To this day, one-third of Alaska’s population lives in villages that are not connected to the Lower 48 by road. The bulk of their goods come up Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers by barge during the 120 ice-free days a year. After that, if you want it, it has to be flown in. This is how it used to be delivered. Today, there are only two differences: 1) the cargo is inside and 2) the pilot does not have to peer over the shipment to see where he/she is going.