With Alaska temperatures headed well below zero, be prepared. Very prepared.

The gravedigger was tired after all of his digging, so he lay down in his newly dug hole for a nap.  Soon afterward, he was awakened by a call: "Hey down there, you OK?"

"Yeah, yeah," he replied, "just a little cold."

"Well," came the call from the top, "course you cold — you done kicked all your dirt off!"

Folks, don't be kicking any of your covers or dirt off this next week, because it is going to be cold. Anchorage forecasters are warning of highs of 10-below by early next week. McGrath is expected to see temperatures sink as low as minus-40. Fairbanks should be only a few degrees higher.

[Michael Carey: Why 40 below is no laughing matter]

Not many Anchorage residents have seen real cold weather. A significant portion of the Southcentral population has lived in the area for less than five years, and since the record-setting snowfall of the 2011-12 winter, when Anchorage received more than 11 feet of powder, no serious cold and very little snow has graced the Anchorage Bowl. One of the few serious cold snaps arrived in January of 2012, when the temperature hit minus-15 in Alaska's largest city. Fairbanks was minus-51 on Jan. 29.

Heck, when I was a kid growing up on the south side of Anchor-town, it was 30-below every time I trudged through the three miles of snow on my way up the mountain to school. It was worse coming home because it usually snowed a couple of feet while I was in school.

So all of you outdoorsmen and women out there, consider staying inside. Polish up your gear, make plans for upcoming trips, ready the snowmobile. We haven't had much snow this season, so doublecheck the slide rails on your machine — there might be extra wear and tear.  I'd bet the ski skegs have spit some carbide. Clean up the plastic skis; rough plastic will get you stuck in overflow.

Women, toss the pretty scarf. Yes, you look cute with it wrapped around you, but the air leaks may lead to frostbite on your neck. That is not so attractive. Buy a good balaclava; they work. Lose the ski gloves. Gloves separate the fingers, which results in cold hands. Instead, find some nice roomy mittens. The military supplies the best. And remember, warm is beautiful.

When encountering frigid weather, our body abandons its extremities as the core cools. So keep your core warm by starting with a good base layer. My recommendation is to stay away from expensive "wicking" under-layers. They are great for hotrod athletes who love to sweat, but old ice fishermen and snowmobile sitters need cotton/poly-pro blends.

Follow this layer with a blocking layer. The old standby is cotton based. I'd opt for polar fleece over that, though wool is also good, just heavier. Over all of this wear a snowsuit. One can wear bibs and a parka, or just a single piece and carry a parka along. Your parka needs a good fur ruff.  I've not seen many cold coyotes.

Your feet are farthest from the body core, so they need the most attention. Pack boots are common and the better ones work OK, as long as one takes care to dry them every day. Mukluks are better, but also require considerable care. Military vapor-barrier boots (bunny boots) work the best and are virtually trouble-free, but they're not for everyone. If you use bunny boots; get Bata or U.S., not one of the imitations.

I'm not a big fan of chemical hand and foot warmers, but they do have their place. Chemical warmers can be placed in boots before going outside. Many of the warmers found in stores today are air-activated — no shaking or mixing is necessary.

Remember, these won't work properly unless they start warm. Don't expect positive results if you open one and insert it into boot with a cold foot at minus-20. Opt instead for a chemical warmer that needs to be mixed.

Of course, if you are staying in the garage and working on your gear, as I suggest, you don't need to think about cold. It gets a bit more complicated if one needs to go downtown. I would keep under layers the same through the polar fleece layer. Some of your buddies may also be downtown when you're there. It will be necessary to stand outside talking to them and you want to appear tough and unbothered by the cold.

The trek from truck seat to the sporting goods counter doesn't require much besides hot coffee. Coffee tastes better in a stainless cup, but these containers are cold when left in the truck. Choose the styrofoam ones instead.

Should you be one of the brave ones who is going to go fishing or camping regardless of the weather (perhaps next week is the only vacation time you could get), there is an old adage you might take to heart:

"The closer the knit, the tighter the fit and the chills stay away." In lay terms, that means six guys in a four-man tent.

John Schandelmeier is a lifelong Alaskan who lives with his family near Paxson. He is a Bristol Bay commercial fisherman and two-time winner of the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race, where the temperature regularly hits minus-30 and lower.