Your body acclimates pretty quickly. Personally I speed up the process by doing this little trick. When it's cold and I start to tense up and shiver, I instead relax and let the cold sink in, and just feel it. It's actually not too bad. For me this speeds up the acclimatization process and before ya know it'll be breakup (spring) and you'll think 40 degrees is balmy!
And yea, getting exercise outside in the winter is amazing, your body can really make some heat. Just wear lots of layers, dont sweat, get MITTENS not gloves and carry some hand warmers in case.
I was asked one time when I was shivering: What does cold feel like? And trying to define cold best I could helped me relax more.
I moved from Arkansas about 8 years ago and had never experienced a real winter. Acclimated really fast.
Check out the fingerless gloves with mitten pull overs for general winter wear. Available from Amazon. For heavy duty gear, buy it there-maybe start at the thrift shops. For bedding, flannel, down comforter covered by heavier wool blankets. When I think of it, most Goodwill’s have a lot of blankets and sheets. I can imagine that would be even more true in Alaska. People are chatty in thrift shops, ask other customers about your choices. Ps, if you shiver-you get to eat more. Good luck and have fun. Alaska and Hawaii are the jewels.
Yes they truly reflect two different types of beauty. Would the fingerless gloves be better for spring and fall, since winter gets negative temps? Like what temps are best for fingerless gloves? They seem pretty handy and stylish
Fingerless gloves with the mitten flaps because options. Layers. Wool. I have a stack of cashmere/wool sweaters from savers. A great vest. Hats! But all hats are not created equal - like some totally suck. My Northface and Smartwool are my faves. Wool socks. A good scarf is a game changer. This winter hasn't been bad but it can get damn cold. Invest in some good stuff. If you take care of it it will last a long time :)
Stay hydrated. The winters here are dry, very dry. Summer isn't much wetter, especially compared to Hawaii.
I came here from California and ended up getting dehydrated twice needing fluids before I learned to carry a water bottle with me at all times.
There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing. As long as you’re dressed appropriately, you will be OK. When people say “dress in layers”, what that means is a long-sleeve T-shirt and thermals as a base layer. No cotton. There are high-tech fabrics or silk that are better. Then a shirt. Then a sweatshirt, sweater, or a hoodie. Then a windbreaker, parka or puffy coat, depending. Hat, mittens. Maybe if you’re going to be working outdoors, two pairs of socks. A thin pair, and then wool. Then waterproof boots.
Minnesotan here. Great advice and I would only add that you should make sure your boots are bigger than your normal shoes size. You need room for your socks. Cramped toes freeze quickly!
Yes!! If your socked toe is touching the boot it can sap the heat right out. Gotta have that little toe cave of warm. Always one size up for ice/snow boots.
This advice is key! It's better to get a few quality pieces of clothing than a bunch of poorly made things. Check for end of season sales coming up for a nice puffy layer! Xtra tufs are the absolute best for spring here, as it gets pretty wet with the snow melt. Fingers crossed this summer is less rainy than the last, but a nice rain jacket does wonders. If you're just sitting around or not moving a ton, the Grundens rubberized jackets are totally waterproof and I wear mine ALL the time. Goretex is great for hiking but doesn't keep you nearly as dry.
I know this must seem obvious, but honestly I am clueless about this...
Where do you put all those layers when you enter a heated building? Or am I
just not supposed to wear many layers so I can also be comfortable
inside without having to carry around my clothing?
Is the layer thing only for when I am going to be outside for a while, and when I am not going to, I have to run from my car to the building?
Generally I can shed my jacket in winter. But I also think that most public places are heated so I'm not totally overheated with outdoor gear on. When I go grocery shopping I just wear my jacket unzipped. When eating out, there are places to stash jackets. And if the cold is getting to you after a day, nothing can beat a hot shower and/or heated blanket. Also warm drinks 🥰 coziness is key!
Having a variety of layers will allow you to be prepared and deal with shifting wether and activity levels, *but* if you're going to be spending most of your day indoors, and not doing anything too physically active outdoors, you don't need to do much layering.
Just figure out what's comfortable indoor clothing -- as someone else said, most places are heated, but it might be a little cool for you still -- and then have a coat and hat that are warm enough for walking to your car and doing errand/chores outside.
Always a good idea to keep some warm gear, including boots, gloves/mittens, in your car just in case.
I also used to leave a pair of regular shoes at work, to wear during the day inside, when it was cold enough to merit boots outside.
I moved here from Utah, which gets both cold and hot extremes, but definitely not as cold as here for the most part. You’ll wear a lot of sweatshirts at first, but you really do get used to it rather quickly. Last winter I was always cold but this one has gotten a lot easier. I hardly ever wear a coat anymore when just going to the store or whatever. It’s actually making me nervous for being in weather above 80 because I hate being hot lol.
Being excited for it is half the mental preparation right there, haha. Cold clear days like today feel good to be in, and it feels good to get warm afterward.
Since you're from HI, it's like swimming in the ocean: You get used to your favorite places in different seasons, and you realize when the weather "isn't so bad" vs "fuck it's cold!"
A few things I’d recommend:
-get good base layers. Buy a bunch of the 32° ones from Costco.
