A tiny slice of paradise...

[Thomas Wayne]

 

Some photos of my site (Kings Lake, Alaska) on the morning of Sunday, August 15, 2010 - 8:30 am.  We've had the worst summer for weather that I can remember (in almost 30 years), but this was a great day

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n293/ThomasWayne_2006/Northcourse-1.jpg

North course.

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n293/ThomasWayne_2006/Westcourse.jpg

West course.

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n293/ThomasWayne_2006/Bothcourses-artsy-fartsy.jpg

Artsy-fartsy shot of both courses.

TW

(61°37'14.22"N - 149°20'40.02"W) 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dirt]

That's beautiful. What is the water temp?

[Horton]

Wow!

[Thomas Wayne]

Cold.  Usually we get up in the 70's throughout most of the summer, but this year the rain (and lack of sunshine) has kept the water in the mid-60's.  That day it was 63*

TW

[thager]

Nice place TW! How far are you from Anchorage? Might be up there early September with Sun Country.

[Bulldog]

TW,

Beautiful site, I bet it is amazing in the fall when the leaves turn....

[dthate]

TW,

Beautiful site, bet you do not have many Cottonmouth's or gators.

[dthate]

Our water on Lake Austin has been 65 - 74, with air temp 100 - 105. Morning before wakeboarders wakeup.

[Thomas Wayne]

No snakes or gators in Alaska, but in the top photo you can see the damn duck rollers we have to contend with on a regular basis.

We're about 30 minutes from Anchorage by car... a day and a half by dogsled.

TW

[Bulldog]

I meant to ask on my previous post, how is your water clarity?

[thager]

Duck rollers anything like Hortons stealth rollers? :)

[ODBF]

The CRB has decided we are moving to Alaska based on those pictures alone. Al Gore's basement has gotten kinda warm recently anyways. http://www.creakyrowboat.com/2010/08/alaska-looks-sweet.html

[Thomas Wayne]

"I meant to ask on my previous post, how is your water clarity?"

Crystal clear and drinkable (if you don't stir up the muck in the shallows).  Two filters - one for coarse and one for bacteria level - would guarantee total purity, though in our current cabin we have a separate fresh water supply.  The next cabin (larger) will use such filtration to utilize lake water for all purposes.

We often have glorious summers, with many days above 70 and some above 80.  What's surprising is that 70 degrees in Alaska feels like 90 in Seattle (or wherever).  We're not talking about the locals simply being acclimatized - visitors in the springtime are amazed when they're sweating their asses off in 60-degree sunlight.  I don't know if I'd describe this phenomenon as "solar gain", but it's because the sun comes through at a much more direct angle (less atmospheric shielding) and becasue the summer days are very long (20+ hours).

For all skiing-related visits I tend to recommend mid-June through July for the best chance at glorious weather, although last year we skied to mid-September...

TW

[lkb]

That's a beautiful sight. How many people ski there regularly? I've never actually been to Alaska(had no clue 80 deg. was possible)and I am a bit surprised that there's interest in water skiing there. I guess I need to expand my horizons.

[skidawg]

20+ hrs of sunlight, that puts a new spin on nite skiin

[Than_Bogan]

I've never been to Alaska either, but I visited Finland one June many years ago, and those 22 hour days are both very cool and very bizarre (if you're not used to them, I guess).  In Helsinki, it never really got "dark" -- the effects of the sun were still just barely there from sunset to when it switched back to sunrise.

I would concur that the water and air at that latitude were very warm in the summer -- we went swimming one time at 1am and it was really comfortable, even though I don't recall the thermometer reading much above 20 most days (about 65 farenheit).

Can't imagine 22 hour nights, though.  Gotta have a vacation home for the winter, I think!

[Thomas Wayne]

"That's a beautiful sight. How many people ski there regularly? I'venever actually been to Alaska(had no clue 80 deg. was possible)and I ama bit surprised that there's interest in water skiing there."

