In frigid temperatures, every creature is on a quest for nourishment, but their methods can lead to complications. Here’s a crucial reminder: Refrain from feeding wildlife. While birds are an exception—after all, we enjoy sharing sunflower seeds with both them and the squirrels at our place—feeding predators is a different matter. Such interactions can lead to these animals becoming bold and potentially hazardous, often resulting in unfortunate outcomes for them. Consider this example:

Avoid offering food to predators and moose. Moose, known for helping themselves to backyard vegetation, will inevitably munch on your plants, like the pesky young bull that frequently snacks on the black ash trees behind our office. This particular moose even gives the building a shake while relieving an itch against its corner.

This scenario serves as a poignant reminder.

Alaska Man score: Zero. There’s nothing commendable in this situation.

In a uniquely Alaskan twist, residents in Fairbanks face an unusual problem—they can’t clear the snow because the temperatures are simply too low. Yes, it’s true.

Alaska Man score: Nil. There’s nothing award-worthy about this.

Now, here’s a rather Alaskan thing: Up in Fairbanks, they can’t remove snow – because it’s too cold. Yes, really.

Officials suspended snow removal efforts in the City of Fairbanks Monday as extremely cold temperatures threatened to damage equipment.

According to Robert Carlson, Fairbanks Public Works Department streets foreman, when temperatures at Fairbanks International Airport measure 30 degrees below zero an hour before a shift is scheduled to begin, operations are automatically suspended.

“Once you hit the negative 30 range, you run into a few problems,” said Fairbanks Shop Foreman Jeremiah Record, explaining at these temperatures, hoses get stiff and have a high breakage rate, while other parts have higher failure rates in that range, even if they’re only outside for a couple of hours.

Boy, and just the other day I was complaining about -13 here in the valley. On the day of the winter solstice, when I walked over to the office, it was -18, and that’s cold no matter where you are. There’s a ritual involved with temperatures like that, and they involve insulated underwear, heavy Duluth Trading overalls, heavy fleece shirts, Sorel arctic boots, a heavy insulated Carhartt jacket, a fur hat, and a scarf – and that’s just to walk the 20 yards from back door to office. And if you’re dealing with temps like this, dress for the weather, not for the trip; tempting as it may be to dress light because your car is already warmed up, that will be the time when you’ll have a flat tire. 

I see too many people in the post office, local folks who should know better, wearing only a jacket in this weather. Not prudent.

Public Works Director Jeremiah Cotter said occasionally, these temperature boundaries are pushed when bad weather is ongoing.

However, he added equipment failure at that temperature is universal.

“Even working on the North Slope, when it gets below 30 and you’re up there, more things break, so here in town, it’s the same thing,” Cotter explained. “The more things break, the colder it is, and to try to keep us going forward and not have a bunch of broken equipment to where we can’t get on it when the temperatures do rise, it’s better for us just to take the day or so and not do anything.”

We have had temperatures that low here in the Susitna Valley; the coldest I’ve seen on our indoor-outdoor thermometer was 31 below, at which point it can be physically dangerous to go outdoors, and even with our oil-burner and the wood stove running full bore, the house still gets notably chilly. But it’s unusual here; in Fairbanks and the rest of the interior, not so much. This was the right move on the part of the city of Fairbanks.

Alaska Man score: 5 moose nuggets, for knowing when it’s best to just stay indoors and throw another chunk in the wood stove.

Now, some thoughts on the recently passed winter solstice, and some Christmas wishes.

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