The preliminary team of scientists for the Lake El'gygytgyn Project arrived at the lake via helicopter from Pevek on January 19. They will assist organising the base camp and immediately commence ice road construction prior to positioning the drilling rig. The route of this road must safely navigate the ice cracks and pressure ridges which traverse the lake surface. The present ice thickness varies an average of 1.0 m near the shoreline and 0.9 to 1.1 m near the lake centre.