Tibbitt to Contwoyto Winter Road — Yellowknife to Ekati Diamond Mine via the Arctic Ice Road
400 km of frozen lake. No road. No margin.
Every winter, crews from Nuna Logistics spend six weeks building the Tibbitt to Contwoyto Winter Road across 400 kilometres of frozen lakes and portages north of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories — the only surface link to four active diamond mines including the Ekati and Diavik operations. The road typically opens in late January and runs through March; at its peak it carries 10,000 truck loads of fuel and supplies that would be impossible to deliver any other way. About 85 percent of the route runs directly on lake ice, some of it over water 50 metres deep. The sensation of driving over clear ice — watching pressure cracks propagate ahead of you, hearing the groans and booms of a frozen lake under load — is something no asphalt road gives you. Lac de Gras, about 300 km north of Yellowknife, is where the road passes within sight of both Ekati and Diavik.
This is a restricted industrial haul road, not a recreational route — public access requires a permit from Nuna Logistics and commercial trucks have absolute right of way. Speed limits are strictly enforced (max 25 km/h on ice), and convoys must maintain intervals to prevent resonance cracking of the ice surface. Independent overlanders who do gain access need a cold-weather prepared vehicle, survival gear, satellite comms, and enough sense to turn around if conditions deteriorate. What it delivers: the most surreal driving experience in the northern hemisphere, on a road that disappears every spring.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Expert |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | Backcountry, Overland Route |
| Surface | Mixed |
| Features | Historic, Remote, Scenic |
| Length (miles) | 248 mi / 400 km |
| Duration | 2-3 days |
| Max elevation (ft) | 1640 ft |
| Best season | Late January-March |
| Minimum vehicle | 4WD cold-weather equipped, survival kit mandatory |
| Nearest town | Yellowknife, Northwest Territories |
| Land manager | Nuna Logistics Ltd. / GNWT Department of Infrastructure |
| Permit required | Yes |
| Cell service | None |
| Water crossings | No |
| Dispersed camping | No |
| Official sources | Nuna Logistics Ice Road Info GNWT Winter Roads |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
| Copy both for Google Maps directionsClick to copy the directions URL · or open it directly in a new tab | |
| Find on Google | Search on Google → |
Location
Trail Conditions
No recent condition reports. Be the first to post one.
Log in to post a condition report.
Frequently asked questions
Can a stock 4x4 truck run this road, or is it strictly for commercial rigs?
Private vehicles are not permitted on the Tibbitt to Contwoyto Winter Road — it operates as a commercial industrial haul road managed by Nuna Logistics. Access is restricted to authorized mining and supply vehicles only; this is not a public recreational route.
When exactly does the ice road open and close each year?
The road typically opens in late January once ice thickness reaches safe load-bearing minimums (usually 42 inches or more on the lakes) and closes in late March as spring temperatures compromise the ice. Exact dates shift year to year depending on the winter — some seasons it never fully opens due to thin ice.
Do you need a permit, and who issues access for authorized vehicles?
Yes. Access is controlled by Nuna Logistics Ltd. in coordination with the GNWT Department of Infrastructure. All vehicles must be pre-authorized, meet weight and safety standards, and carry mandatory survival gear — there is no walk-up or recreational permit process.
What's the most dangerous section and what makes it sketchy?
The open-lake crossings north of Yellowknife are the critical sections — you're driving on frozen lake surface for the majority of the 400 km, and pressure cracks, overflow water, and varying ice thickness are constant hazards. Convoy rules, speed limits (to avoid resonance waves under the ice), and mandatory check-ins exist for a reason; blow past them and you risk dropping a truck through the ice in one of the most remote places on the continent.
Is there any fuel, shelter, or rescue infrastructure along the route if something goes wrong?
There are a small number of fuel and staging stops operated for commercial haul traffic, but no public services and zero cell coverage for the entire 400 km. If you're authorized to be on this road, you must carry cold-weather survival gear, emergency communication (satellite communicator minimum), and enough fuel to self-rescue — the nearest help can be hours away by air in -40°C conditions.
Trail track
No GPX track for this trail yet. If you've driven it and have a track, contribute below.
Log in to contribute a GPX track.