Life at Thirty Below

To say that Alaska gets cold snaps seems redundant, but all things are relative, and this past week or so has definitely been colder than usual for us. Every winter brings its brief periods of truly intense cold, and we're now in the heart of one. The forecast for tonight is a low of -30°. That was actually updated from earlier in the day, when it was supposed to be -35°. To someone unused to that kind of deep freeze (far colder than your kitchen freezer), it can seem like some sort of bizarre, inhuman condition. But the funny truth is you actually get accustomed to it.

Not at first, of course. But over time, and after accumulating enough of the right winter gear, your body adjusts. Well, ours have , at any rate. At the height of day (here in southcentral Alaska we're still getting a good 6-7 hours of daylight, and gaining), the air temperature doesn't climb above -20°. Yet the kids still go outside to play, Brandon still spend hours out splitting wood, and Stephanie will still take Calvin out for hikes or just hanging out in the snow. Noses freeze up, and hair becomes an icy tangle of frost, but it's just par for the course. At least we're not in Fairbanks, currently at -39° with freezing fog. :)

Enjoy the photos, and happy New Year!