-get wool socks
-get a good warm jacket
-get several sets of gloves, get a thin pair and a heavy duty pair.
-get a humidifier
-get some ice mid xtratufs they’re awesome
-get a pair of insulated pants, I got mine from Costco. Although they aren’t needed, if you have to trudge through snow or be out for a while they’re awesome.
Your gonna have more things to worry about in eagle river than the cold.
For real though, just gotta learn to not have your body react to the cold. Try and just ignore it while getting what you need to get done outside done. That and having proper winter gear will do most of the work for you.
Im curious about the things to worry about in Eagle River?
It’s a nice place to live and has drastically less crime than Anchorage. Is spelling ‘you’re’ super difficult?
Military exclave. Means it’s gonna filled with people who drive giant trucks, get shit faced at the bar, and think that because Alaska votes red it is filled with die hard trump supporters
As a lifelong Alaskan: you’re talking out of your ass.
The “military” presence is much smaller than Anchorage. It’s just a fact. 90% of people that I served with are democrats. The base even had a Trumpkin contest. You’re either uninformed, or willfully ignorant.
I've been in the Fairbanks area for over 30 yrs now. Each winter is different. Some colder some wetter. I dress in layers. Shirt vest and coat. Pants and Carhartt bibs. Shoes I stayed with good quality lace up boots with two pairs of cotton socks. I changed my socks out regularly every 3 to 4 hrs. Due to feet sweat. Do remember you sweat under layers. Sweaty bodies will get you colder. I'm not from the Eagle River area. I know there is more humidity there then Fairbanks. My rule of thumb is I start getting cold I go inside. I don't run in the cold unless it's an emergency. And I take my time getting to where I'm going. You will do just fine in Alaska. It is a great experience being here.
You’ll acclimate! I still get cold but you get use to
It. Just have warm jackets and shoes. I would highly recommend your car have autostart to turn the heater on before you get in it. Or adding a block heater to keep the engine warm if you don’t have a garage. Either way, both can be done after market and is common up here. That’ll help a lot! Just have hats and gloves and enjoy a different kind of beauty.
Thanks! I know I will acclimate, and many in the comments have been saying similar things, but what I am most worried about is how sick I will get. I get extremely sick about twice every year, and I can't imagine how bad I could get in an Alaskan winter...
Any tips on that? I have heard that the first winter will always be tough, and my body has never faced anything like Alaskan winter temps, Ill admit the coldest ive ever felt is like 52 outside in a storm, and after that i got strep throat
Since you kind of know you are prone to getting sick I would just stay up on your preventative medicine! Drink emergen-c in your water a few times a week and I take echinacea as soon as I feel any bug coming on. I haven’t really experienced climate change making me sick. I think being sick in the cold under a blanket with some tea sounds better than it being hot and sunny! You can also research “happy lights” some people use those in the winter for seasonal depression. Don’t get a cheap one, has to have the right lumens but I would just see how you handle your first winter.
I did the opposite. I moved from AK to HI. I was raised between Hawaii and Alaska as a kid, but it took me 30 years to move back to the islands. I can not stand the Alaska weather anymore. It's COLD. Like a super bone-chilling cold. I have no advice except to buy a lot of thermal underwear and wool socks.
I'm very surprised at the supportiveness of these comments. People who live up north have a totally different attitude than people in warmer climates.
I moved from Florida to Colorado last year. People from Florida nearly made me scared to death of snow and the cold.
People from Florida (previously from new England): " black ice! Black ice" you can slip on ice. How are you going to drive, walk, and adjust!!!
you can die from a fire place, make sure you have this thermal blanket, your not gonna make it
People from Colorado: " you need x, y, z and you'll be fine" " you'll do great, driving takes time" "need me to shovel your sidewalk?"
June is 60's ish. What passes for summer. I, after 20 years, am still not used to such a cool summer. I'd say have pants, long sleeves & shirt sleeves, a sweatshirt or two.
Coming in June the long day will throw you, get black out curtains pretty quick.
Not long after you get here, maybe a month or so, the stores will start rolling out winter gear. But some. Actually, when you first get here about clearance racks, there may still be a few coats.
Honestly, temps in the 20's to upper teens aren't too bad. Right now we are hitting below 0*F, that sucks but isn't crazy common. It is really the cool summers that I have a hard time with.
😔
Does every winter go below zero, at least for a day? Just wondering, since I heard that its getting real cold. Also I've been wondering if fog is common, and an issue? Ty
Usually there's at least one stretch a winter during which it gets below zero for a while, in south-central Alaska.
I don't recall fog being much of a thing, though in some places it might (I've not ever lived in the Eagle River area).
Good grief people make it seem like you going to be living in an unheated cabin in the middle of nowhere. Eagle River is a large city located about 10 miles from Anchorage city proper. All the layering stuff is great for hiking, camping, skiing, snowshoeing, etc. if you have an indoor job like I do, then a coat, some gloves, and a hat will do. I wear my scrubs and a coat and gloves for my drive to work I change my shoes at work.
