Alaska Winter

Although it's certainly not my favorite time of the year, Winter in Alaska does have it's rewards; snow covered mountains, skiing, dog sled races, and a spectacular view of the northern lights. Probably the worst part of the winters in Anchorage is not the severity, but the length. Our first measurable snowfall normally occurs around the middle of October, and the long hours of darkness definitely requires some adjustment. In December sunrise doesn't occur until just before 11:00 o'clock, and it sets again just after 3:00 in the afternoon. I've found the best way to deal with the Alaskan Winters is to make the best of it, and to just get out and enjoy it. There are always lots of activities going on throughout the winter to help pass the time. In February, Anchorage hosts the annual Fur Rendezvous Festival. This 10-day schedule of winter activities includes a carnival, the world championship dog sled races, snow sculpture competition, a snow shoe softball tournament and much more. Then on the first weekend in March, it's the start of the Iditarod dogsled race, which begins on 4th Avenue in downtown Anchorage. The Iditarod is a sure sign that winter is drawing to a close, because by the end of this 1100-mile race to Nome the days are beginning to get longer and the snow starts to disappear. Even though I absolutely love the summers up here, I know I would certainly miss the winters. I will be adding a link to this page soon where you can see pictures that I've taken in Alaska in the Winter time.