It was a tad cold this week....

Yep - it's been cold this week. Today it actually warmed up to 25 and I was very glad to see it. Monday had -15 for the low and with a high of -6. It was a beautiful sunny day though and we went south to Seward. I forget how fantastic the drive is until I make the journey each time. The mountains are so majestic and crisp. The snow appears so very white (even with the snow machine tracks running half way up the mountains). Sadly, I am unable to accurately describe the beauty of the area. You should come see it!

So much for waxing poetically…on the drive down we stopped at Alyeska taking time to ride the tram to the almost top of the mountain checking out the scenery. Due to the cold temperatures, the windows in the tram were iced over but the view from the top is spectacular. I was very surprised at the number of people still skiing and snow boarding in these temperatures as the top of the mountain was significantly cooler than the bottom. Luckily there is a café and you can sit inside and warm up between running outside to look at different valleys and views or skiing down the mountain. I'm guessing a max of one run down the mountain before a trip indoors to warm up was required.

Back on the road going toward Seward, the lowest temperature we recorded in the SUV was -20. By the time we reached Seward it had warmed up to 10 degrees. Not bad except for the 30 mph wind blowing through. Walking from the car to the restaurant was extremely cold and required several cups of hot coffee to get the insides warmed up. Squirt went with us (not in the restaurant) but had to stay in the car. He spent a lot of time warming the car up for us (thank goodness for autostart :))

Tuesday we went up the mountains behind our house to Glen Alps to check out the view of Anchorage (remember - we had company). Once again it was sunny and clear and Denail was visible (highly unusual). I think it was about -15 when we got there. I had every inch of skin covered from head to foot with something and didn't stay out long. In fact, if it hadn't been snowy and icy underfoot, I would have run back and forth to the car. I am glad it was a short hike. (I am pretty sure I will be a 20 degree or warmer skier…)

Continuing in the tourist vein, we then went to a couple of local museums. While viewing the exhibits, I am continually amazed at what people (both natives and immigrants) accomplished with the tools and resources they had in various places. One section was about pioneers who first came to Anchorage to help build the Alaska Railroad among other things. (Whatever possessed them to come here and live in those conditions? Wait - people ask me that today...guess some things don't change?) Sometimes it would take a year to get a letter to or from someone in the lower 48. There were pictures of people living in tents - nice in the summer (except for mosquitoes) but ugly in the winter. The baskets and the beadwork is spectacular. Even the clothing difference from the natives that lived in the Aleutians versus the natives living farther north was apparent. Absolutely fascinating! I must say I am thankful for the natives and pioneers who lived here in the past. It might not be as nice now if it wasn't for them!