2024: Are "squarebankskans" ready for a few days of cold weather?

[Parnassia]

Originally Posted by RayinAK

I believe that it dropped to -45 at the airport thermometer, and about the same at the Badger thermometer in North Pole. I am glad that tonight may be a little warmer, maybe somewhere in the minus 30s, then a little warmer. Hopefully the cold front is just ending.

Warmed up here too. There's actually enough moisture in the air to snow for the first time in weeks! Unfortunately, the milder temps brought the snowmachiners out from under their rocks. Guess they're a wimpy bunch around here. Sub zero temps were too much. Too bad. The silence was lovely.

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by Parnassia

Warmed up here too. There's actually enough moisture in the air to snow for the first time in weeks! Unfortunately, the milder temps brought the snowmachiners out from under their rocks. Guess they're a wimpy bunch around here. Sub zero temps were too much. Too bad. The silence was lovely.

That's the usual thing happening when the temperatures come up a little. Luckily there aren't any trails near my property. Bu then I can understand that snow-machiners are enjoying the outdoors in areas that are difficult to reach by foot.

[riceme]

Originally Posted by Parnassia

So, inquiring minds want to know...how cold DID it get?

It got to -50*F at the airport on February 3, and much colder in the usual spots down on the sloughs and on the river outside of North Pole, out in Two Rivers and the Goldstream Valley.

Right on cue, my garage door opener broke the night before it was slated to dip down to -50 and the red pull cord sticks, so I initially had a hard time opening the door manually, but I finally got it. After years of living in little cabins outside of town, I am just grateful to have a garage now.

[Parnassia]

Originally Posted by RayinAK

That's the usual thing happening when the temperatures come up a little. Luckily there aren't any trails near my property. Bu then I can understand that snow-machiners are enjoying the outdoors in areas that are difficult to reach by foot.

I don't live near designated trails either but the properties in my neighborhood are all several acres in size. The majority of my neighbors own at least one snowmachine and one or more dirt bikes or ATVs and just create their own loop trails. Most are OK about staying off the public road not all. One set of parents that spawned about 8 kids seem to feel they're better than everyone else. They ignore those little details about public roads. One property that's within my viewshed (and soundshed) is basically an ORV park with a house plunked down in the middle; ATVs and dirt bikes all summer, snowmachines all winter. We're on the boundary of city limits, so city noise ordinances don't affect the use either. ORV noise is just about my only complaint about living here. It's also why I don't whine when gas prices go up. Keeps the noise down a little.

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by riceme

It got to -50*F at the airport on February 3, and much colder in the usual spots down on the sloughs and on the river outside of North Pole, out in Two Rivers and the Goldstream Valley.

Right on cue, my garage door opener broke the night before it was slated to dip down to -50 and the red pull cord sticks, so I initially had a hard time opening the door manually, but I finally got it. After years of living in little cabins outside of town, I am just grateful to have a garage now.

I read an article somewhere where was said that in some areas like the ones you mention near Fairbanks it got quite cold. I agree about having a warm garage. My wife and I park four vehicles outside in order to keep some somer-use toys in the garages.

Parmassia said: I don't live near designated trails either but the properties in my neighborhood are all several acres in size. The majority of my neighbors own at least one snowmachine and one or more dirt bikes or ATVs and just create their own loop trails. Most are OK about staying off the public road not all. One set of parents that spawned about 8 kids seem to feel they're better than everyone else. They ignore those little details about public roads. One property that's within my viewshed (and soundshed) is basically an ORV park with a house plunked down in the middle; ATVs and dirt bikes all summer, snowmachines all winter. We're on the boundary of city limits, so city noise ordinances don't affect the use either. ORV noise is just about my only complaint about living here. It's also why I don't whine when gas prices go up. Keeps the noise down a little.

Eight kids? that's a lot of pdf checks, I imagine. Wasn't it over $2k last year? we have a couple of acres around the house, but the snowmobilers (snowmachiners) in the neighborhood stay on the roads. Most are former military members, now retired. But in the next block there is a family with a bunch of kids, so I can understand what you are saying
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That said, probably both Raceme and I are enjoying the nearly summer temperatures. Not kidding! The forecast calls for a few more days in the +20's, and a little cooler at night. This is amazing since the skies are clear, and the sun is shining. When this happens (clear days and nights) in the interior of Alaska in February, it gets very cold. Anyway, I can't complain.