Hot spots for cool fun.

• Author: Woodring, Jeannie
• Position: Alaska

When the weather gets weird, Northerners get wacky about their entertainment. Take a look at the off-beat attractions offered statewide each winter that are making Alaskans famous -- and infamous.

Blame it on our crazy weather. Our long dark nights. Our isolation from the rest of the world, despite the entertaining promises of cable networks and the information superhighway.

Whatever the reason, there's no denying that we Alaskans get crazy in the winter. Who else could dream up a 1,000-mile Iditarod through the heart of nowhere, then add an Iditabike, an Iditaski, occasionally an Iditawalk, and even a Yukon Quest?

The Iditarod is only the tip of the iceberg. All across the state, from November through April, Alaskans are inventing new ideas for winter entertainment. The wild and crazy events start out as a way for local citizens to have fun and let off steam.

After a few years, visitors from elsewhere in the state begin traveling to these smaller communities to get in on the action. Then, when tales about these weird winter activities leak out, international visitors start jetting to towns like Glennallen and Kodiak to join the fun.

As a result, winter tourism in Alaska is taking on new meaning. In addition to the big events like the Iditarod, Fur Rendezvous and aurora watching, dozens of smaller winter events are bringing new business to their communities.

Hey, if an activity is fun, affordable, accessible and attracts business, does it matter if it's a little wacky? Judge for yourself with Alaska Business Monthly's list of some of the best off-beat events Alaska has to offer this winter.

SHOOTING THE BREEZE

Every Thanksgiving weekend, when there's barely enough snow outside for skiing and an overdose of football clogs the television channels, thousands of Alaskans get live, indoor sports relief at the University of Alaska Anchorage's (UAA) Great Alaska Shootout.

This year's basketball binge, slated for Nov. 23-26 at the Sullivan Arena, "will be the 17th annual shootout," says Dave Mateer, UAA's sports information director. "Our crowd here has been picking up the last two to three years. We've had between 30,000 to 40,000 fans for the whole tournament."

Attendance should soar again this year with the cast of talented teams scheduled to play at the four-day tournament. In addition to the UAA Seawolves, this year's shootout will include teams from: Arizona State, Brigham Young University, Jackson State, Louisville, Minnesota, Oklahoma State and Villanova.

Aside from the basketball action, fans can pig out on indoor concessions (an interesting diversion from Thanksgiving leftovers) or participate in the shootout's Couch Potato promotion.

"We invite the fans to dress in green and gold (the Seawolves' colors), and we pick four at each session to sit in a sofa at courtside," says Mateer.

Last year's grand Couch Potato winner, a fan from Nome, proves that the tournament lures dedicated travelers from around the state. For tickets and a list of games, call UAA at 786-1230.

EYEING THE EAGLES

The best eagle watching on this planet takes place from mid-November to mid-December each year in southeast Alaska.

That's the time when nearly 4,000 bald eagles wing their way to the 48,000-acre Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines. Their purpose: to feast on a winter salmon run heading up the Chilkat, Klihune and Tsirku rivers.

"The main viewing area for the eagles is along the Chilkat River, about 19 miles from Haines along the Haines Highway," says Jo...