What's wintering in Alaska like?

[Jennie@ifish]

I want to alert you guys that Kim Katsion of Clam Gulch Lodge (http://www.clamgulch.com/) is going to be writing an online journal of what life is like, in the winter, in Alaska.
I have really enjoyed it so far, and if you want to experience it also, just go down to the menu and click on Clam Gulch Lodge, then click "Go fish".
It's really interesting, and I find myself wishing she would write daily!
It's a great escape!
Cant wait for the northern lights edition.
Get pictures, Kim!
Jen

[excuse me]

Excuse me, where can I find that menu to find these update stories? My former neighbors moved up to Bethel Alaska a few years ago. My friend worked for one of the Alaskan telecom companies and had to go outside in whatever weather there was to fix broken company equipment. Had to have special clothing and gear to be able to do it. Big pay but I dont think it sounded worth it. His wife would write to us about once a month at first and it was interesting. Then it got very dreary and boring for them and the stories came less often until they moved after a year, with one winter there.

The weather varies quite a bit between the slightly milder but still freezing winter coastal areas to the dryer and colder air of inland Alaska. Very bitter cold and short days with long dark nights there. Sometimes its so cold its dangerous to go outside. Can get to 25 to 50 below zero plus winds! Can freeze your mustache off and burn your lungs! They get cabin fever up there during the winter for sure. The trucks not only need 100% anti-freeze in the radiators and engine block cooling tunnels but most of them have an electric heater with a plug in cord to slowly heat the engine before trying to start it. Other modifications to vehicles also in order to use them during the dead of winter.

They said the most fun they had was driving their frozen truck down to a tavern on Saturday nights to watch guys get drunk and fight. I'd rather hang around down in this neck of the woods.

[excuse me]

I forgot to mention that they did a little bit of ice fishing during the winter. I cant remember on what water but they cut holes in real thick ice and did catch some fish that way. I think some kind of trout but I cant remember for sure.

[skein]

I lived in Alaska for 20+ years, 7 or so in Kenai, just north of Clam Gulch. I had a friend who had a supercub and we'd fly down and land on the highway and taxi in to say hi and have a cup of mud with the regulars. It was where I learned to dig - and clean - razor clams. The best tides are early in the spring and I don't think I've ever been so cold as when I was wet and grimy from digging holes in the beach chasing those vanishing little beasts. Sure makes a hot-buttered rum taste good, though, and you *really* appreciate clams when you've gone through that for 'em!

I'll bet her stories will bring back a memory or two, so I'm looking forward to giving them a read.

Hey, excuse me, your info on Bethel was right on. My mom lived there for 8 years or so - her husband ran the power company there, and while they had a lot of fun hunting and fishing, after so long it got pretty redundent. They live in Baker City now and love it. She used to fly out to see us and say she got off on good behavior.

Skein

[ampersat]

i'm not finding the link. where's "go fish"?

[Kim Katsion]

Hey Jen, it is cold at night here and the dark is coming, what is a girl to do? Buy a snow machine and run the hills that are right out my backyard..... Lots of things to do and I will up date under Clam Gulch Lodge as often as I have time. Tight lines to all and we will see you all at the Portland Outdoor Show in February. Kim

[David Johnson]

This is Tesha, David's wife. I lived in Alaska for 9 years, Anchorage, and my parents in a small native village called Port Graham.

There realy isn't anything more beautiful than an Alaska Winter. It is extreme, and can be the best and worst memory for one who has lived through one.

I worked at a preschool for 6 of the 9 years, and can remember calling 411, the phone number for time and weather. Something I have yet to come accross anywhere else. Before allowing the kids out, we had to be sure the temp was above 0, and than check the airport weather report for wind chill factor.
Every year, there were 5-10 incidences of the young ones getting there tounges stuck to the metal playground equipment, and if they didn't yank it off first, we came with warm water and rescued them :0

Cutthroat is right, we would all plug in our cars at night, or they wouldn't start in the morning when it was below zero. The year we left, it was 40 below without wind chill factor. I miss the huge heavy snowflakes, driving 20 min. out and being in a National Geographic show, watching the Mountain Goats along the road as we drove, and seeing the "Purple Mountain Majesty" we sing about out the back window :smile:
It's very common for people to have plant lights to combat cabin fevor, and studs on tires were not an option. We drove through the fresh snow on the roads when it was a foot deep, and loved it!

One of my favorite memories is the year the moose came into my front porch! We had a covered porch with an open doorway, and three steps leading up into it. Our yard was fenced, but the gate was left open, and my sisters and their friends came home to a moose in the yard. They called me to let me know what was happening (I was in the house) and see if I could scare it away. I yelled and shouted, and than finally banged the broom against the side of the porch. The Moose responded by walking toward me(I was bravely standing just inside the porch entry).
He didn't stop there though, he was curious what this strange "animal" was and began to cautiously step up the stairs until all but his hind legs were in the covered porch!!!!! My sisters were laughing hysterically from their car and I was shaking, watching the monster from inside through the window. After about 5 Min. the moose got bored, wanderd down the walkway and out into the street!
I don't regret a day of my life in Alaska and can't wait to get back to visit.

[fishisabonus]

I was going to say COLD and DARK. But seems like that has been covered. I can't wait to read her stories.

Living in Alaska in the winter is just like everything else in life, it is all in the attitude you have.

[1pump]

I lived in Anchorage for 2+ years and I actually looked forward to winter. No tourists, no mosquitoes, no road construction, and no yard work! And snowmachining every weekend up to Alexander Lake, Bulchitna, or Sucker Lake to ice fish for pike and kokanee. Other than one trip when it was almost -50 degrees, it was always a good time.

[Mojo]

Hey 1 pump, that hardly qualifies as a fish story. You have to post one as a means of intro....

I spent 3 weeks in Anchorage in Jan-Feb of 1988 (I think). It was record cold for the area. Well over 100 below with the windchill factor. It was amazing. Icefog in the morning. Clear cold afternoons, and Northern Lights at 5:00 pm. I saw some really awesome stuff, but I was sure glad to get on the jet.

My Brothers Father-in-law wrote a book called Northern Watch. It is about spending the winter alone in the interior. That is a worthy read! WOW!

[Mojo]

Oh, I forgot to tell you all, The Russians have a saying that translates to basically.....

"There is no bad weather, just bad clothing!"

[fishisabonus]

For you that can't find the link... scroll down, keep going, all the way down to the bottem of this page. Clam Gulch is there, just read the fine print. It is there with all the other cool places I want to go, and people I want to meet, and things I want to buy. :grin:

[Keta]

Rain, rain, and rain :depressed: 168" of rain. Dark at 15:00, light at 09:00.

[TillamookChinook]

My son just started graduate school in Fairbanks. His off-campus housing is a one-room "hut" without indoor plumbing. (No frozen pipes that way.) He had his '73 Ford pickup winterized and a block heater installed. We'll see how he likes it after a while. I noticed in the weather report the other day that it did not get above freezing.

[TillamookChinook]

I forgot to mention that my other son and his bride lived in a treehouse through the winter, not far from Clam Gulch. The tree house was a very artistic single room, about 6' above the ground with a wood stove for heat. They loved it. They took care of a bunch of sled dogs for the owner of the place, who was probably smart enough to live in a more civilized accommodation.