Atmy lake I have 4 skiers that are very regular and all ski into mid-35or shorter - they have gate keys.  Then we have a peripheral group thatvisit occasionally running from -15' through -28' - probably ten or adozen of those.  We also occasionally get skiers visiting from the realworld (lower 48).

That's at my private site.  Within a few milesof my place there are several more public lakes with active slalomcourses; the closest is about five minutes away (owner is an HO andRadar dealer) and the farthest is perhaps 1/2 hour or so furthernorth.  There are also a number of nearby lakes that have [currently]sunken courses just waiting for someone to tie on buoys.  Drive up toFairbanks (350 miles away) and there's an entirely different contingentof course skiers on Harding Lake who also take the game seriously.

TheMatanuska-Susitna Borough (and points farther north) have many, manydozens of lakes, and waterfront property is extremely popular.  With atotal population of less than 650,000 people (statewide) and dealers(over the years) for Correct Craft, Mastercraft, Brendella, Centurian, Tige andother tournament brands, I would be willing to bet we may have thehighest per capita number of tournament inboards of any state in the U.S.

Who knew?

TW

[Chef23]

That is a sweet site. How long is your season?

[Boody]

Amazing, I would of never thought of waterskiing seriously in Alaska.  I am amazed at the number of course skiers up there.  I have a whole new respect for you TW.  Awesome site but you must go crazy during the long winter.  What do you do to get by? 

 

[RichardDoane]

He escapes to Western WA and skis at the Broho whenever possible.... TW's not the only one to contend with those duck rollers...

[kpickett]

Of course, I spend two months of the year in Juneau, and there's no skiing in Juneau. There's a perfect spot - twin lakes - right on the other side of the highway from the channel - but no power boats are allowed there.

[kona]

WOW

[Thomas Wayne]

Remember Kyle, all you have to do is schedule a few days off (and get yourself up to Anchorage) for all the AK skiing you can handle.  I think you have my cell number, and I know you have my email...

TW

[UWSkier]

Awesome.  And cold water skiing is always the most fun too.  Lightning-quick acceleration, your hands hold up for dozens of sets without blisters or callous issues, and incentive to not fall.  :)

[Thomas Wayne]

Your theory is not the craziest I've ever heard... but it's right up there with JFK convalescing in the White house basement and 7-11 Elvis sightings.

At my wife's request I spray about two gallons of a malathion mix around our property (we have 3 1/2 acres) twice a summer to eliminate virtually all flying pests (such as mosquitoes).  As far as I know, I'm the only one to do that among my friends, and they haven't mentioned any particular "bug fest" problem at their lakes either.  Maybe all these northern bugs live mostly in your mind...

Now I have heard that when you get into the deep interior of Alaska you may run into an insect issue that is the stuff of legends - "mosquitoes the size of hummingbirds" and so on - but where we are it's absolutely not an issue.  We do have a significant small bird population at the lake that may have something to do with controlling insect population levels.  In the big picture, however, I've been bothered far more by insects in Florida than I ever have in Alaska, and personally haven't felt the need to use "Off"-type bug spray at our place ever.

TW

[Than_Bogan]

Guessing maybe Brent has been in the woods in Maine?  Mosquitoes there are plentiful and aggressive.  I've seen them land on a spot that I just coated with 100% DEET.  Fish a river in the woods for a few hours with any lesser bug spray, and you're in for a week-long itch-fest.

But if you don't go off into the woods, my experience has been that southern bugs are more plentiful and MUCH bigger.  And then there's scorpions (I admit I'm scared of those), tarantulas (personally not scared of 'em), and those tiny red ants whose bites feel like what I've always imagined being shot feels like (VERY scared of those).

On balance, I'll take northern bugs in a heart beat.  /vanillaforum/js/tinymce/jscripts/tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-smile.gif

[h2oshredder]

ive always wanted to ski in alaska

sounds like the only way i can is if they hold a western regionals tourny tho