FAIRBANKS
- Hannah McDonald
- Jan 1
- 19 min read
For the week between Christmas and New Years, I managed to convinced Mom and Jo to see dark, cold Alaska with me—less than 4 hours of daylight and temperatures down to -30ºF. In the weeks leading up, many people thought we were crazy. It turned out to be the most magical trip. Don’t believe me? Just keep reading, and next thing you know, you’ll want to be in Alaska next December.
A Few Hours In Seattle
With a day in Seattle, we set out to explore the highlights at night: Dinner at Kati Vegan Thai (highly recommend), Pike Place Market, the first Starbucks, the gum wall, Pier 66, a peek at the aquarium (we saw a shark through the little window into the tank from outside), and the Space Needle. The rotating level on the Space Needle is sure something!
Pad Thai Restaurant
As it turns out, Fairbanks has a lot of Thai restaurants, and we give one a try to fuel up for our first day in Fairbanks after touching down just this morning. It's very homey and just what we need.
Wedgewood Wildlife Sanctuary
A walk in just over 0ºF? Why not! After circling a bit to find the trailhead, we bundle up and head into what turns out to be a magical forest. The trees are coated in snow—the thick branches of the spruce and the bare branches of the birch. Joelle and I are running, skipping, and playing. It is a winter wonderland, and we are definitely singing that song. The snow is too dry to make a snowball; it’s basically sand. We came here from the airport, so we aren’t fully bundled up yet. Mom heads back to the car early, while Jo and I let ourselves go numb. We bump into a frozen lake, with a trail all the way around. The sky is sunset colors at 2:17pm. Opting to save some of our depleting daylight for a stop in town, we head back to the car.
Moose Antler Arch and Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center
In town, there is a Moose Antler Arch that we make a quick stop at, just outside the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center. We are excited to learn a little about Fairbanks, and the exhibit at the cultural center is impressive. We walk through displays of each season, learning a bit about what life is like here. Here are a few highlights:
Alaska was purchased from Russia by the U.S.
Alaskans use the term “The Lower-Forty Eight” to refer to the Mainland U.S.
The top 3 industries in Alaska are oil and gas, fishing, and tourism.
Taxes from oil and gas fund ~83% of the Alaskan government’s budget.
To build the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, an oil transportation system spanning Alaska, people from all walks of life, with all different skills, had to work together.
The gold rush is what brought many of the non-Alaskan Natives to Alaska.
Permafrost is a layer of permanently frozen soil that covers about 85% of Alaska. There are about 30-100cm of active soil that thaws and refreezes, while the rest is permafrost.
Summer is a busy time! During the salmon run, everyone works together to fish and prepare the salmon. The midnight sun also allows for baseball games at midnight.
Winters are dark and cold. So much so that an outdoor freezer doesn’t need to be plugged in. Just don’t forget to plug it back in when it starts warming up!
The Crepery
The Crepery in Fairbanks comes highly recommended and does not disappoint. The warmth and smell of crepes wafts around us as soon as we enter. While I have never had a savory crepe, they have yummy-looking vegan veggie crepes, which cannot be resisted (vegan cheese, avocado, roasted red peppers, etc.). Joelle and I split a savory and a sweet, and I think they are some of the best crepes I have ever had. We make multiple return trips throughout our stay.
Georgeson Botanical Garden
At the visitors center, we saw a flier for this botanical garden transformed into a winter wonderland. Now, if you’ve been to Denver’s zoo or botanical garden lights, this is probably underwhelming. However, there are cute lights strung throughout what is likely a garden, though everything is covered in a thick blanket of snow so it’s hard to tell. Bundled-up kids play and run around with their families.
The Running Reindeer Ranch
On our way to Running Reindeer Ranch, we watch the sunrise–at 9:30am. We are excited to meet the reindeer! We watched the safety videos last night so are ready to jump right in. The key takeaways: Don’t touch their antlers and, if needed, be a tree (AKA stand still so they think hitting you will hurt them, not you). The story of Running Reindeer Ranch is a fun one. In short, the owner’s daughter really wanted a livestock animal, and she landed on a reindeer. Her mom, Jane, told her she had to do all the research and fundraising herself, fairly sure she wouldn’t do it. Well, she did. She raised $2,000 to purchase a reindeer through things like selling cookies, only to realize reindeer are herd animals. She needed $4,000 to purchase two reindeer. Eventually, she raised the funds and got two reindeer. The daughter slept outside and spent every second she could with the reindeer, until the first snow of the year. She decided it was too cold to sleep outside. That night, all the reindeer made a break for it, trying to run the many many miles back to their previous home because reindeer are “homebodies.” After days of searching, the reindeer were found in a parking lot in town, hence the name Running Reindeer Ranch. Now about 17 years later, Jane’s daughter is at CSU’s vet school, and the Running Reindeer Ranch is going strong with 14 reindeer. You can watch the full story, told by Jane, here.
