On May 18, Bethel’s tripod fell as the river thawed to a breaking point. On May 20, Bethel residents met on the riverfront to celebrate the annual breakup bash. There was sunshine, hotdogs, a long line for shaved ice, and chunks of ice flowing down the Kuskokwim. Some were like crystals, flat and glassy, others were like mounds of snow or mud; some were like smooth rocks.