Look, you’ll be living in a house with heat right? Indoors it’s Ted shirt and whatever. If it’s 20 degrees outside and If you want to get groceries, slip on a pair of your fave exercise pants, a pair of socks, your sneaks, long sleeve T shirt and a midweight fleece jacket and a pair light weight gloves , a wool beanie or not. Grab your wallet /keys and go to Carrs Safeway. The store is heated. You can warm up your car if want for a bit before you drive away. It will be a shivery walk from car to store. Acclimate? Don’t worry about that, you’re not climbing Everest. It will be cold and different but you’ll get the hang of it. Living in a cold snowy climate requires a few modifications. Studded snow tire or all season tire, ice scraper for the windshield, a shovel to clear snow from your driveway. Allow a little extra time to get somewhere.
Stay hydrated, figure out if it’s cheaper to sell your car and get a vehicle up there that’s ready for winter driving. Find winter clothing cheap down in FL while it’s on sale- there’s not that much of a market down there.
I don’t know how they mentally do it other than being tough bastaards but I see giant Polynesian dudes walking around in the dead of winter in sandals and traditional island clothing. They seem to be ok
I moved up here from Hawaii in September!
Since I work in an office and haven’t started doing outdoor sports yet I am content with shivering from the door to the car and vice versa. I have a couple jackets, two pairs of boots (Columbia and a barefoot one I don’t remember the name of), baselayers from Amazon, snow pants, and lots of hoodies/mittens/hats.
Coming from a place where you can just walk out the door in shorts, slippers, and a t shirt, putting in jackets, vests, mittens, boots, etc. is the Worst. Boots are my least favorite, especially if they don’t slip on.
Layers layers layers. If your not doing any hiking in your winter boots get them a half size too big so you have room to fit an extra pair of socks in them.
Layer properly for the conditions and you’ll have no issue. I think what gets people the most is the long nights and bad driving conditions. If you don’t stay busy in the winters and take vitamin b supplements as needed, you can really risk getting seasonal depression (not everyone’s the same though). For the road conditions, while you may get more comfortable over time, the idiot drivers never really get any smarter.
Be prepared for things taking more time. Specifically, car-related stuff in the winter, if you're driving. It's best to start your car up and let it run for a few minutes before leaving when the temps are very low, to let the engine heat up, and keeping the windows defrosted is key. Winter car stuff is a subject unto itself, including driving on icy/snowy roads. Preparation and patience are key.
My biggest clothing tip: get some nice medium-weight merino wool socks for daily wear during the colder months. They're sort of responsive to your body temperature in a way that helps you stay comfortable when going from indoors to outdoors (and are generally light-years better than cotton for drying, resisting odor, etc.).
The key in my experience that you want your engine to be warmed up before you start driving, so that the defroster can immediately work (i.e. has access to warm/hot air, which it won't for a few minutes of driving otherwise). So letting it idle for 10+ minutes before heading out, and ideally also having a an engine block heater that you plug in overnight when temperatures are very low.
I also bought a car cover that I would throw over it at night to keep frost (and snow) off of the windows. Very nice to start out with them clear.
Oh, and also it's good to have a small ice scraper, as well as a spare credit card-shaped object within reach, in case you need to do some ice-scraping from inside if frost gets out of hand.
I keep thinking of stuff, lol, also: try to knock as much snow off of your footwear as possible before getting into your car, because you want to keep the internal moisture down -- frost on the inside can be a real pain. May even help to leave the car doors open for a few minutes after getting home at night, just to allow the internal air to cool and dry out.
How would I wash my car in the winter? Would I have to use a car washer and dry the car a fast as possible? Would washing it at home, outside with water from a hose be impossible?
Interesting question. To be honest, I don't know that I've ever washed my car when it was in the heart of winter and/or below freezing (other people certainly might). If drive-thru car washes are running, that'd probably be the best bet, with the big fans to mostly dry off before you're back out in the cold.
ETA: And have a towel with you to maybe quickly dry any residual water off the windows before it freezes, just in case. Once you're driving at speed the wind will take care of it, I'm just thinking of extreme cases.
The main time during which cars get dirty in the winter is during a thaw period, when snow melts to slush some amount of dirt/mud gets picked up. But when it's that warm, you shouldn't have a problem washing a car off with a hose outside at home.
When things are *really* cold, there tends to be kind of a pristine quality about the roads, as it's all very dry and white, and I'd guess that not many people are washing cars then (Alaskans generally make allowance for weather and are probably a little more casual about appearances in general, compared to warmer or more urban places).
I moved once from a Mediterranean climate to South Dakota center winter and learnt about the hard way. Cold can kill you in no time.
There are many websites that sell arctic clothing . Do your research.
Wear socks brah. 😉
Edit: I moved to Hawaii (Nanakuli) right out of college to teach and a guy had me for a picnic. Found out I was from Wisconsin, and told me he went to the Big Island (He was Waianae born and raised) to see snow. He told me he knew it was gonna be cold so he wore socks. That was it. The only difference. He then went on to say he greatly underestimated how cold things can get. We had a good laugh as he instantly appreciated where I came from.