We are introduced to the reindeer, starting with Rosita, who used to be very shy but is learning to socialize. There are the “naughty brothers” and their mom, who was a runty baby. Poppy has beautiful antlers with 36 points—the most of any reindeer they've had. Toby does not like to be pet but makes a good model. Two reindeer needed an “attitude adjustment,” after far too many warnings, getting pieces of their antlers cut off (physically painless for them). One reindeer is currently at the bottom of the herd’s hierarchy, being picked on by the other reindeer, because he doesn’t have any antlers right now, due to breeding this season. Stella Luna was born under a full moon, while Heather is the “COVID baby.” Forrest is a runner: Run forest, run! All in all, each reindeer clearly has their own personality and is well-loved by the Running Reindeer Ranch staff. They are also sure to inform us that these reindeer are part of a loving, vegetarian family.
Throughout our time, we learn lots of interesting facts about reindeer.
Reindeer and caribou are the same species but different subspecies. The primary difference is that reindeer are domesticated, while caribou are wild.
Reindeer grow their antlers in the summer, and while they are growing, the antlers are very sensitive, packed with nerves and blood vessels and covered with a hairlike membrane known as “velvet.”
The antlers are strong bone in the winter, no longer sensitive, and shed in the spring, unless the males are breeding in which case they shed in the Fall.
Without antlers, the breeding reindeer are at the bottom of the herd’s political latter.
Remember the song lyric, “up on the housetop click, click, click”? Well, that’s because reindeer hooves actually click when they walk. The sound is tendons in their feet snapping over bones in their back hooves when they step, similar to how our knees might crack as humans.
Most interestingly, t-shirt weather for reindeer is -40ºF. So, even on this chilly day, the reindeer are warm.
We walk up the hillside behind the “lead” reindeer (Toby), while the others jog up behind us. When we reach the “photo booth”—an open area with beautiful trees and snow—we get to hang out with the reindeer. We say “hi” to each, coming up to their side to pet them. They are beautiful, so cute, and completely unbothered by us. With their noses, they dig to the bottom of the deep snow, reaching the forest floor to snack on the leaves. One of the yearlings (1.5 year olds) is a “Momma’s boy,” sticking close to her side as they snack. It is magical. On the walk back down the hill, everyone seems more comfortable, and the reindeer weave in and out of the people on the trail. They like to squeeze through the small gaps, like we are trees—the small gaps are probably more fun for them.
At the bottom, we are given homemade cookies—the best seller recipe from when Jane’s daughter was baking to raise money to purchase their first reindeer. There is also a pile of antlers that have fallen off the reindeer. In the prerequisite videos, Jane explains how to properly hold these on your head so as not to look like a “dork” in your pictures. Thank you, Jane. If you are wondering how heavy they are, I can confirm they are quite heavy, as I lift them above our head.
This is an incredible, magical experience, and I highly recommend it!
Santa Claus House
Santa! I know him! In the North Pole, it’s always Christmas. Santa Claus House is filled with festive trinkets, presumably made by the elves. And, we meet Santa himself. I thought he would take a few days off after Christmas…
North Pole Crepery
Of course, we are always looking for crepes, so we make a stop at the North Pole Crepery. Unfortunately, this one can’t compete with The Crepery in Fairbanks, although that was a tall order.
Aurora Chasing Tour
We have been back and forth on wether to book an Aurora tour. After all, it’s just up in the sky. Can’t you see it if you look up? On our second night, we decide we may as well. We’ve come all this way. Why stop here? There are a million options. I started doing the research before we left, and it’s overwhelming. We keep it simple, picking the first that comes up on Google (Mom did a little checking on it and called to verify it is legit). It is very cloudy over Fairbanks tonight, so we assume it will not be a good night for viewing. Over the phone, we are told we can likely drive to clear sky, and he suspects we will see it tonight (not guaranteed, of course). Next thing I know, we are booked for the tour and trying to take a quick nap before the late night (10:00pm to at least 4:00am).
