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Link: KYUK via National Public Radio The Kuskokwim River in winter is supposed to be an ice highway to Bethel from nearby villages. This holiday season, with villagers eager to shop for gifts in the Southwest Alaska hub city, a warm front blew in and left the ice treacherous, covered with overflow ponds big enough to swallow a snowmachine. Peter Atchak of the local search-and-rescue team adised villagers not to risk the trip, but he knew many couldn't resist. "They tend to put safety behind them. Their priority is they want to get that nice gift for their loved one," Atchak said. Several have made emergency calls for help.