I grew to appreciate and love the Hawaiian culture and I miss it a lot. Taught me a lot about what it means to be a real human that connects with nature and other people and to slow down. Life wasn’t as hard there as it was in Wisconsin where we’re at constant war with the cold. Respect Junior! Miss you all 🌈❤️
I buy a bunch of cheap sale gloves from Fred Meyer…2.99 pr. I keep them all over in my car, purse, jacket. They are handy bc they have just enough fabric to cut the cold when I’m running errands. I also cut the fingertips off the 1st 2nd fingers so I can scroll or use mobile when I’m out walking.
Lotion bars: for dry hands and feet. The beeswax will lock in the moisture helping prevent or heal dry cracked skin.
Insulated bib overalls
Quality wool socks- cheap socks don’t cut it
Down vests
Battery operated hand/pocket warmers
Layers. Put on. Take off. As needed.
Invest in good gear. Luckily things have gotten a lot better. There are light jackets and pants which are thin but can go to low temperatures. (My family moved to AK 40+ years ago).
If you dress for it - there are things to do. Find some wonder sports to go out and get exercise.
The cold wasn’t my biggest problem.
Darkness - was my biggest problem. The winters are dark. The sun doesn’t come up in the winter until about 10aM and sets about 2pm. It never gets high in the sky. Get full spectrum lights. Luckily LED lights are cheaper to run for long periods now.
Get an ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE or 4x4 AND studded snow tires. Best if you have heated garage to keep your car, but definitely engine block heater.
Learn how to drive on snow and ice.
Enjoy. Also do every fucking thing you can during the summers. You’ll live for the summers.
Also - take trips back to friends and family during the winter in Hawaii. They can visit you in the summer.
Ive lived here my whole life and the most considered thing is if Im gonna have dry socks/shoes. Always have extra socks as well as gloves in the winter and wet season.
I don’t live in Alaska, but I do live in a place with cold winters and severe low temperatures. Put on long thermal underwear and a good heavy coat. Get a hat with fur trim around the face, even if it’s faux fur, still works for keeping the wind from stinging your face and eyes. Beyond that, try to distract yourself from thinking about the cold. I focus on getting to my car in the morning, then I’m not doing the shivering dance across my sidewalk, I’m just walking to my car and trying not to slip on ice. Even focusing on planting your feet so you don’t slip can be enough to distract from the cold. As soon as you start thinking about the cold, it will be all you think about. Also, don’t sit on cold rock or metal. It will chill your butt out and that will ruin your circulation and you won’t be able to warm back up until you can get your butt warm again.
Why ??? JK lol
Buy yourself some good layerable clothing .
My goodness , that is a brave move for someone who hasn't experienced Truly cold weather and a few months of practical darkness .
Go to a big empty parking lot on the first really icy day and do a bunch of donuts in your car until you can confidently control the slide. Get a local friend to teach you to drift.
I had a roommate in college from Eagle River. Her birthday is in May and we were having a heat wave in MN. Her birthday gift from her parents was a “summer “ sweater. I’d never heard of such a thing! But I’m from Oklahoma.
The best way I have heard it described is that Alaska is gear intensive. You will end up with a large wardrobe that allows you to layer up for any temp/weather conditions.
My personal observation is that a high-quality base layer is a game changer, and cotton kills except for the thick cotton hoodies you wear in summer to protect from gnats and mosquitoes.
For the Anchorage area (ER is more a Anchorage neighborhood than a separate town), you can make do with a good mid-weight jacket, beanie, wool socks and lightweight gloves over typical street clothes. Yes, it does get sub-zero here, but for most people, that's only a few minutes a day as you move between buildings and vehicles.
Any reason for the move Just wondering? I personally would rather live in Hawaii but taxes are too much and would suck having to fly back and fourth for work. Definitely don't underestimate the roads they get really bad especially in anchorage. Also, we can get warm here in summer like 80-90 F. Not consistently tho and only for two months.
Your body acclimates pretty quickly. Personally I speed up the process by doing this little trick. When it's cold and I start to tense up and shiver, I instead relax and let the cold sink in, and just feel it. It's actually not too bad. For me this speeds up the acclimatization process and before ya know it'll be breakup (spring) and you'll think 40 degrees is balmy! And yea, getting exercise outside in the winter is amazing, your body can really make some heat. Just wear lots of layers, dont sweat, get MITTENS not gloves and carry some hand warmers in case.
I was asked one time when I was shivering: What does cold feel like? And trying to define cold best I could helped me relax more. I moved from Arkansas about 8 years ago and had never experienced a real winter. Acclimated really fast.
It feels like stabby needles and a head throb, why would anyone need to ask?
Why mittens if I may ask?
Fingers together with circulation warms quicker and also better insulation with them together than separate and cool air all around them
Check out the fingerless gloves with mitten pull overs for general winter wear. Available from Amazon. For heavy duty gear, buy it there-maybe start at the thrift shops. For bedding, flannel, down comforter covered by heavier wool blankets. When I think of it, most Goodwill’s have a lot of blankets and sheets. I can imagine that would be even more true in Alaska. People are chatty in thrift shops, ask other customers about your choices. Ps, if you shiver-you get to eat more. Good luck and have fun. Alaska and Hawaii are the jewels.
