9 November 2008 Winter Access

Paul lands ably from a triple lutz at Potter Marsh

One of the great things about winter in Alaska* is the ability to go almost anywhere. There's a lot of wetness in Alaska. In the winter, most of it freezes, so lakes, wetlands, and streams become paths to new places. Last weekend, we skated at Potter Marsh on the south end of Anchorage. This mile-long marsh hosts ducks, geese, and gulls in the summer. In the winter, it's a series of ice pools in a maze of grass and shrubs. Yesterday we skated at Lake 5 near our Talkeetna cabin. Eagle, fox, and vole tracks criss-crossed the light snow cover of the lake. The ice provides new hunting grounds for them. Today we hiked through the wetlands between two ponds to reach the Bartlett Hills.

Alaska becomes even bigger in the winter.

*Other great things about winter in Alaska:

~ amazingly long sunrises and sunsets (i.e. alpenglow all day)

~ stars and northern lights

~ skiing, snowshoeing, skating, biking

~ Christmas lights for 6 months

~ clear skies

~ no bears to avoid

~ no mosquitos