the spring can be stingy with it's winter cold. a good hard chill is my friend.

spring time in Alaska starts in march with a low ENE sun, the horizon begins to glow at about 7:00 am setting later each day around 8:00pm.

the tops of the tallest spruce are first to brighten~~then long timber shadows sweep across lakes, holding down the morning chill in every lump and dip across the deceptively smooth open.

at about 1:00 the sun sits due south. despite it's elevation, the  low sun is much more intense than other times. or maybe it's just me waking up after a winter of 6 hour days and long clear cold nights.

ice and snow turning to crystal,

nature's way of gathering up the winter water to sweep it away.

time to  put away the winter parka.

take out a less bulky, windproof, warm spring/fall parka.  adjusting the outdoor gear for the work and play that's about to begin.

despite the warmer day temps of  20-45 degrees, wind can and will rise at any time to put a damper on any outdoor activity. changing gear does not mean putting away the old.  it's wiser to just put aside for now. it can turn very cold quickly.

the spring and it's cold is a good time for working and running a snowmachine through portages clearing wind fall.  trails will stay good for maybe another month.  it's the dog racing season with hard packed slippery trails.

clearing and maintaining a portage is all day hot sweaty work.

snow from willow falls getting arms and shoulders wet,

even with a hard spring freeze it's easy to sweat from cutting windfall and tossing it off the trail.  sweat and a low sun can put a serious chill on an active body.

to counteract while working i am always mindful of open areas next to a good dry timber stand bathed in sunlight as a place to stop unzip my parka and carharts to vent moisture.

it's this time of year when our ubiquitous carharts getting wet around the cuff grow balls of ice on each hanging fray.  making round clacking ice tassels.

working in the portage...anticipating spring.

with carhart ice golf balls walking down a hard trail, i imagine how soft this trail will soon get.  how the sloughs and lakes are gathering water to make overflow even when below +32 degrees.

there will be much danger in due time.

but no worries, it's the easiest of all dangers to overcome by paying attention to snow surfaces and water flow.
i follow the sun. it's warmth brings both danger and safety. as a warm day in the portage progresses....snow and ice crystallize.

when i start punching through the trail i elevate my attention to more and more dark patches growing on the lakes and sloughs. i see ever so slight dips in large open areas and other signs of water. this tells me maybe it's time to quit for the day.

keeping in mind where the moose tracks were heading.  i will start again tomorrow on the morning crust and follow yesterday's tracks from an otherwise inaccessible place. see if they divert, and work my way back home from the other end of the portage.

melted from day, an early morning chill makes a crust on the snow.  traveling becomes very easy, with a lower risk of water danger.  when i go out in the morning riding the crust i can go just about anywhere. returning the next morning on the same crust.  by noon the crust will start to collapse. overflow seeps up from lakes and creek bottoms. 

with a little speed i can cross overflow on the short lived crust, but as soon as it fails>> water and slush become obstacles.

get stuck in overflow and it could be a survival test.  not only may a fire be needed, but if i get stuck my ride will be packing a load of slush, freezing to skis, tracks, running boards.  making my ride at least double it's original weight.

it will become useless unless it's cleaned.

a discerning eye and experience will help avoid trouble, but if there's one thing I've learned over the years.....

i can apply my knowledge each year to trails, lakes, and sloughs....

but I've never learned it all.  over confidence is a killer!

as warm weather takes it's time,

anticipation builds by the day,

on a good spring crust a person can walk on top of deep snow through the brush anywhere.  i always used these times to explore areas i wouldn't normally be able to access such as deep creeks, ridge passes or crossings.

the perfect weather to head out cross country to lakes and rivers for some serious ice fishing.  people all along the river right now are pulling out huge pike from the Yukon.

I've talked with locals about going out and setting a lush line here...but it never seems to come together. so many other things to do at this time of year.

sigh...if only i had use of both my legs and arms i would be out spearing a hole in the ice, hunting pike and ling-cod (lush).

but i cannot on my own. such is my world today, must tolerate my left side paralysis and depend on the goodness of others.

so....on my own I'll try to take in as much other spring activities as i can if even only to watch, like sledding on the north nenana toghotelle hill. or nenana's ice classic tripod raising, or the north American championship dog races in Fairbanks.  the country and city begin to come alive with the longer warmer days. the spring fever bug is everywhere. most of us spend much more time outdoors enjoying the many spring carnivals and other activities typical of this time of year.

