Conditions

The temperatures are beginning to drop to the winter level....today it is 0 degrees.  We have not gotten more snow, but the weather looks like we will get some more by the end of the weekend....let's just see how that works out!  As of now, the snow is deep enough to cover the old ruts and there is just a set of ruts in the Denali Highway.  A nice wind storm will fill these ruts in.  If there is one more good snowfall the Denali Highway will be closed.
 Although from Paxson the road is bare the wind can be terrible in the 9-15 mile area.  This year, the Denali Highway Trail Club has placed an Emergency Shelter at the pull out at 13 mile.  A place to get out of the wind for a bit and regroup physically and mentally or to us in an Emergency situation to "hole up" in through the storm.
We are so excited to see what the winter season holds. Winter is definitely our favorite time of year, and although it can be hard at times, there is something  special about this country and all the changes it goes through during the winter. Of coarse we're hoping for a good snow year, as that sure helps with the business.

SNOW!!

Winter is really here!  This morning we are having 40 MPH winds and 35 degrees.  What this means is the 6 inches of nice fluffy snow we got yesterday is turning to mush. :(   People have been driving the Denali Highway (still), always pushing it to the limit.  The road is slick and rutted out from the traffic, and with a good foot of snow from 36 mile to 26 mile the wind is really going to play havoc.
Now that being said, We are the ones that are pushing it to the end. We still have our pickup in here and will be trying to get it out today.

Beginning of Winter

The quiet of the Maclaren Valley settles in.  A bit of snow on the ground here at the Lodge and more on the Maclaren Summit (about 8 inches or so).  It will not be long now that there will be enough snow to close the highway and then the winter fun begins! 
Today is the first day of the re-opening of caribou season, with only approximately 300 permits to be filled, this should go quickly.  Already there have been several vehicles on the Denali Highway, out for the last hunt of the season.