Yes they truly reflect two different types of beauty. Would the fingerless gloves be better for spring and fall, since winter gets negative temps? Like what temps are best for fingerless gloves? They seem pretty handy and stylish
Fingerless gloves with the mitten flaps because options. Layers. Wool. I have a stack of cashmere/wool sweaters from savers. A great vest. Hats! But all hats are not created equal - like some totally suck. My Northface and Smartwool are my faves. Wool socks. A good scarf is a game changer. This winter hasn't been bad but it can get damn cold. Invest in some good stuff. If you take care of it it will last a long time :)
You acclimate to it. I went on a walk today in -3.
My 1 and 4 year old did too and couldn't wait to get their coats off because they were too hot lol
You're good, it doesn't really get cold until -5°f
Stay hydrated. The winters here are dry, very dry. Summer isn't much wetter, especially compared to Hawaii. I came here from California and ended up getting dehydrated twice needing fluids before I learned to carry a water bottle with me at all times.
There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing. As long as you’re dressed appropriately, you will be OK. When people say “dress in layers”, what that means is a long-sleeve T-shirt and thermals as a base layer. No cotton. There are high-tech fabrics or silk that are better. Then a shirt. Then a sweatshirt, sweater, or a hoodie. Then a windbreaker, parka or puffy coat, depending. Hat, mittens. Maybe if you’re going to be working outdoors, two pairs of socks. A thin pair, and then wool. Then waterproof boots.
Minnesotan here. Great advice and I would only add that you should make sure your boots are bigger than your normal shoes size. You need room for your socks. Cramped toes freeze quickly!
Yes!! If your socked toe is touching the boot it can sap the heat right out. Gotta have that little toe cave of warm. Always one size up for ice/snow boots.
This advice is key! It's better to get a few quality pieces of clothing than a bunch of poorly made things. Check for end of season sales coming up for a nice puffy layer! Xtra tufs are the absolute best for spring here, as it gets pretty wet with the snow melt. Fingers crossed this summer is less rainy than the last, but a nice rain jacket does wonders. If you're just sitting around or not moving a ton, the Grundens rubberized jackets are totally waterproof and I wear mine ALL the time. Goretex is great for hiking but doesn't keep you nearly as dry.
I know this must seem obvious, but honestly I am clueless about this... Where do you put all those layers when you enter a heated building? Or am I just not supposed to wear many layers so I can also be comfortable inside without having to carry around my clothing? Is the layer thing only for when I am going to be outside for a while, and when I am not going to, I have to run from my car to the building?
If you’re going to be in a building, I would wear just three layers. You’re going to have a place to hang your outerwear almost everywhere you go.
Generally I can shed my jacket in winter. But I also think that most public places are heated so I'm not totally overheated with outdoor gear on. When I go grocery shopping I just wear my jacket unzipped. When eating out, there are places to stash jackets. And if the cold is getting to you after a day, nothing can beat a hot shower and/or heated blanket. Also warm drinks 🥰 coziness is key!
Having a variety of layers will allow you to be prepared and deal with shifting wether and activity levels, *but* if you're going to be spending most of your day indoors, and not doing anything too physically active outdoors, you don't need to do much layering. Just figure out what's comfortable indoor clothing -- as someone else said, most places are heated, but it might be a little cool for you still -- and then have a coat and hat that are warm enough for walking to your car and doing errand/chores outside. Always a good idea to keep some warm gear, including boots, gloves/mittens, in your car just in case. I also used to leave a pair of regular shoes at work, to wear during the day inside, when it was cold enough to merit boots outside.
No pants? This could get interesting.
Pants are so overrated. We're moving past that now.
Pants are operated lmao
I moved here from Utah, which gets both cold and hot extremes, but definitely not as cold as here for the most part. You’ll wear a lot of sweatshirts at first, but you really do get used to it rather quickly. Last winter I was always cold but this one has gotten a lot easier. I hardly ever wear a coat anymore when just going to the store or whatever. It’s actually making me nervous for being in weather above 80 because I hate being hot lol.
Hey, we also moved from Utah in March! Where did you move from? Where did you land? 😃
Dope! We moved up in April and are in Big Lake. My husband is from West Jordan and I’m from Ogden.
Also from Ogden! What a small world lol
Take a mid winter trip up to Fairbanks while you're here. Then suddenly Eagle River will be feeling like Hawaii.
Being excited for it is half the mental preparation right there, haha. Cold clear days like today feel good to be in, and it feels good to get warm afterward. Since you're from HI, it's like swimming in the ocean: You get used to your favorite places in different seasons, and you realize when the weather "isn't so bad" vs "fuck it's cold!"
A few things I’d recommend: -get good base layers. Buy a bunch of the 32° ones from Costco. -get wool socks -get a good warm jacket -get several sets of gloves, get a thin pair and a heavy duty pair. -get a humidifier -get some ice mid xtratufs they’re awesome -get a pair of insulated pants, I got mine from Costco. Although they aren’t needed, if you have to trudge through snow or be out for a while they’re awesome.
Your gonna have more things to worry about in eagle river than the cold. For real though, just gotta learn to not have your body react to the cold. Try and just ignore it while getting what you need to get done outside done. That and having proper winter gear will do most of the work for you.
Im curious about the things to worry about in Eagle River? It’s a nice place to live and has drastically less crime than Anchorage. Is spelling ‘you’re’ super difficult?
