Coldfoot, Alaska facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Coldfoot, Alaska
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Truck stop in Coldfoot
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 Coldfoot, Alaska
Location in Alaska
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| Country | United States |
| State | Alaska |
| Census Area | Yukon-Koyukuk |
| Area | |
| • Total | 35.84 sq mi (92.83 km2) |
| • Land | 35.84 sq mi (92.83 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,014 ft (309 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 34 |
| • Density | 0.95/sq mi (0.37/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-9 (Alaska (AKST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-8 (AKDT) |
| ZIP code |
99726
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| Area code(s) | 907 |
| FIPS code | 02-16630 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1412829 |
Coldfoot is a very small place in Alaska, a state in the United States. It's called a census-designated place (CDP), which means it's an area that looks like a town but isn't officially set up as one. In 2020, only 34 people lived there!
The name "Coldfoot" comes from an old story. Travelers heading north would get "cold feet" and decide not to continue their journey. Coldfoot is mainly a truck stop on the Dalton Highway, a long road that goes from Fairbanks all the way to Prudhoe Bay.
Contents
Life in Coldfoot
Coldfoot is super important for truckers and travelers on the Dalton Highway. It's the last place to get services for about 240 miles (400 km) if you're heading north towards Deadhorse.
What You Can Find There
- A Truck Stop: This is the main part of Coldfoot. It has a restaurant where you can grab a meal.
- Places to Stay: There are a few rooms for people to spend the night. These rooms used to be part of the camps built for the Alaska Pipeline.
- Bus Tours: If you take a bus tour along the Dalton Highway, you'll often stay overnight in Coldfoot.
- Visitor Center: During the summer, you can visit a small center run by different government groups. They help people learn about the area's nature and wildlife.
Who Started the Truck Stop?
The Coldfoot truck stop was started by Dick Mackey. He was a champion in the famous Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. He began by selling hamburgers from an old school bus! Truckers actually helped him build the truck stop and cafe that are there today. The Alaska Department of Transportation also has a maintenance station in Coldfoot.
Coldfoot on TV
Coldfoot has even been on TV! It was featured in a show called Ice Road Truckers on the History Channel. The show follows truckers who drive on dangerous icy roads.
A Look at Coldfoot's History
Coldfoot wasn't always called Coldfoot. It started as a mining camp named Slate Creek. Around 1900, it got its current name. This happened because gold prospectors, who were looking for gold up the nearby Middle Fork Koyukuk River, would often get "cold feet" and turn back.
In 1902, Coldfoot was a busy place for its size. It had two places for travelers to stay, two stores, and even some places for entertainment. A post office opened in 1902 but closed in 1912. It didn't open again until 1984.
Getting There
Coldfoot has its own airport, called Coldfoot Airport. It's on the west side of the Dalton Highway. The airport has a gravel runway that is about 4,000 foot (1,200 m) long. Small planes use it for taxi services and general flights.
Coldfoot's Weather
Coldfoot has a very cold climate, known as a subarctic climate. This means it has very long and extremely cold winters. The summers are short and warm.
Temperature Extremes
The temperature in Coldfoot can change a lot! It can get as cold as −74 °F (−59 °C) (that's super chilly!) and as warm as 88 °F (31 °C). There was even a time when it was measured at −82 °F (−63 °C), which would make it the coldest place in the United States, but this wasn't officially recorded.
| Climate data for Coldfoot, Alaska | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 32 (0) |
38 (3) |
40 (4) |
52 (11) |
77 (25) |
88 (31) |
88 (31) |
82 (28) |
68 (20) |
50 (10) |
43 (6) |
31 (−1) |
88 (31) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | −10.1 (−23.4) |
−0.4 (−18.0) |
11.4 (−11.4) |
32.0 (0.0) |
52.8 (11.6) |
66.0 (18.9) |
69.5 (20.8) |
63.7 (17.6) |
47.4 (8.6) |
23.6 (−4.7) |
4.9 (−15.1) |
−1.5 (−18.6) |
29.9 (−1.2) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | −18.9 (−28.3) |
−11.6 (−24.2) |
−1.6 (−18.7) |
18.8 (−7.3) |
42.3 (5.7) |
54.5 (12.5) |
57.3 (14.1) |
52.2 (11.2) |
38.3 (3.5) |
15.7 (−9.1) |
−3.1 (−19.5) |
−10.3 (−23.5) |
19.4 (−7.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | −27.7 (−33.2) |
−22.9 (−30.5) |
−14.9 (−26.1) |
5.6 (−14.7) |
31.9 (−0.1) |
43.0 (6.1) |
45.1 (7.3) |
40.6 (4.8) |
28.8 (−1.8) |
7.4 (−13.7) |
−11.2 (−24.0) |
−19.1 (−28.4) |
8.9 (−12.8) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −74 (−59) |
−68 (−56) |
−58 (−50) |
−41 (−41) |
9 (−13) |
28 (−2) |
30 (−1) |
23 (−5) |
−2 (−19) |
−35 (−37) |
−52 (−47) |
−61 (−52) |
−74 (−59) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.37 (9.4) |
0.44 (11) |
0.43 (11) |
0.31 (7.9) |
0.96 (24) |
1.91 (49) |
2.66 (68) |
2.03 (52) |
2.79 (71) |
1.50 (38) |
1.05 (27) |
0.90 (23) |
15.34 (390) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 17.4 (44) |
11.5 (29) |
11.4 (29) |
6.7 (17) |
0.8 (2.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
5.0 (13) |
23.4 (59) |
16.2 (41) |
20.7 (53) |
113.1 (287) |
| Source: WRCC | |||||||||||||
Population of Coldfoot
Coldfoot is a very small community. Here's how its population has changed over the years:
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2000 | 13 | — | |
| 2010 | 10 | −23.1% | |
| 2020 | 34 | 240.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2000 2010 2020 |
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Coldfoot first appeared in the 2000 U.S. Census as a census-designated place. In 2000, there were 13 people living there. Most of the people living in Coldfoot were White. The average household had about 2 people.
Education
In the past, Coldfoot had a school that was part of the Yukon–Koyukuk School District.
See also
In Spanish: Coldfoot (Alaska) para niños
