Alaskan M(oo)sings: Snow, Cold and Other Miscellaneous Winter Stuff

Harsh winter weather is not something one born and raised in Virginia experiences. Experiencing winter in Alaska is all part of the adventure!

Just sharing some things I've noticed, discovered or found interesting this winter. Can you tell I'm easily amused?

1. The apartment complex takes its snow clean up responsibilities seriously. Maintenance staff do a great job keeping the walks and drive cleared. They are out shoveling and plowing as soon as the snow stops. BB and I are extremely grateful for this and very glad that we don't have to do it!

I learned about snow dump areas in the fall when the apartment management staff sent out this message:

Dear Valued Residents,

As we prepare for another Alaskan winter, we would like to remind everyone all snow dump areas have been identified and marked throughout the property. If you or your guests park in these areas the vehicle will be towed at the owner’s expense, plus a 10-day notice to quit for violating.

Wow! Park in a snow dump area and you get evicted!

The snow dump area nearest our apartment:

2, Cars don't like to sit for long periods in the cold. Vehicle owners often use engine warming blankets or engine block heaters to prevent the engine from freezing. Cold temperatures make engine fluids sticky (fancy word is viscous) which can make it more difficult to start the engine. Warming the engine before starting it also prevents wear and tear on the vehicle.

Instead of using engine warming blankets or block heaters we keep our car in a heated garage. Besides keeping the car warm it means we don't have to clear it of snow and ice! The apartments in the complex without a garage have an assigned covered parking space. Each space has an electrical outlet so the vehicle's warming blanket or heater can be plugged in.

We've also noticed that many vehicle owners don't like getting into cold cars. We often notice empty cars with engines running in store parking lots. The cars were started automatically. In Virginia I knew of people who did this at their homes; however here we notice it when we go shopping. I've also heard that people who travel with animals and leave them in the car while shopping will periodically start the car from inside the store to keep the car warm for the animal.

3. Anchorage plows its streets and sidewalks! Well, duh...of course, I knew that the streets would be plowed. What surprised me was that the city cleared sidewalks and groomed trails. Plows (or maybe snowblowers? I'm not sure which), just the right size for a sidewalk, clear the walks. Mostly the snow is pushed or blown to the side and out of the way. This makes for high snow berms (artificial ridges or embankments) beside the roads and walks. BB and I were driving down a main road a week or two ago and noticed a man, presumably riding his bike, on the sidewalk. What we could see of him was from the waist up moving swiftly down the walk. The berm was probably four feet high.

If a pile of snow becomes hazardous, it is carted away to the city's snow dump. Otherwise, the snow remains until it melts in the spring.

Snow is loaded in a dump truck and taken to the city's snow dump:

Many trails connect Anchorage's parks and green spaces. These trails are packed instead of plowed. Packing the snow makes for easier walking and keeps the trails available for skiers. We see all types of skiers...cross country skiers, skiers being pulled along by their dogs, skiers pushing baby carriages with skis instead of wheels. The trails are packed by snow mobiles pulling special equipment.

Saw city workers packing the Coastal Trail at Westchester Lagoon:

The city also grooms the frozen lakes. I haven't seen it done; however, I am told that the snow is swept off the ice and then a thin layer of water is sprayed and spread smoothly over the ice. This makes for great skating. Westchester Lagoon is now a skating rink. One area is set up for ice hockey. Other areas for pleasure skating. Skaters can warm up by the fires in the warming barrels. Skaters of all ages and abilities enjoy skating on the lake. Beginners use a chair for balance!

Skaters at Westchester Lagoon:

4, Fleece Lined Jeans. My new best friend when temps drop below freezing! They are warm and comfortable. My favorite is the Carhartt Fleece Lined Pant. I have two pairs, one black and one coal, purchased at Big Rays our favorite Anchorage outdoor store.

5. Sunrise/Sunset. There is more opportunity to enjoy a beautiful sunrise when it occurs at 10:07am instead of 5:29am. Same can be said for a sunset that occurs at 4:04pm instead of 10:58pm. BB and I try to get to the YMCA twice a week for morning classes. After my class I often go to the fitness center to walk on the treadmill. The east facing wall is all windows that frame a view of the Chugach Mountain Range. This winter when I work out in the Fitness Center I get to watch the sunrise!

The view from the Y's Fitness Center. I didn't catch the colorful sunrise, but the morning light shines behind the mountains.

Watching the sunset at Point Woronzof.

Watching the sunset from our apartment's balcony.

6. Cold temperatures. Turns out I can tell the difference between 25 degrees Fahrenheit and minus 13 degrees. Ears and nose get colder a lot faster at minus 13!

You don't feel the cold if you know how to dress for it! Lots of layers, plus hat, scarf and mittens!

7. Learn to play in the cold! Don't stay home just because it is cold and dark!

We take walks. I particularly enjoy walking around University Lake (this is where the dog park is), the Coastal Trail by Westchester Lagoon and Lyn Ary Park, and Cheney Lake.

Part of this walk was on a plowed sidewalk. The berm is high enough for us to lean against!