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A January Thaw in Alaska

Started by dedgren, January 30, 2007, 04:36:35 PM

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dedgren

These are pics of part of my weekday commute during a January thaw in Alaska.

I'm experimenting here.  I've always included OT pics in the flow of my MD, Three Rivers Region, both here and when it was 3RR-ST.  Rather than do that with these, and since my friend Vandy has so graciously set up this little corner of the forums, I'm putting them here.  Let me know what you think- if you'd rather I just carry on as before, I certainly can.  On the other hand, I don't want 3RR to lose focus, even if it is an otherwise interesting reason that such would happen.

Without further ado, then, here's a few pics of our annual reprieve from Old Man Winter in Alaska.



Most every year 'round about January we have a warm spell in Alaska, with temperatures sometimes reaching up into the 40s (F- a few degrees above zero centigrade).  This year has been no exception.

#1


What makes this so remarkable is that a week or so ago it was doing this.

#2


I commute about 40 miles/64 kilometers from my home to my office in Anchorage most days, and many days I take my youngest adoptive son to school, as well.  That's about 100 miles/160 kilometers total.

...bet you were wondering up 'til now where I find all that time to write 3RR updates...


A bit of that driving is on the two-lane roads out in the Matanuska-Susitna valley[linkie] where I, along with about 20,000 other commuters who head into Anchorage, have my home.  These pics are intended to give you a taste of what I saw this morning, driving around in the slush and spray.

This is looking east toward Pioneer Peak and Lazy Mountain.  The small town of Palmer is at the base of these mountains.

#3


The sun, this time of year, comes up just about 9:00 in the morning AST (GMT-9).

Here's the Chugach Mountains off to the south.

#4


Although one of Alaska's lesser ranges, they can be pretty imposing as they rise straight up from sea level.

#5


More Chugach Peaks- these are about 3,500 feet/1,000 meters or so high.

#6


A closer view.

#7


Mount Eklutna, a particularly striking Chugach peak.

#8


A panoramic view.  Note the wet roads and puddles.  Tomorrow, it could be 50 degrees F/80 degrees C colder.

#9


One last of the Chugach, as we call it locally.  Two hours before that wet part of the road was probably black ice- a real problem up here.

#10


A busy corner.

#11


A place to buy gas.  It also, in case I've forgotten what state I live in, gives a helpful reminder.  My vague recollection of the Italian I learned many years ago has me recalling that "tesoro" is an idiomatic term of endearment.  Well, I love Alaska, so it fits.

#12


Another place to buy gas.  This looks like one 'a them art house pics.

#13


Not much going on here this time of year.

#14


Probably pretty quiet in there, too.

#15


Believe it or not, we have Interstate Highways [linkie] in Alaska even though we're not contiguous to any other state.  Another oddity is that they're "secret" Interstates, in that they bear state highway numbers.  Here's a nearby entrance to one.

#16


Another entrance, just a short way from my home.

#17


I just get on the Parks and let it roll.

#18


Thanks for looking at these.


David
D. Edgren

Please call me David...

Three Rivers Region- A collaborative development of the SC4 community
The 3RR Quick Finder [linkie]


I aten't dead.  —  R.I.P. Granny Weatherwax

Skype: davidredgren

Menotyou

Beautiful pictures, David!
If I can call you that...

Frankie

Nice pics  ;D LOL, someone graffited LOL onto that bridge pic near the bottom :P must be great living somewhere that it actually does snow  ;D

goin2chicago

yeah frankie, they probably don't have gangs in alaska so they put instant messanging acronyms on the walls. lol. awesome pictures, they're very beautiful.

Rayden


beskhu3epnm

Pretty neat, your entourage has followed you over here!

I always appreciated the unique photos you present as part of your MD/CJ. The thing is, you can't do this many with this level of detail without deviating too much from the MD/CJ. I think if you have a showcase of photos, then this is the place, whereas if you have a shot or two to share (relating to a theme in the MD/CJ) then the MD is the place for it... Make sense? Oh well, just my opinion...

I've made a map of Anchorage before, but it is incredibly huge... there is actually a lot of flat land, surrounded by some wild mountains. It looks fabulous, but like I said, to large to even upload.... The mountains are deadly accurate, as USGS supplies 10m DEM data for the region (the most accurate available). I've compared them to photos before with some surprising results.

Too bad you already use one of the greatest maps....



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oyd

wow.... beautiful scenery..... 
hope u r going to post more pictures...:thumbsup:
"Dear Prudence wont you come out and play..."

CabraBuitre

I've always loved pictures of Alaska!

Can't wait to see what els you've got to show us!

Check out Abelfarei!

Vandy

Hi, David and welcome to Memories Frozen In Time.

It is so very good to see that you, too, have opened a thread here in The Artists Place.  I am very glad you've come to join us.

Your first post is a real WOWSER!  Your pictures are just ACHINGLY beautiful.

Very interesting snowman.  I'm assuming it's made of snow?  Do you know how it was rolled in such nice flat cylinders?

I'm not surprises it warms up a bit in the winter.  When I lived in Denver, there were many times during the winter when the temperature would reach the 60s -- sometimes with snow still on the ground.  It certainly made for interesting winters.

I'm  S - O - O  jealous of your mountains.  They are just gorgeous.  Out here in North Carolina, there are "tall" hills but certainly not mountains -- at least not here in the Piedmont Plateau region of the state.  We do have Grandfather Mountain out in the western part of the state.  At 5,964 feet, it is the highest mountain east of the Mississippi river.

Thanks for the tour around your "neck of the woods".  It is always nice to be able to see what life is like where others live.

I certainly look forward to more pictures.

Regards,

Vandy


In the end you will see, you is you and me is me.  © May 29, 1980

meldolion

Wonderful pictures!! Thanks David! I'd really like to visit your country especially in winter... sooooo muchh snow :D

jacqulina


sam

Very nice pictures David. You live in a beautiful area, but I don't think I would like to be driving 160 km every day in those conditions (I've only ever seen snow once in my life, let alone driven on icy roads).

I love the mountains they are amazing.  :thumbsup:

M4346

Beautiful!  #stsfd· I've never seen snow in real life, or touched it, or felt its effects... one of the downsides of Sunny South Africa I guess. But snow on the roads here would result in utter, armageddon-style chaos! :P
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greenbelt

Love those pictures.  Reminds me of Calgary during a chinook.  The mountains are always there - a comforting presence that I miss here in Milwaukee.

SIMMANIA

I thought Alaska was more... Unfriendly... Anyway seems a nice place to live, not too busy, nice landscapes and lot of snow in winter (not like here...)  :thumbsup:

Nice pics'.