Pulling a sled in this weather is hot work

It was 52 degrees in Denali National Park today. Moose were seen rolling in overflow to cool off.
The amazing thing is that 52 degrees wasn’t even close to being the Alaska high temperature for the day. These temps are not great for mushing dogs, and I’m sure with the start of the Yukon Quest looming, mushers would prefer a bit of a cool down in Interior Alaska and the Yukon.

Valdez Avalanche

The road to Valdez — Photo courtesy of Alyeska Pipeline

An avalanche swept down upon the Richardson Highway outside of Valdez, Alaska on both Friday and Saturday, leaving as much as 40 feet of snow on top of the highway. A 50 mile section of the road is closed for at least a week, cutting Valdez off from any road traffic. The ‘Rich’ is the only highway serving Valdez.

The city’s airport and Alaska Marine Highway terminal remain open. Highway closures to Valdez are not unusual during the winter, as the town receives, on average, 297 inches of snowfall each year. Valdez is the snowiest community in the United States.

Photo courtesy of Alyeska Pipeline