DAWSON CITY – After a false alarm on Friday, the Yukon River finally shifted the tripod out on the ice far enough to stop the clock attached by cable to the Dänojà Zho Cultural Centre.

This established the official break-up time at 11:15 Saturday morning.

The river was flowing free soon after, but with water levels low enough that a lot of small chunks of ice were littered along the banks stretching on down past Moosehide.

This confirmed the wisdom of the IODE in halting ticket sales on the ice pool 10 days earlier than the traditional April 25 deadline.

Like everything else related to the Yukon River this spring in the Klondike, this event is about 10 days ahead of what would be considered normal.

Last , the river broke on May 4 and the year before on May 2.

The earliest previously recorded date was April 28, back in 1940, so this is clearly a new record.

The winner of this year’s ice pool is a local man, Brian Stethem, who will take home a pot of $4,340.

Friday’s false alarm was the result of the river shifting enough to knock the tripod over on its side.

Dawson resident Joyce Caley was notified of this and made her way down to the cultural centre with a companion.

That person climbed the ladder and pried the cover off the clock, only to discover it was still ticking. The cable had not been pulled free to stop it.

The breakup ice pool is the major fundraiser for the IODE, which uses the money it raises for scholarships and other charitable works.