Winter in Anchorage

Anchorage is for lovers of winter. It comes early to the peaks outside town—snow capping the 7,000 footers in late August. September brings ice and mixed climbing to the peaks and everyone bolts studded tires to their vehicles starting the 15th. Folks head up to the local, smooth glaciers in October for skiing. With November comes ice skating on local rivers, lakes, sloughs, and wetlands. The Nordic skating community here is remarkable: they take their long-bladed skates to link-up lakes and creeks at seven miles per hour.

September 29 at 7,700 ft.

Climate change is warming Alaska at more than twice the rate in the States. The average winter temperature across the Alaska has increased by six degrees since pre-industrial times.

Five hours of direct sun in December make one appreciate the many hours of twilight on either side and make good use of the 100 some miles of groomed cross-country ski trails in town, many of which are lit. December is also a great month for staying indoors: reading, cooking, sleeping, dinner parties, getting cozy.

Many people make some type of escape to a warmer, sunnier land, which is made easier by Alaska Airlines. Almost every resident is a member of their Club 49 (two free checked bags to and from the States) and has their air miles credit card, and the airline runs weekly deals to warm places for $300 roundtrip. Stepping off a plane onto ice-free streets is a glorious feeling!

Skiing across the west branch of the Eklutna glacier, which supplies drinking water for Anchorage.

Dave, happy to be here.

Icicle glacier, 20 miles from Anchorage, beneath Mt. Yukla's 4,000 ft north face.

Two Decembers ago I did a Darkest Days Traverse, a solo ridge romp around the winter solstice that ended prematurely after one stormy night spent in a bivy sack in a poorly constructed snow cave. I learned that it’s more fun to utilize the alpine hut system during the darkest days, and won’t be doing anymore December solo bivy sack missions.

Lots folks have headlamps with external battery packs for keeping them warm inside jackets.

Sometime this December the sun poked over the peaks and hit my office building at 11:11 AM.

The light is remarkable during the darkest days. It’s the equivalent of sunrise and sunset, all day long. So peaceful. So quiet. So gorgeous. Get outside for a ski or a walk, and then get cozy.

January flies by, with lots of cozy, and increasing excitement surrounding the lengthening days.

Greg Briagel, Huts Chairman for the Mountaineering Club of Alaska, tells me usage in their huts (seven simple, no heat, free-for-members ($25/year), perched in high alpine locations) is greatest between February and early May. This year early February I did a 6-day hut trip with plenty of light for sufficiently big headlamp-free days.

Insignificant peak

Skiing at Turnagain Pass

March is unequivocally the best month. It’s the driest, you can go backcountry skiing after work, and there are 12 hours of direct sun. This year we’ve had a stellar high-pressure system: every single day has been sunny!!

March is also the month when energy geeks rejoice, for all of the solar PV arrays are overproducing due to albedo from the snow and the cold temperatures (PV panels are more efficient in colder temperatures).

Experienced skiers call Anchorage the best city in the world. Nowhere else can you be you an hour away from both maritime and inland snowpacks. The maritime area gets 17 feet of snow and almost the same amount of rain each year! I’ve only sampled the skiing and the terrain and vistas have been jaw-dropping.

The April sun breaks up all the ice, often six inches or more, in the neighborhood streets. This year, the sun will set after 9:00 PM on April 7. Studded tires are required to come off by April 15. And that’s a wrap.

An ice and mixed route with Anchorage and Denali in the distance.

Biking on Eklutna lake.