03/17/2026
As winters warm, falling through the ice is becoming more common and deadly, especially in Alaska. Elmer Brown, 45, died of hypothermia after falling through the ice while hunting caribou with friends. His death highlights the growing risks as climate change shortens and destabilizes ice seasons, eroding generations of traditional ice safety knowledge. Indigenous communities in Alaska are facing difficult choices as they struggle to adapt to the changing conditions.
Why it matters
The unpredictable ice season is disrupting traditional hunting practices for Indigenous communities in Alaska, pushing people to take dangerous risks. With average fall temperatures warming by 10°F over the last 50 years, the ice is becoming less reliable and more treacherous, leading to a surge in ice-related drownings across the Northern Hemisphere.
The details
In November, Elmer Brown was following two friends on his four-wheeler, hunting caribou across a frozen channel in northern Alaska, when the ice gave way and all three plunged into the frigid water. One friend drowned, and Brown later died of hypothermia, leaving behind five children. The Brown family has lost several members to ice-related accidents over the years, as warming winters make conditions thinner and less predictable for those who fish, hunt and recreate on frozen lakes, rivers and coastal waters.
In November, Elmer Brown fell through the ice while hunting caribou.
Elmer Brown later died of hypothermia from the incident.