The Kuskokwim River in Alaska is not yet frozen enough for safe travel, according to Mark Leary of Bethel Search and Rescue. While ice is forming better than two years ago, it is not freezing as fast or as well as last winter. Open water remains near each of the tundra villages, and there are some stretches of rough ice on the Johnson River. Straight Slough is further along in freezing than last year, but one often-used section may be a bad spot for most of the winter. Kuksokuak Slough is also too dangerous to use. Despite this, people are still fishing on the ice near their villages.