Anchorage

Photos: Signs of Alaska spring (buried in snow)

April showers bring May flowers, or so the saying goes. But in Alaska those showers are sometimes snow showers. With enough snow already having fallen to push Anchorage into the top-10 snowiest Aprils on record, and cold weather hanging on in much of the state, spring seems at best a mirage -- a fantasy that Cheechakos brought with them from the Lower 48.

But while gardens and flowerbeds lie hidden under the snow, that doesn't mean we're hiding in our homes, basking in the glow of SAD lights or TVs.

Alaskans are a hardy bunch (even the ones in Anchorage), and we can be seen all over braving the snow and late-winter weather, enjoying the Great Land's version of spring. The sun, when it's out, is getting stronger and shining a bit more each day, after all. Kids are out in droves, doing all the normal spring things you might expect, like walking home from school in shorts, playing basketball in snow-covered driveways and climbing trees.

Some people even seem to be happy that winter is extending its reach into what the rest of the America considers spring. Skiers on the cross-country trails on Anchorage's Hillside were out in force, wearing sunglasses and smiling as they skied along well-groomed trails in the bright spring sun.

Contact Loren Holmes at loren(at)alaskadispatch.com

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