Icewind's Ramblings

Hotheaded Naked Ice Borers In its April, 2013 issue Defenders Magazine announced that Dr. Aprile Rooz, a noted wildlife biologist, had found a fascinating new Arctic species: the hotheaded naked ice borer.  These bizarre creatures were each about half a foot long, very light, and had a bony plate attached to their head that could become burning hot, allowing them to bore tunnels through ice at high speeds.  They used this ability to hunt penguins.  Packs of them would melt the ice beneath a penguin causing it to sink into the slush, at which point the borers would surround the hapless creature and consume it. Dr. Rooz discovered the borers by chance as a result of their predatory nature.  While studying a group of penguins on Arctic sea ice, she noticed one frightened member of the group rapidly sinking into the ice.  When she pulled the hapless creature out of the fast-growing slush pool that surrounded it, she found a host of small creatures attached to ...

The record high temperature in Alaska was set in 1951 in Fort Yukon at 100 degrees Fahrenheit.  This was the only time in history when being a weatherman in Alaska was NOT the easiest job in the world. Most Alaskan weathermen were fired that day because they didn't have a word to describe the temperature. The current official state motto of Alaska is "North to the future".   The unofficial state motto in wintertime is "South to somewhere warm!" Ice

These last few weeks we have really been soaking up the daylight as we anticipate the arrival of our Alaskan summer.   We broke our annual snowfall record in April and once things pushed past that it has been mostly nice as spring has taken hold of Anchorage and most of Alaska.   Bright sunny days . . . shorter nights is always something to celebrate in the northland.   Things make the transition from the ever present white through the browns, muddy water, dampness, to the greening up and colors again. This has led me to contemplate the differences between our winters and our summers. The contrasts are as extreme as the landscape found within this state.   Moose roam the streets.   Dogs are on leashes or locked up in yards or houses. Winters of cold and constant darkness while the summers of never ending light.   It seems like everyone carries a gun . . . but me (seen enough of them for one lifetime). There are not a lot of people here . . . compar...

Anchorage is in that in-between time between winter and summer. With record snowfall this year (136.6”) things are a little slower than normal to begin our thaw cycle or “break up” as it is called here.   Things finally warmed up enough to get the melting process underway full swing with our first 24 hours above freezing since probably last September. It almost feels like it is time for celebration as everyone escapes the houses and heads out to the trails, bicycle paths, and about anywhere not indoors.   People are back outside, many without jackets or the heavy wear of winter. Dogs are being walked with more gusto now and couples are out walking again. Snow is melting at a nice pace with the major streets pretty dry after about a two week period of wet muddy roads pooled with water awaiting the storm sewers to thaw and take the water away.   The pot holes are being filled by the City crews as fast as they can so we are thankful they are quickly getting the really ...

Hotheaded Naked Ice Borers In its April, 2012 issue Defenders Magazine announced that Dr. Aprile Rooz, a noted wildlife biologist, had found a fascinating new Arctic species: the hotheaded naked ice borer.   These bizarre creatures were each about half a foot long, very light, and had a bony plate attached to their head that could become burning hot, allowing them to bore tunnels through ice at high speeds.   They used this ability to hunt penguins.   Packs of them would melt the ice beneath a penguin causing it to sink into the slush, at which point the borers would surround the hapless creature and consume it. Dr. Rooz discovered the borers by chance as a result of their predatory nature.   While studying a group of penguins on Arctic sea ice, she noticed one frightened member of the group rapidly sinking into the ice.   When she pulled the hapless creature out of the fast-growing slush pool that surrounded it, she found a host of small creatures attac...

Highlights from Anchorage Daily News of Coast Guard Video of the rescue of 4 people whose boat had grounded on rocks and this rescue helicopter crew hoisted them from the ice in Portage Bay. This is another great example of the selflessness of our military going above to keep us safe. We have had temperatures well below zero for almost a month now so this rescue had to be in some pretty extreme conditions. Air Station Kodiak rescues 4 from Kimberly from anchoragedailynews on Vimeo . This is our Alaska Coast Guard at work, there are men and women in all branches of the military who give of themselves each and everyday so we may be safe.   Keep them in your prayers and when you see these great people in or out of uniform, give them your thanks. We salute you for all that you do, for your professionalism and honor in performing your mission. Ice

Waking up this morning after a weekend of constant snowfall it was piled high as one would expect but overnight it was crystal clear with stars shining and an awesome full moon hanging above the horizon.   The moon large on the western sky as I drove to work with temperatures dropping from 14 degrees last evening to about minus seven this morning. My rig struggled to get warm by the time I made my short drive to work.   I had used my auto-start about 10 minutes before leaving home but with the cold temps it takes it a few miles to feel warm inside my auto.   Work was a typical Monday with meetings, working through the logistical problems with getting material shipped to remote villages.   As the day wore on I needed to go to our shipping yard to look at a conex (big metal shipping container) that I was preparing to ship to my project in Larsen Bay.   Today was clear, calm, and cold staying about minus 4 by mid afternoon. This was the calm before the next ...