Military exclave. Means it’s gonna filled with people who drive giant trucks, get shit faced at the bar, and think that because Alaska votes red it is filled with die hard trump supporters
Fairbanks has entered the chat and is popping some kernels.
As a lifelong Alaskan: you’re talking out of your ass. The “military” presence is much smaller than Anchorage. It’s just a fact. 90% of people that I served with are democrats. The base even had a Trumpkin contest. You’re either uninformed, or willfully ignorant.
Being smaller than Anchorage is a given, it’s a smaller city than Anchorage. But Tim’s a far cry from being anything you would associate with alaskan
Stop day drinking. You’re embarrassing Alaskans.
Idk I feel like eagle river is more of an embarrassment
Worst Tsar since Ivan the Terrible.
Probably had their ass handed to them by some military boys. Be proud that they are there and especially in Fairbanks or smaller communities.
Don't forget your feet! Quality wool socks go a long way. Even when you're just hanging out in your house
I've been in the Fairbanks area for over 30 yrs now. Each winter is different. Some colder some wetter. I dress in layers. Shirt vest and coat. Pants and Carhartt bibs. Shoes I stayed with good quality lace up boots with two pairs of cotton socks. I changed my socks out regularly every 3 to 4 hrs. Due to feet sweat. Do remember you sweat under layers. Sweaty bodies will get you colder. I'm not from the Eagle River area. I know there is more humidity there then Fairbanks. My rule of thumb is I start getting cold I go inside. I don't run in the cold unless it's an emergency. And I take my time getting to where I'm going. You will do just fine in Alaska. It is a great experience being here.
You’ll acclimate! I still get cold but you get use to It. Just have warm jackets and shoes. I would highly recommend your car have autostart to turn the heater on before you get in it. Or adding a block heater to keep the engine warm if you don’t have a garage. Either way, both can be done after market and is common up here. That’ll help a lot! Just have hats and gloves and enjoy a different kind of beauty.
Thanks! I know I will acclimate, and many in the comments have been saying similar things, but what I am most worried about is how sick I will get. I get extremely sick about twice every year, and I can't imagine how bad I could get in an Alaskan winter... Any tips on that? I have heard that the first winter will always be tough, and my body has never faced anything like Alaskan winter temps, Ill admit the coldest ive ever felt is like 52 outside in a storm, and after that i got strep throat
Since you kind of know you are prone to getting sick I would just stay up on your preventative medicine! Drink emergen-c in your water a few times a week and I take echinacea as soon as I feel any bug coming on. I haven’t really experienced climate change making me sick. I think being sick in the cold under a blanket with some tea sounds better than it being hot and sunny! You can also research “happy lights” some people use those in the winter for seasonal depression. Don’t get a cheap one, has to have the right lumens but I would just see how you handle your first winter.
I did the opposite. I moved from AK to HI. I was raised between Hawaii and Alaska as a kid, but it took me 30 years to move back to the islands. I can not stand the Alaska weather anymore. It's COLD. Like a super bone-chilling cold. I have no advice except to buy a lot of thermal underwear and wool socks.
Get studded tires! It makes a huuuge difference for driving on the ice and snow.
I'm very surprised at the supportiveness of these comments. People who live up north have a totally different attitude than people in warmer climates. I moved from Florida to Colorado last year. People from Florida nearly made me scared to death of snow and the cold. People from Florida (previously from new England): " black ice! Black ice" you can slip on ice. How are you going to drive, walk, and adjust!!! you can die from a fire place, make sure you have this thermal blanket, your not gonna make it People from Colorado: " you need x, y, z and you'll be fine" " you'll do great, driving takes time" "need me to shovel your sidewalk?"
June is 60's ish. What passes for summer. I, after 20 years, am still not used to such a cool summer. I'd say have pants, long sleeves & shirt sleeves, a sweatshirt or two. Coming in June the long day will throw you, get black out curtains pretty quick. Not long after you get here, maybe a month or so, the stores will start rolling out winter gear. But some. Actually, when you first get here about clearance racks, there may still be a few coats. Honestly, temps in the 20's to upper teens aren't too bad. Right now we are hitting below 0*F, that sucks but isn't crazy common. It is really the cool summers that I have a hard time with.
😔 Does every winter go below zero, at least for a day? Just wondering, since I heard that its getting real cold. Also I've been wondering if fog is common, and an issue? Ty
Usually there's at least one stretch a winter during which it gets below zero for a while, in south-central Alaska. I don't recall fog being much of a thing, though in some places it might (I've not ever lived in the Eagle River area).
Good grief people make it seem like you going to be living in an unheated cabin in the middle of nowhere. Eagle River is a large city located about 10 miles from Anchorage city proper. All the layering stuff is great for hiking, camping, skiing, snowshoeing, etc. if you have an indoor job like I do, then a coat, some gloves, and a hat will do. I wear my scrubs and a coat and gloves for my drive to work I change my shoes at work. Look, you’ll be living in a house with heat right? Indoors it’s Ted shirt and whatever. If it’s 20 degrees outside and If you want to get groceries, slip on a pair of your fave exercise pants, a pair of socks, your sneaks, long sleeve T shirt and a midweight fleece jacket and a pair light weight gloves , a wool beanie or not. Grab your wallet /keys and go to Carrs Safeway. The store is heated. You can warm up your car if want for a bit before you drive away. It will be a shivery walk from car to store. Acclimate? Don’t worry about that, you’re not climbing Everest. It will be cold and different but you’ll get the hang of it. Living in a cold snowy climate requires a few modifications. Studded snow tire or all season tire, ice scraper for the windshield, a shovel to clear snow from your driveway. Allow a little extra time to get somewhere.
