Get ready for this year’s Ice Fishing Derby for children in Mat-Su Valley AK!  The “Getting’ Jiggy With It Ice Fishing Derby” will be held on February 25th starting at 8 a.m. sharp and is open to kids only from ages three to sixteen.  This fun event will be located at the Palmer Elks Lodge on Finger Lake and holes will be pre-drilled into the ice so there is no need to bring special equipment.  Tickets for the Derby are $10 each and the proceeds will go to benefit the Alaska Make a Wish foundation.  The Ice Fishing Derby will end at 4:00 p.m. and awards will be presented to three lucky fishers beginning at 4:30.

For more on this event or to see 2011′s Ice Fishing Derby winners, visit the Frontiersman online.

And for more on buying or selling real estate in Mat-Su Valley AK, contact The Kristan Cole Team today.  The Kristan Cole Team brings years of experience and will help you successfully navigate the journey to buying or selling property in Anchorage, Wasilla, and Palmer Alaska.

Take a look at the Arts and Craft Workshops offered at the Palmer Museum of History & Art and you are sure to pick up a new skill this winter.  The 2012 Winter Arts and Craft Workshops begin in February and run through to April and are held at Alaska’s Palmer Museum, allowing community members to participate for low class fees plus the cost of materials.  Starting February 4th from 10-1 p.m., Sandra Cook will be teaching Fiber Bling Jewelry making where students aged 12 and up can join in learning simple weaving techniques to make bracelets, necklaces and other fun accessories.  Other classes during February include Basket Weaving with Dorrie Dean on Feb. 11th, 18th, and 25th, where students can attend each date to learn different basket weaving techniques or just one night of a particular type, and Intro to oil painting on Feb. 25th with instructor Kara Stenberg.  Running into March and April are Intro to wood power carving, native skin sewing, and silk painting.  To take advantage of these great workshops this winter in Palmer AK register today.

For more information on this or other Palmer AK community activities visit the frontiersman.com.

And for more information on buying or selling real estate in Mat-Su Valley AK, including Palmer, Wasilla, and Anchorage, contact The Kristan Cole Team today.

Want to know ‘insider’ information about restaurants, lodgings, and activities to do in Palmer AK?  Well, palmerchamber.org can help with their “Plan Your Trip to Palmer” tool.  This handy way of obtaining information starts with a personalized questionnaire to help assess your needs.  Simply put in your name and email address as well as the number of adults and/or children and your chosen date of travel; then add what services you will require including transportation, preferred sightseeing/entertainment, dining, lodging, and shopping.  Possible results may include information on hunting, fishing, camping, flightseeing, musical performances, great restaurants with local flavor, and fabulous nearby parks and hiking trails.

So, check out the “Plan Your Trip to Palmer” tool today and get started planning your trip to the beautiful Mat-Su Valley AK area.

And for more information on buying or selling real estate in Palmer AK, contact The Kristan Cole Team today.

Mat-Su Borough and the state of AK are planning on going to the next phase in construction for the rail extension project to Point MacKenzie.  Last month, the borough took bids for the construction of the first five miles of the extension that would start from the Point MacKenzie end; project manager, Joe Perkins, reported that the lowest bid was from Bristol Construction at around $17 million to do the job.  At an open house last Wednesday night, the railroad indicated that they would need an estimated $180 million from the state out of the $220-300 million that was estimated for the overall project.  The borough hopes to have two more segments up for bid next month and all but one of their permits are in place.  And as far as the design plans are concerned Perkins noted that they are about 60 percent done and the final design is slated to be released this summer.

For more on this or other new developments in Mat-Su Valley AK, visit the Frontiersman online.

And for more on buying or selling real estate in Mat-Su Valley Alaska, including Wasilla, Palmer, or Anchorage, contact The Kristan Cole Team today.

Although heavy snow slowed down progress for many teams, the Knik 200 sled dog race was an exciting spectacle last Sunday.  Controversy has been following the race results as there is no official word yet as to who the top three winners are.  Race officials reported that because of the adverse weather conditions is was difficult to have all the facts right at the end of the race; later analysis showed that Lance Mackay, although first time wise, was given a 3 minute race penalty for not signing out when he left the Skwentna checkpoint.  However, later it was assessed that Jake Berkowitz’s race time was faster than Mackay’s when the data was processed again.  The top three places for the race will not be announced until the results are clearly verified, and both Mackay and Berkowitz were reported as being very good ‘sports’ about the entire matter.  Whatever the final decision, it’s clear that both have given their best efforts towards this challenging course.

The Knik 200 sled dog race was and is a valuable training race for the world famous Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and is held annually on the first weekend of January; the race begins at Knik Lake, AK and covers 200 miles which is often made more difficult by the weather conditions.

To keep up to date on this and other sports news in Mat-Su Valley AK, visit the Frontiersman online.

For more on buying or selling real estate in Mat-Su Valley AK, contact The Kristan Cole Team today.

