It’s Official!  1:18pm and The Nenana Ice Classic Is Over

The Nenana Ice Classic’s iconic tripod tripped its timer at 1:18 p.m. May 1, ending Interior Alaska’s annual guessing game for this year’s breakup season.

This year’s jackpot is $225,000, according to the Ice Classic website.

People entering the contest try to guess the exact minute the tripod will travel 100 feet downstream in the Tanana River during spring as the ice melts and open water returns. Each guess costs $2.50. If there are multiple winners, the jackpot is divided among them.

The classic runs on Alaska Standard Time, which is one hour behind Alaska Daylight Time. So although the timer pulled at 2:18 p.m., the winning time is 1:18 p.m.