three weeks. The newly hatched embryo remains in

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