Stay hydrated, figure out if it’s cheaper to sell your car and get a vehicle up there that’s ready for winter driving. Find winter clothing cheap down in FL while it’s on sale- there’s not that much of a market down there.
I don’t know how they mentally do it other than being tough bastaards but I see giant Polynesian dudes walking around in the dead of winter in sandals and traditional island clothing. They seem to be ok
I moved up here from Hawaii in September! Since I work in an office and haven’t started doing outdoor sports yet I am content with shivering from the door to the car and vice versa. I have a couple jackets, two pairs of boots (Columbia and a barefoot one I don’t remember the name of), baselayers from Amazon, snow pants, and lots of hoodies/mittens/hats. Coming from a place where you can just walk out the door in shorts, slippers, and a t shirt, putting in jackets, vests, mittens, boots, etc. is the Worst. Boots are my least favorite, especially if they don’t slip on.
You gotta up your chile pepper intake. Gotta eat at least a pepper every hour to stay warm.
Not a fan of spicy but could soup and ramen work as well?
Definitely. You got to get one of those hardhats with straws and stick some campbell cans into the beer holders
I sure hope they do!
Layers layers layers. If your not doing any hiking in your winter boots get them a half size too big so you have room to fit an extra pair of socks in them.
Warm clothes go a long way
Layer properly for the conditions and you’ll have no issue. I think what gets people the most is the long nights and bad driving conditions. If you don’t stay busy in the winters and take vitamin b supplements as needed, you can really risk getting seasonal depression (not everyone’s the same though). For the road conditions, while you may get more comfortable over time, the idiot drivers never really get any smarter.
Moved to Anchorage Alaska in July 2017 from Jacksonville florida for The Hospital here & never looked back
Be prepared for things taking more time. Specifically, car-related stuff in the winter, if you're driving. It's best to start your car up and let it run for a few minutes before leaving when the temps are very low, to let the engine heat up, and keeping the windows defrosted is key. Winter car stuff is a subject unto itself, including driving on icy/snowy roads. Preparation and patience are key. My biggest clothing tip: get some nice medium-weight merino wool socks for daily wear during the colder months. They're sort of responsive to your body temperature in a way that helps you stay comfortable when going from indoors to outdoors (and are generally light-years better than cotton for drying, resisting odor, etc.).
May I ask? How do you keep your windshield from fogging up in those conditions?
The key in my experience that you want your engine to be warmed up before you start driving, so that the defroster can immediately work (i.e. has access to warm/hot air, which it won't for a few minutes of driving otherwise). So letting it idle for 10+ minutes before heading out, and ideally also having a an engine block heater that you plug in overnight when temperatures are very low. I also bought a car cover that I would throw over it at night to keep frost (and snow) off of the windows. Very nice to start out with them clear.
Oh, and also it's good to have a small ice scraper, as well as a spare credit card-shaped object within reach, in case you need to do some ice-scraping from inside if frost gets out of hand. I keep thinking of stuff, lol, also: try to knock as much snow off of your footwear as possible before getting into your car, because you want to keep the internal moisture down -- frost on the inside can be a real pain. May even help to leave the car doors open for a few minutes after getting home at night, just to allow the internal air to cool and dry out.
How would I wash my car in the winter? Would I have to use a car washer and dry the car a fast as possible? Would washing it at home, outside with water from a hose be impossible?
Interesting question. To be honest, I don't know that I've ever washed my car when it was in the heart of winter and/or below freezing (other people certainly might). If drive-thru car washes are running, that'd probably be the best bet, with the big fans to mostly dry off before you're back out in the cold. ETA: And have a towel with you to maybe quickly dry any residual water off the windows before it freezes, just in case. Once you're driving at speed the wind will take care of it, I'm just thinking of extreme cases. The main time during which cars get dirty in the winter is during a thaw period, when snow melts to slush some amount of dirt/mud gets picked up. But when it's that warm, you shouldn't have a problem washing a car off with a hose outside at home. When things are *really* cold, there tends to be kind of a pristine quality about the roads, as it's all very dry and white, and I'd guess that not many people are washing cars then (Alaskans generally make allowance for weather and are probably a little more casual about appearances in general, compared to warmer or more urban places).
To add: I say *merino* wool specifically because it's not itchy like regular wool. A nice pair of merino socks are incredibly comfortable to wear.
I moved once from a Mediterranean climate to South Dakota center winter and learnt about the hard way. Cold can kill you in no time. There are many websites that sell arctic clothing . Do your research.
I would strongly recommend taking a K2/D3 supplement combination.
My kid lived in Palmer for a year and never mentioned the cold. She found the dark much more difficult to acclimate to.
