Spring Breakup in and around Fairbanks

Between pristine, and often brutal, winter and the seemingly endless days of summer comes "spring breakup". It has been a challenge to find enough of interest to share here given the relatively monochromatic tones the world around us takes on. Browns and grays dominate the landscape, the snow that stays around is dirty, and mud reigns.

Perhaps the most notable event, and the official designation of spring breakup, is the Nenana Ice Classic (www.nenanaakiceclassic.com). The ice on the Tanana River at Nenana officially moved at 9:06 am on April 29th. My guess (April 30 at 2:15 am) was off by 17 hours and 9 minutes). This event makes headlines in the Fairbanks News Miner. After that we just wait for a spring that is rather slow in coming to the Interior of Alaska. Light, however, is returning rapidly after the long dark winter. There will be 16 hours and 57 minutes of daylight today -- the sun rose at 5:22 am and will set at 10:19 pm.

Azaleas in my front yard in Florida.

After leaving the lush spring on the west coast of Florida, the contrast was sobering.

Rotting ice on the pond off Willow Run.

The melting ice is often as transparent as fine crystal.

Squirrels have reinvaded the yard, occupied the bird feeder, and create a racket running all over the cabin.

A darkeyed junco on the last patch of snow around the cabin.

Willow Run Road.

When it gets like this one becomes nostalgic for the snow road of winter.

Close-up of puddle on Willow Run.

(Experimenting with my new camera here.)

A well-camouflaged spruce grouse just outside my door.

Rotting ice on Goldstream Creek.

The only evidence of spring so far is the budding of willows.

More disappearing ice on the pond off Willow Run.

... and more ice.

One of two trumpeter swans that have arrived at Creamer's Field.

El Dorado Creek lies just northeast of our cabins.

... and more ice

(well this blog is called "Ice and Snow" after all).

Ballaine Lake is also beginning to thaw.

The two regal trumpeters at Creamer's Field.

The last of the ice on the Chena River that runs through downtown Fairbanks.

And... the Alaska Range viewed from Ballaine Hill.

(Even though it is not a very clear day my new camera does a much better job at capturing detail at a distance.)

I hope these random photos capture some of the subtle changes going on in nature here during spring breakup. Soon there will be fields full of wildflowers, a greater variety of birds, moose with their babies, and the ubiquitous mosquito -- oh well, I guess you can't have everything.