Girdwood Favorites

Favorite thing: People have many misconceptions about Alaska. We all live in Igloos, and it is cold and dark. The funny thing is, it isn't that cold. OK, I don't live in Barrow. But I have visited Fairbanks and Girdwood in February, and I found it quite comfortable.

So prepare for the worst, then enjoy what we have to offer. The temperature on the mountain while I was a atop was -2 F. I had on a sweater and a jacket (unzipped). The sun was shining and it was lovely.

Fondest memory: Even if you are not a skiier, ride the cable car to the top, you can enjoy some great scenery, watch the skiiers, and enjoy some hot chocolate.

Favorite thing: Girdwood is a charming place, so charming that even the clinic looks like a gift shop. I had to stop in to be sure that this really was a medical clinic. It really does look like a gift shop, with a big welcoming sign out front, and designs in the windows, and pretty little do-dads hanging on the building.

Fondest memory: Besides the charming look of the town, the people here are very friendly, and almost everyone had a smile and a "how ya doin'?"

Favorite thing: Girdwood has been around for a long time in Alaskan terms. This scenic spot has been mined and forested since the early part of the last century. Some of the remnants of that by-gone time still remain to be discovered by the traveller.

Fondest memory: The original townsite was near the Girdwood Station Mall, but was moved because it was in the flood plains of the Tunagain Arm, and got flooded at high tides. Today there is a shopping area off the Seward Highway near the old townsite. They "filled" the land, though at big water, it can come close to the roadway. The new townsite is further from the plains in a forested patch and closer to the mountain.