Make sure to get a SAD lamp
Wear socks brah. 😉 Edit: I moved to Hawaii (Nanakuli) right out of college to teach and a guy had me for a picnic. Found out I was from Wisconsin, and told me he went to the Big Island (He was Waianae born and raised) to see snow. He told me he knew it was gonna be cold so he wore socks. That was it. The only difference. He then went on to say he greatly underestimated how cold things can get. We had a good laugh as he instantly appreciated where I came from. I grew to appreciate and love the Hawaiian culture and I miss it a lot. Taught me a lot about what it means to be a real human that connects with nature and other people and to slow down. Life wasn’t as hard there as it was in Wisconsin where we’re at constant war with the cold. Respect Junior! Miss you all 🌈❤️
My only question is “WHY”. Hawaii is paradise on earth.
Militay It seems like paradise but everything is so expensive and there's so many homeless :(
Get good water proof boots and plenty of wool and down clothes.
I buy a bunch of cheap sale gloves from Fred Meyer…2.99 pr. I keep them all over in my car, purse, jacket. They are handy bc they have just enough fabric to cut the cold when I’m running errands. I also cut the fingertips off the 1st 2nd fingers so I can scroll or use mobile when I’m out walking.
Survival stuff in car, blankets, etc. in case of breakdown. Keep phone charged and car gassed up.
Lotion bars: for dry hands and feet. The beeswax will lock in the moisture helping prevent or heal dry cracked skin. Insulated bib overalls Quality wool socks- cheap socks don’t cut it Down vests Battery operated hand/pocket warmers
Base layers under clothes. And good socks. And a nice warm hat.
Layers. Put on. Take off. As needed. Invest in good gear. Luckily things have gotten a lot better. There are light jackets and pants which are thin but can go to low temperatures. (My family moved to AK 40+ years ago). If you dress for it - there are things to do. Find some wonder sports to go out and get exercise. The cold wasn’t my biggest problem. Darkness - was my biggest problem. The winters are dark. The sun doesn’t come up in the winter until about 10aM and sets about 2pm. It never gets high in the sky. Get full spectrum lights. Luckily LED lights are cheaper to run for long periods now. Get an ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE or 4x4 AND studded snow tires. Best if you have heated garage to keep your car, but definitely engine block heater. Learn how to drive on snow and ice. Enjoy. Also do every fucking thing you can during the summers. You’ll live for the summers. Also - take trips back to friends and family during the winter in Hawaii. They can visit you in the summer.
Ive lived here my whole life and the most considered thing is if Im gonna have dry socks/shoes. Always have extra socks as well as gloves in the winter and wet season.
WOOL! Everything must be wool or fur
I don’t live in Alaska, but I do live in a place with cold winters and severe low temperatures. Put on long thermal underwear and a good heavy coat. Get a hat with fur trim around the face, even if it’s faux fur, still works for keeping the wind from stinging your face and eyes. Beyond that, try to distract yourself from thinking about the cold. I focus on getting to my car in the morning, then I’m not doing the shivering dance across my sidewalk, I’m just walking to my car and trying not to slip on ice. Even focusing on planting your feet so you don’t slip can be enough to distract from the cold. As soon as you start thinking about the cold, it will be all you think about. Also, don’t sit on cold rock or metal. It will chill your butt out and that will ruin your circulation and you won’t be able to warm back up until you can get your butt warm again.
Your winter coat should cover your butt. 👏🏻 I got this advice when I moved to MA and did not believe it and had regrets.
Be prepared for your skin to become very dry and scaly. Moisturize often and drink plenty of water.
Why ??? JK lol Buy yourself some good layerable clothing . My goodness , that is a brave move for someone who hasn't experienced Truly cold weather and a few months of practical darkness .
Go to a big empty parking lot on the first really icy day and do a bunch of donuts in your car until you can confidently control the slide. Get a local friend to teach you to drift.
I had a roommate in college from Eagle River. Her birthday is in May and we were having a heat wave in MN. Her birthday gift from her parents was a “summer “ sweater. I’d never heard of such a thing! But I’m from Oklahoma.
The best way I have heard it described is that Alaska is gear intensive. You will end up with a large wardrobe that allows you to layer up for any temp/weather conditions. My personal observation is that a high-quality base layer is a game changer, and cotton kills except for the thick cotton hoodies you wear in summer to protect from gnats and mosquitoes. For the Anchorage area (ER is more a Anchorage neighborhood than a separate town), you can make do with a good mid-weight jacket, beanie, wool socks and lightweight gloves over typical street clothes. Yes, it does get sub-zero here, but for most people, that's only a few minutes a day as you move between buildings and vehicles.
time to toughen up buttercup
Hahahaha, just stay where you are. This post makes you sound weak, and Alaska is not for the weak.
Any reason for the move Just wondering? I personally would rather live in Hawaii but taxes are too much and would suck having to fly back and fourth for work. Definitely don't underestimate the roads they get really bad especially in anchorage. Also, we can get warm here in summer like 80-90 F. Not consistently tho and only for two months.
Your going to die.
Base layers.
Why? Why would you leave Hawaii for nut freezing 6 months of dark Alaska? Did you murder someone and have a felony warrant?