24 feb 12 glen alps

The sun was shining in a blue sky as I shut down my computer late morning on Friday.  I was looking forward to a sunny snowshoe above treeline with Rose and Katey two hours later.  But while the sun was shining on metropolitan Anchorage, the clouds were hovering on the mountains behind us.  We drove up Toilsome Hill Road into those clouds and a snowy world in muted tones.  

Rose and Katey added a bit of color to a black and white scene

18 feb 12 more snow

Paul raking snow from the cabin roof to clear the chimney so we can start a fire after a three-week absence

4 feb 2012 winter heaven

Moose Ridge Trail, Far North Bicentennial Park

Perfect winter weather finally found it's way to south-central Alaska.  The weather this winter seems to swing between hurricane winds and arctic freeze.  The snow has been abundant but so many days and evenings it's been hard for me to motivate to get out into the cold or wind.  At the beginning of last week, the thermometer rose to the teens.  Then by Wednesday it was freezing rain.  Sanity returned with 20s and heavy snowfall all day on Friday.  By the end of the day we had 16" of fluffy white snow at our house and the nearby park.

On Saturday the skies started to clear and we headed to a trail network that we haven't skied yet this year.  It seemed like everyone else did, too.  Any sane Anchorage resident was out enjoying the perfect combination of fresh snow and mid-teens temperatures.  We had never seen so many people skiing here and were surprised at how packed the trail already was.  We were all smiling and friendly.  This is why we live in Alaska.