Need a place to discard your ‘live’ Christmas tree?  From now until January 15^th, residents can deliver their spent tree to Carrs-Safeway stores in Anchorage, Eagle River and Palmer AK for safe disposable and recycling.  This annual recycling program is sponsored by Alaskans for Litter Prevention and Recycling (ALPAR) and it is estimated that about 10,000 trees will be recycled this year.  The trees are then turned into wood chips that are used on public trails, gardens, and for erosion control throughout the area.  This ALPAR program is only for live trees, and residents looking to recycle their tree should keep an eye out for Carrs-Safeway store parking lots where signs will indicate where the trees are accepted.   Mat-Su Valley AK residents may also wish to drop trees off at the Mat-Su Borough Central Landfill in designated areas.

For more on this and other Mat-Su Valley AK community news, visit Anchorage Daily News online.

And for more information on buying or selling property in Mat-Su Valley AK, including Anchorage, Wasilla, and Palmer AK, contact The Kristan Cole Team today.

It’s the season of looking to the needs of others, and in Mat-Su Valley AK, the Special Santa Program has done just that.  This special operation is a unique community service where children’s holiday wish lists are ‘granted’ by volunteers.  When the program began in 1997, there were only 90 kids on ‘Santa’s list,’ but this year, almost 15 years later, there are more than 3,400 kids.  Over the years 18,000 children, who would not otherwise have something to open on Christmas, were given that chance.  Although most of the requests are for video games, Legos, dolls or other popular toys, some kids have special requests; Mari Jo Parks, the Valley’s organizer for this nonprofit Special Santa Program reported that such special requests have included heat for their home for the winter from one 17 year old girl and a Christmas tree with decorations from a teenage boy.  This year over 500 community members volunteered to donate wish bags for families so far to make the holiday’s a little brighter despite financial circumstances.

For more information on how you can volunteer for this year or next year in this great community program in the Wasilla/ Palmer AK area, visit the Frontiersman online.

And for more information on buying or selling real estate in Mat-Su Valley AK, including Anchorage, Wasilla, and Palmer AK, contact The Kristan Cole Team today.

“Colony Christmas” kicked off today in Palmer AK, an exciting three-day holiday celebration with a delightful variety of town wide events.  From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today Gingerbread houses will be displayed at various downtown businesses and the “Light up a life” Hospice Tree will be at Koslosky’s Center.  The Arts and Craft fair is from 11 to 6 on Friday and Saturday for those looking for unique gifts for this holiday season.  Couples will enjoy the Holiday Ball at Raven Hall on the Alaska State Fairgrounds from 7 pm to midnight tonight, and kids will love to have their picture taken with Santa from 11 to 3 on Saturday at the downtown Palmer Plaza Deli.  Other highlights for the weekend include horse-drawn sleigh rides, a reindeer farm, nativity displays, contests, fireworks, and free games for children.

Check out the Frontiersman online for a complete listing of all the activities scheduled from now until Sunday in Palmer AK.

For more on buying or selling real estate in Palmer AK, contact The Kristan Cole Team today.

Denali National Park (image credit: L. Noffsinger)

It’s never too early to plan for your trip to gorgeous Denali National Park in Alaska.  Reservations will be available via phone, online, fax or mail and include advance reservations for the 2012 visitor season for shuttle buses and four of the park’s largest campgrounds.

Denali Park encompasses the natural beauty and adventure of Alaska.  Visitors have the opportunity to explore over six million acres of pure, scenic landscape.  Whether you choose to go on foot or with a Driver Naturalist to guide you, Denali Park offers a truly unique experience year round.

Advance reservations will be available specifically for Riley Creek, Savage River, Teklanika River, and Wonder Lake campgrounds.   While Riley Creek, Savage River, and Teklanika River are open to RV and tent camping, Wonder Lake is for tents only.

Plan your Denali Park vacation today at reservedenali.com.

And for information on buying or selling real estate in Mat-Su Valley AK, including Anchorage, Wasilla, and Palmer AK, contact The Kristan Cole Team today.

The Mat-Su Valley is a great place to visit year round.  From scenic drives to historic museums, there are tons of activities during any season.  As the state of Alaska is one-fifth the size of the continental US, it also provides unique landscapes and sightseeing opportunities.  Take a look at some of these ideas for day trips in and around Mat-Su Valley AK:

Matanuska Glacier offers scenic drives and tours.  Visitors may also enjoy touring the Musk Ox Farm, picnicking at the glacier, or dining at a nearby restaurant.

Hiking at Hatcher Pass, which is located in the stunning Talkeetna Mountains, is a refreshing way to get some exercise and explore.  Choose between shorter hikes or more strenuous ones depending on how challenging you’d like it to be.

Fishing is a popular activity in Mat-Su Valley AK.  There are plenty of salmon and trout for any avid or casual fisher to take home to enjoy.

Museums are abundant in Mat-Su Valley, including the Alaska Museum of Transportation & Industry in Wasilla, and the Knik Museum.  Also of interest are the Mushers Hall of Fame and the Iditarod Trail Headquarters.

For more on these or other day trip ideas in Mat-Su Valley AK, visit agateinn.com.

And for more information on buying or selling real estate in Mat-Su Valley, including Anchorage, Wasilla, and Palmer AK, contact the professionals of The Kristan Cole Team today.