Alaskology : First day of fall

Alaskology

About the blog: Alaska is a wonderful and fascinating place. Whether its backcountry hiking, coastline kayaking or dining on a downtown deck, there truly is something for everyone. This blog picks up where the annual Daily News Visitors' Guide leaves off. The guide is published in late April, but that's just when summer fun starts heating up. Throughout the year, we hope to give readers a look at Alaska through local eyes. The blog also serves as a calendar of what's going on, a place to look for some outstanding vacation deals and other cool stuff. We invite your comments and your questions. E-mail me at alaskology@adn.com.
About me: I live in Anchorage, Alaska's largest city, and I served as the special sections editor at the Anchorage Daily News for nine years. My wife and I have been Alaska residents since 2000 and never plan to leave.

First day of fall

Posted by Alaskology

Posted: September 23, 2009 - 4:11 pm

Flattop Mountain with a fresh coating of termination dust on Tuesday morning.
I love winter, so seeing snow on the mountains around Anchorage is not a shock nor depressing. But I did find it interesting that on the first day of fall, the clouds lifted and the mountains were covered in snow.

Some would call this "termination dust" -- as in the termination of summer -- others would simply call it "snow." I'll admit it doesn't look very dusty up there. The snow looks pretty thick ... and it was 36 on my bike ride this morning, so who knows?

Summer turns to fall to winter pretty quickly around here.

-- Steve

Termination dust on the Cbugach Mountains in this view from Anchorage. (Photo by ADN photographer Erik Hill)