I usually don't bitch about the weather, it is just part of the game. but this is my fifth day of sitting on my ass in Deadhorse, I have heard about Arctic storms but this is the first I have experienced....and I am tired of it. The wind has been blowing non stop day and night at 35 knots with gusts much higher, visibility down to a quarter mile and lower due to blowing snow, and snow drifts are every where.

Deadhorse and the surrounding oil camps in Prudhoe Bay are at "Phase III" meaning nobody drives anywhere without a heavy equipment escort, and even then on essential business only, like getting food out to the camps. Even Alaska Airlines hasn't made it in here in three days.

This two week shift has been full of neat experiences flying the arctic in winter is a unique deal. Sometimes there is no difference at all between the sky, the ground, and the sea ice complete white out even though the visibility is ten miles or more. The northern lights are like thick waterfalls of light that consume the entire horizon at times so bright they light up the cockpit and reflect off the propellers of the twin otter. Looking over the sea ice to the north knowing that there is nothing between you and the north pole but ice makes one reflect on how small this planet really is. And, seeing musk ox, caribou and ravens that live in these extreme conditions makes you wonder why they don't just head to Homer where it is warm? they don't have to live here, what do they care about oil?

Can't wait to get home.....can't wait to get back here.

Ha Ha! Welcome to my old world!!!

Gump

I used to live in Valdez, balmy by comparison. However our snow depths were the deepest in the state. Shoveling my walkway in the early winter was no problem, but as the winter progressed having to fling those shovel loads of snow higher than my head took a toll on me.

Thanks for the post. I take it you took a job flying an Otter until Beaver season.

This may help you cheer up... (Available at iTUNES)



https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don%27t_Eat_the_Yellow_Snow_Suite

Headoutdaplane wrote:I usually don't bitch about the weather, it is just part of the game. but this is my fifth day of sitting on my ass in Deadhorse, I have heard about Arctic storms but this is the first I have experienced....and I am tired of it. The wind has been blowing non stop day and night at 35 knots with gusts much higher, visibility down to a quarter mile and lower due to blowing snow, and snow drifts are every where.

Deadhorse and the surrounding oil camps in Prudhoe Bay are at "Phase III" meaning nobody drives anywhere without a heavy equipment escort, and even then on essential business only, like getting food out to the camps. Even Alaska Airlines hasn't made it in here in three days.

This two week shift has been full of neat experiences flying the arctic in winter is a unique deal. Sometimes there is no difference at all between the sky, the ground, and the sea ice complete white out even though the visibility is ten miles or more. The northern lights are like thick waterfalls of light that consume the entire horizon at times so bright they light up the cockpit and reflect off the propellers of the twin otter. Looking over the sea ice to the north knowing that there is nothing between you and the north pole but ice makes one reflect on how small this planet really is. And, seeing musk ox, caribou and ravens that live in these extreme conditions makes you wonder why they don't just head to Homer where it is warm? they don't have to live here, what do they care about oil?

Can't wait to get home.....can't wait to get back here.

Ok, we are going to need pictures now. Nice description! Sounds very love/hate.