Alaska Basin

The valley shown below is known as Alaska Basin. It is called this because of the extreme cold temperatures and wind chills that it gets in the winter. During my first winter here, I ran my dogs through Alaska Basin quite frequently, and I encountered a few blizzards. The winds can be ferocious.

I vividly remember one night when the sled and I were tipped over sideways by the wind despite the perfectly flat terrain. A little later, I was standing by the leaders to reassure them during a particularly strong gust when they suddenly moved several yards ahead. I thought they had pulled the snowhook out, but I discovered that despite my flat-footed stance and heavy boots, the wind was sliding me backwards down the trail while the dogs were standing still. This was in soft snow which was not the least bit icy! The sheer force of the wind was less of a problem for the dogs than for me, but they could not see a thing with all the blowing snow.

The photos below were taken from the floor of Alaska Basin during a very dry November, and it shows more typical weather for the area. Alaska Basin is part of the larger Centennial Valley in Montana. Snowfall is minimal in the area, and the fierce winds often blow the snow off the road, leaving the dirt exposed. For this reason, I have not done much running there the past couple winters.