How do alaskans stay warm

Try snowshoeing, the different types of skiing, ice skating, hockey, snowboarding, ice climbing, curling, or just walking in the woods. Don't be absolute about plans in the winter months. Be flexible and accommodating, taking into account the regularity of flight delays, road closures, and storm warnings. It'll make everything easier if you accept that the conditions are extreme and tight schedules can't always be kept.

You never know when a motorized vehicle is going to break down in the cold and you will have to walk to safety. Being caught unprepared has negative consequences ranging from uncomfortable to fatal. Always assume you need to be ready to walk a couple miles in the cold, and night temperatures can drop significantly.

Even if it's bitterly cold, icy, foggy, slippery, and snowing like crazy, you still probably have to go to work. Prepare yourself and your vehicle for the winter with winter tires, flares, a tow strap, gravel or kitty litter for traction, gloves and extra warm gear for driving in stormy conditions because that is just the way of life the north. Check local websites to make sure the roads and businesses are open.

Roger W Flickr. Before you leave to go somewhere, it is customary to start the car and wait a few minutes for it to warm up. This reduces strain on the engine and gets the heater going in the cab, making the trip easier on you and the car. Autostart is an upgrade you can purchase that allows you to start the car from feet away, through a window. It's the best invention ever.

Alaska Logistics is leaving two barges to freeze in the Kuskokwim River. Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski announces re-election bid. Accessibility Commitment. Contact Support About Us Calendars. All rights reserved. Open toolbar. A fleece or pile jacket on top is a great final touch. Packable down- or synthetic-filled sweater jackets also work well. Many Alaskans will like to wear a down or fleece vest to help warm the body core while leaving arms less encumbered.

For extremely frigid days, fleece pants or heavy long underwear bottoms can be handy. Don't get too hot. The biggest threat to Alaska winter comfort during activities might not be shivering with chattering teeth. If you find yourself wearing too many layers for conditions, you tend to grow hot and then start to perspire.

Once clothing gets damp, it loses warmth, making you uncomfortable and chilly once you stop moving around. Stay dry! This is essential. Then adjust as you go, peeling off an insulating layer or two, then putting it back on once you stop.

Carrying a backpack or satchel can be helpful for stowing these unused layers while underway. Outer Layer A nylon jacket or ski parka that fits over your insulating layers will cut the wind and trap heat. Rule 4: Keep Your Head Warm A great combination in cold temperatures is a hat paired with a balaclava that will cover your nose and cheeks. Packing List Lightweight wool or synthetic long underwear top Lightweight wool or synthetic long underwear bottom Wind briefs for men doing outdoor sports Medium weight wool or synthetic long underwear top.

Looser or one size larger than the first layer Medium-weight wool or synthetic long underwear bottom. You need your hands to work, so protect them. Boots are a similar story. You can get into overflow and fill them with water at degrees, take them off, dump them out, put them back on, and your feet will warm back up.

However, bunny boots are big, heavy, clunky, and are not great for hiking or covering ground. Different variations of Baffins and Sorels —think rubber bottom, synthetic top—boots are popular, good with moisture, and more lightweight, but generally not as effective in extreme cold as the bunny boots.

Pack boots , with rubber bottoms and laced leather tops are usually more hiking friendly than other types, and are still popular in some areas, but are usually a step down from the heavier insulated boots. There are several brands commercially made like Steger that unlike Uggs , do have some utilitarian quality. Although traditional mukluks were hand fitted and sewn with caribou hide and sinew, when fitted right, these use the same principals to keep your feet warm in very cold temperatures.

Properly equipping yourself is a big part of the battle when it comes to enjoying cold-weather activities, but everyone is different, and learning what you need to regulate your body heat and perspiration in the cold is critical to being safe and having an enjoyable experience.

Also, remember that the same principals of staying hydrated and well-fed apply to cold weather just as much as hot weather. In reality, having your body properly hydrated keeps it running and producing heat.

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