Out again...

After a week of not running the dogs due to the cold weather, finally got out on the runners again.

And the sun clears the ridge top now, bringing sunlight, but little warmth, to the valley bottom.

And finally, it's the last sunset in January, 2018. Looking forward to better weather in February and March.

Chillin' out...

After the recent warm weather, the bottom dropped out today. From the NWS:
Fairbanks dropped to 30 below this morning. This was the coldest temperature so far this winter and the first 30 below of the winter in Fairbanks. Temperatures in the area are expected to remain cold through the week, with temperatures between 15 to 35 below zero. In a normal winter, Fairbanks has about 18 days with temperatures that reach 30 below or colder.

The best thing about the cold weather is splitting wood. During this last warm spell, quit splitting cause the axe just stuck in the wood. Today, when it's well below zero, the logs almost exploded.

After years of using a heavy splitting maul, decided to try something different. Took an old double blalded axe, removed the broken handle, and arc welded a triangle shaped bead on both sides of one blade to create a wedge shape. Then mounted it on a long, fiberglass sledge handle. It's a lot lighter than the maul and splits almost as well. And since it's lighter, it's a lot easier to swing, so it doesn't get my elbow tendonitis all fired up, and that's suh-weet!

It sure doesn't look like much, but that little bead of weld really makes the axe split the wood!

Hot Times...

From NOAA's Statewide 2017 Year in Review: Spring and summer temperatures in the Arctic were cooler in 2017 than they have been earlier this decade, but the annual average surface temperature was still the second highest on record.
Here's the annual temperature chart from the Alaska Climate Research Center for 2017 for Fairbanks, Alaska.

In other news, it's warmed up to near thirty above this week after temps near thirty below last week.

This warm weather makes for some pretty hot doggies, especially when they're used to running when it's below zero.

January Sunset...

Hit the triple crown today: while out working on the dog trails, there was a beautiful sunset, it was above zero, warm enough to enjoy it, and I remembered the camera. Almost inconceivable!

Just after turning for home, passed a clearing that gave the first good view of the sunset.

A couple of miles further on, the colors had deepened a bit.

Finally getting to where the trail crosses a big clearing, the colors had maxed out. Seldom get to see such a fine sunset and having it near twenty above in January made it way better. Sometimes it's the little things that make life interesting.

December Weather Summary...

The ever popular NWS monthly summary:
Weather summary for December for Fairbanks Alaska...
A remarkably warm December in Fairbanks due to a persistent upper level ridge over the west coast of North America. This produced multiple long duration warm chinook events that pushed the temperatures in Fairbanks into a record December.  It was the warmest of the last century and the second warmest December on record which date back 113 years.
Mean monthly temperature was 8.9°F, which was 13.0°F above normal. The observed maximum temperature was 41.0°F on the 13rd of the month. The minimum temperature was -26.0°F on the 29th of the month. The total monthly precipitation was 0.3°F, which was 0.3" below normal. Snowfall  was 7.0 inches, which was 5.1 inches below normal.
Looking forward to January, the average temperature drops from 7 below on the 1st, bottoms out at 8.7 below on the 16th, and then climbs back to 6 below on the 31st for an average of 8 below for the month. Temperatures in January have ranged from 52 above in 2009 to 66 below in 1934.
The average snowfall in January is 10.3 inches, but has ranged from 66 inches in January of 1937 to trace amounts some years. Possible sunshine increases in January with 4 hours and 2 minutes of possible sunshine on the 1st increasing by an average of 5 minutes per day to 6 hours and 52 minutes by the 31st. 
The outlook for Fairbanks for January from the Climate Prediction Center calls for above normal temperatures and near normal precipitation.

Chart is from the Alaska Climate Research Center (http://climate.gi.alaska.edu)

January Dog Runs...

Been out with the dogs a few times since New Years. While it was pretty warm the first run, near thirty, it's cooled off a bit and been near zero the last couple. Still, it's pretty warm for Jan.

The sun is starting to appear again at the top of the ridge, it won't be too long before we'll see the sunlight down here on the trail.

Been running Jabba in single lead, since none of the others are good at passing other teams. Hopefully they'll all pick it up soon, since we'll be running into more teams as the distance of the runs increase. Don't want the locals madder at me than usual for tangling up a pass!

New Years...

Spent yesterday and today breaking out new trail. The first day was spent mainly crossing the clearing that state forestry put in a while back (Sunny Daze 2/17/17). Of course I got stuck a few times in the drifts, but finally made to the main trail on the other side and who should come by with his daughter and grand kids is a neighbor hadn't seen in years. So talked to him for a bit until the kids were going into hypothermia, then went on our separate ways. The rest of the time was spent connecting existing trails to form a loop and then head home. Figured the next day'd be easy since all that was needed was to pull the groomer over the new trail and brush some overhanging trees.
All that went fine, but didn't appreciate that the temperature inversion, that was absent yesterday, had returned, so the valley was about 15° colder than at the house. Wearing the same light gear, got a big surprise when heading down into the valley and it quickly got nippy. Could have turned back, but hey I'm tough right? So stupidity ruled. About five miles out, realized that this was a bad idea, since my hands were pretty cold by then. The hot grips that would have helped, burned out years ago when the voltage regulator went bad, and never replaced them. Then the trip, which had been non stop, became a stop every mile or so, to either brush some trees or lacking any work, just running in place and swinging my arms until the circulation came back. Too much fun. But now I'm home with all my fingers and toes, so alls well that ends well, I suppose.

Stopped at the turn for home where the trail faces south and got this photo. There was a great sunset all the way back, but my hands were too cold by then to mess with the camera. Thinking it might be time to fix those hot grips.