Its cold too early in the season for these temperatures so it seems somewhat strange that everyone has pretty much shut themselves inside the home hunkered down to stay warm.   Blankets are about and coffee or hot drinks available. It’s still in November and we have had several days with below zero temperatures and for the last several days’ extreme high winds which lower the wind chill factor and also create many problems with flying debris downing power lines.   There have been many communities without power from the winds. People seem to be staying indoors and not heading out to the normal activities usually seen on a weekend.   The area downtown is mostly barren of the throngs of people who hit the several restaurants and bars close to Town Park.   There are still the few protesters who have a small wind break tent to take turns warming up between carrying signs along 6 th Avenue. Internet activity is quiet tonight as I think many people are just happy for...

There is a funny scene in the Tom Cruise movie, “RiskyBusiness”  where Tom Cruise has his father’s Porsche 928 out for a drive with his “girlfriend” and sinks it in Lake Michigan.   I had an incident Thursday where I felt much the same way as I realized I was not where I thought I was and ended up falling through the ice on an ATV with a passenger, with me.   Well sort of the same way as T.C. minus the girlfriend and the Porsche. It’s quite funny now writing about it but in the darkness, cold, and blizzard conditions it was not.   I would not rank it in the ‘deadly serious’ category as no one was in real danger (or seemed to be) but gives me another reminder that the arctic can be deadly if not prepared or ready for anything. Here’s what happened starting the night before the early morning incident. It was nighttime in Kipnuk Alaska, the coffee pot was almost empty and the conversation between several of us was pretty well finished.   I had arrived earlier...

They are starting to take flight all over Anchorage signaling colder weather to come. It’s September now and in the parks, lawns, and bodies of water all over town the Canadian Geese are scrambling for that last meal before they take flight and head south.  When I returned to work at lunch time it reminded me of several scenes from the movie Fly Away Home . The resident geese are taking over the skies around here and are they noisy!  There they were several hundred in various groupings in their awesome “V” formations.  You can’t help but look up as they pass overhead (hoping they won’t crap on you or your car as there are so many of them).  You can see the white turd bombs falling from the formation it is an almost funny sight as long as it is not zooming earthward towards you.  These Canada geese have begun their journey southbound from the farther north land locations for the coming winter.  It’s amazing how they use the “V” shape formation so they c...

It has been hard to find time to post lately as many things are happening right now so finding time to sit and let the writing flow has been hard for me.   Not writers block by any means but I just haven’t felt like putting words to paper or in the digital age we live in type or text to some machine. I traveled to a couple of villages last week and seeing them in an unfrozen state with children playing and jumping off the bridges into the water (freezing cold to many of us) and swimming in the river enjoying life in a much simpler way than many in the modern cities. I enjoy my time in the villages and talking with the people and children who always seem to come out to see me when I am there.   I do not know if it is because a ‘stranger’ is in town or they are curious to this dude with Hawaiian shirts and baseball cap riding around on a 4 wheeler.   They come out and want to ride or see if I have anything for them, like kids all over the world have done in my travels. ...

The Race restarted Sunday afternoon at 2 PM Alaska Standard Time (AST) in Willow on the frozen lakebed with another throng of people waving, hollering, and wishing well their favorite musher on to Nome. They ran through the night and into the bright sun of an Alaskan spring morning as the leaders headed into the Alaska Range and climbed their way to Rainy Pass.   Several of the mushers are on a blistering pace to Rohn checkpoint an abandoned cabin which is about 200 miles into the 1,150 mile race to Nome.   Robert Bundtzen with his 16 dogs arrived in Rohn at 5:17 PM with defending champion Lance Mackey arriving just 18 minutes later but after his time check was off again and back on the trail headed to the Farewell Burn. Other events of the day . . . 5 time Iditarod champion Rick Swenson crashed on the Happy Valley River steps leading into Rainy Pass and is considering his options after it was confirmed he appears to have a broken collarbone.   He should decide sh...