In 1971, Alaska Plunged Into An Arctic Freeze That Makes This Year’s Winter Look Downright Mild

In mid-winter in Alaska, the cold is at its most brutal. Cars are frozen blocks that need some sweet-talking in order to start. The roads are covered in icy fog from the frozen exhaust and the snow is frozen stiff. The sting sets in as soon as you walk outside, and you quickly realize that you can't last long in these temperatures without the warmest gear. But the real sourdoughs are sitting back and chuckling at the kids these days! The winter of 1971 was a real deep freeze. The coldest winter temperature on record in the state was observed during that long, frigid January. Alaska winters in comparison since? Tepid.

On January 23, 1971 at Prospect Creek Camp, the lowest recorded temperature in Alaska was 80 below zero. The high that day was minus 64 degrees.

Prospect Creek Camp lies about 25 miles southeast of Bettles and 180 miles north of Fairbanks. It was a camp for workers constructing the Trans-Alaska pipeline that winter of ’71.

The average daily high was -22.7 during the frigid January when the all-time low was set. The few hours of daylight were no match for the cold winter nights.

The lowest temperature ever recorded on the continent was just 20 miles from Alaska in Canada on Feb. 3, 1947. The observer recorded 81 below zero on North America’s coldest night.

The Vietnam War and the trail of Charles Manson were the headlines of the newspapers, for some light winter reading. The cold just settled in and stayed for the long haul.

In nearby Fairbanks, tragedy struck when thick frozen car exhaust, called ice fog, filled the streets. There was a four car pile-up when drivers couldn’t see through the fog.

Alaska had a harsh January with record low temperatures across the state. Some will brag about the winter of 1989 and the wicked cold, but the lowest temperature recorded in Fairbanks in 1989 was a mere 51 below, almost 20 degrees warmer than 1971.

The coldest winter was epic, for sure.

But the peaceful quiet, the dancing aurora, and the twinkling stars surely made the coldest winter one to remember.

After all, winter in Alaska may not be for everyone, but it certainly comes with its fair share of beauty too!

Note that the photos above are for representational purposes only. 

The coldest winters in Alaska are forever etched into the memories of locals who endured them. Do you remember the winter of 1971? Tell us about it in the comments below.

Enough with the cold already? Escape to The Islander, one of the most unique restaurants in Alaska! Or check out some island flavors at this tropical-inspired restaurant. Then, snuggle up at this lakeside cabin and stay warm in the waterfront hot tub!