I first came to Alaska in 1965 on a belated honeymoon with my then husband Casey.  He had always dreamed about Alaska and wanted to see what it was really like.  What the heck...it was an adventure.

We spent the summer of 1965 in the Anchorage area but had to return to LA.  In 1967 we moved here, settling in the Mat-Su Valley about 40 miles from Anchorage.  After a couple of attempts to live in the real world again, I have finally come to the realization that Alaska is where I belong.  I must have been a Polar Bear in a former life because I prefer the cold to hot climates of the lower 48. I have finally settled on Fairbanks as my home, having been here a total of about 30 years.

I much prefer the Fairbanks area to Anchorage.  The climate here is dry compared to the Mat-Su/Anchorage area.  It is colder in winter (I have seen 85 below zero) but the dryness makes it seem much warmer.  The snow is powder most of the time and you can't even make a snowman.  Winters have been progressively warmer the last 30 years.  We seldom see 50 below any more and if it does go that low, it doesn't last long.  Our summers can be very hot (over 90) but can also be very wet.  Hot and dry brings horrible wild fires and the valley can fill with smoke. Last summer, the fires were so bad and the smoke so thick, everyone suffered.  We sure don't want a repeat of that.

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This page was last updated on 04/03/06.