everyone is waiting for the bands of calling geese, ducks, cranes, and swans.  soon they will arrive along with little birds everywhere. spring cleaning of my yard also means maintaining a bird house.  good to have as many birds living near me as possible to help keep the mosquitoes down all summer. and they make good company, becoming very tame provided your karma is right.  it wasn't uncommon for a swallow to briefly land on my head after I've spent days working around the yard. my boy as a toddler would get so excited when this happened and would giggle uncontrollably with delight. made the Little birds nervous and they would flee, sitting in nearby trees waiting for calm quiet to return.

a quiet broken only by laughing geese and puffed up frogs. all singing to their sweethearts. dancing cranes adding to the beauty that is our alaskan spring.  the country comes alive and promises 24 hour daylight.

newborn moose caves renewing life in the north. munching on pussy willows, that my childen learned to call moose baby food.

it's spring...a celebration!

spring, another change of season..the spice of life in the northland

whether it's spring or fall. changes in our weather bring a host of activities to the north land. spring is my favorite season.
but i can't really pick one.
the imminent season seems to always be my favorite. change being the common denominator, eagerness is the energy
i look forward to calling geese, 24 hours of daylight, making a fire in my yard,
an open door on a warm afternoon  the with a hot wood stove allowing the sweet smell of thawing sawdust to come in and remove the stuffy winter. and yes even those pesky mosquitoes join the party. it doesn't matter, besides the first ones are stupid anyway.

however i equally look forward to fall moose camp, hanging meat, signs of bears dening up, and lumbering RV's leaving our roads.

spring means icles growing on the eaves,

a crust on the morning snow,

winter birds active and plentiful,

dog racing teams testing their winter long training on the most difficult races in the world,

village families working in their yards cleaning and getting the BBQ and fire-pits ready for the first warm evening.

men working on their river boats and motors in anticipation of breakup.

our village swells with pride for the high school basketball team, hosting visiting teams from other villages. enthusiastically renewing a friendly competitive home spirit. years from now those same young men and woman "squeaking" up and down the court will recall as adults the nenana invitational tournament, who won & lost, where they stayed, and what a good time they had. surprised to discover," oh you were there too?"

and spring is an opportunity for everyone state wide to gamble on nenana.

this tower  will be attached by a line to a tripod on the river ice.  all designed to trip a clock recording the hour and minute the ice moves out.

many people state-wide will buy a chance to guess the date, hour, and minute the ice will go out on the tanana river.  the winner(s) take home a pot that's consistently around $300,000.  begun in  1917 by  alaska railroad works o pass time. the nenana ice classic has become an Alaskan icon and signals the unofficial start for the summer season.

 with the ice gone, people can travel easily between villages. the first boat ride is a time to check the ice damage from breakup. to find how the channel has moved. sandbars disappear and reappear below the next bend or stretch. a good time to update your mental files, reboot the brain and prepared for the work and heat of summer.

spring also means excitement and celebration. Fairbanks, a short 50 miles or one hour north of nenana, hosts the north American world championship dog races, a 60 mile, 3 day sprint can be very exciting especially as the warm spring weather becomes a player affecting dogs and trail.

this is also proxy season for the annual meeting of the for-profit doyon,limited. coincides with the native non-profit, the tanana chiefs conference full board meeting. many nenana people travel to take in these events. not unlike a major social event of the year. lots of village people travel. conferences/carnival being a good opportunity to see family and friends after a long winter.

the woods too become more active. the winter birds flock and make their rounds together. little tidbits of food start to show through melting snow, long lost evidence of the past winter gatherings. once puffed up and protected against the cold, they are slim and trim. warmed by a bright low spring sun as they fly without their parkas.

soon much larger birds will come here. once there's water along the river. the ice and snow gives way to patches of ground. i eagerly await for the last big major snow storm of spring. this is the signal and weather upon which geese and cranes arrive in huge bands, calling and circling. descending to the bounty that is our homeland.


frogs will wake up when water starts building in the lake. they will without delay start to sing to their sweetheart all night long. meanwhile cranes will follow the swans. the first to arrive, swans are also the last to leave in the fall. each patch of water, beach, or grass will host flocks of birds dancing, eating, and singing for their love. happy days.

the first batch of mosquitoes is a huge lumbering aggressive nuisance, bringing times of plenty for small birds and frogs. everyone and everything has it's place in our home. caring for this place is the gift we give our children. our spring is a renewal of life and a promise of better times to come. we borrow this homeland from our children.

so what can i say about our spring season? it's one of my favorites till the midnight sun arrives. home sweet home.