All bundled up, we shuffle into the “unmarked white” van with ten of us plus the tour guide. Some were standbys after being on the tour last night and not seeing the lights (too cloudy), so hopefully our luck changes tonight. We start driving in… I couldn’t tell you what direction. All I know is that we are going away from the people and hopefully to clear skies. Also hopefully not an elaborate kidnapping scheme with the unmarked white van, a Walmart parking lot at 10:00pm, and all…
Our tour guide talks “internal dialogue” style for three hours straight–I kid you not. He tells us all about the aurora and probably some other things, but this is pretty much what I take away: The creation of the aurora has something to do with solar winds; all the aurora predictions more than an hour out are basically useless; an hour out is accurate due to the placement of the satellite detecting the protons and electrons of the solar wind; satellites aren’t placed for earlier predictions due to orbits and how many satellites would then need to be placed to collect data for regular predictions; the auroras usually last five to fifteen minutes; it is important to protect your night vision to best see the aurora; and clear skies mean cold temperatures (like -20ºF and below) because the clouds are no longer insulating.
Our guide is regularly looking up to check for stars (signs the clouds are parting), and in the back, Mom, Jo, and I are in and out as we nod off during the late hours. We stop at an outhouse for a quick bathroom break and stretch, and we are advised not to use any flashlights in order to protect our night vision. I fumble my way though a (cold) bathroom break and loose a hand warmer somewhere in the process (bummer). Back in the van, our guide’s internal dialogue resumes. He mentions we have hit the second mountain’s summit, and he wants to continue to the third mountain just to see. Next thing I know, “There it is! It’s happening now.” We try to wipe away the clouding on the windows to take a peek, and sure enough, there are giant green streaks bright in the sky. Everyone bundles up and jumps out of the van.
I am flooded with a mix of awe and relief. Relief because, phew, we managed to see them, and awe because wow. The green is bright, to the naked eye, and curves across the entire sky in streaks, while the stars sparkle bright. Honestly, I have no idea where we are. Are we on another planet? Is this a planetarium with AC on blast and snow to give the effect? I have no bearings, just the magical sky dancing above. We feel so close to the stars. To one side of the road, there is a dark patch in the snow: Is that a lake of some sort? “No, it’s a forest,” the guide tell us. I don’t see it (until later when I see the picture the guide took). Like I said, no bearings. The aurora changes quickly, and as one section of the sky fades, another shines bright. At times, we even see patches of pink. We rented a camera and tripod to attempt some quality pictures, although it is near impossible to capture the full effect with justice. Most the group retreats to the car for warmth, but Joelle and I stay outside, dancing under the colorful sky until it fades away to leave just the twinkling stars. According to our guide, this is a top 25% aurora. Definitely worth staying up until 5:30am.
I drop a pin on our way back, and it turns out we were about 95 miles up the Steese Highway near Eagle Summit on the way toward a small town called Circle (population: less than 100). When conditions are bad, this can be an incredibly dangerous road. In January, two people froze to death along this road. So, maybe don’t do this on your own, and if you do, make sure to check conditions, have a satellite phone to communicate without cell service, and bring supplies to stay warm and survive up to 48 hours if you get stuck.
Alaska Dog Mushers Association: Preliminary Races
The temperature at which things seem to get cancelled around here is -20ºF. Unfortunately, that means this dog sledding race, primarily for beginners, is cancelled. We were looking forward to seeing the action! We take a peek at the track nonetheless.
Up Steese Highway for Daytime Viewing
Although cold, the skies are clear, and it is absolutely gorgeous. The sun is shining bright, and we didn’t realize just how much the clouds were hiding. For the first time, we see mountains off in the distance—the Alaska Range. Since we could not see anything around Steese Highway in the darkness while chasing the northern lights, we decide to take a look during the daylight. Put simply, it is absolutely beautiful. The snow blankets everything in white, the sky is a bright blue, the sun on the horizon provides a beautiful orange color, and there are lots of trees.
The Winter Farmer’s Market
We discovered this Winter Farmer’s Market on a flier in the Visitor’s Center and decide to check it out. Who knows – might be cool! It’s at the Ken Kunkel Community Center, and there are cars in the parking lot, meaning we are off to a better start than the dog mushers race this morning. We don’t really know what to expect (winter farmers market? In Alaska?) and are greeted by local vendors at five tables. We make our way to each, chatting with the vendors about their products. There are baked goods, fresh mushrooms, apothecary remedies, and more. Joelle purchases an S hook to hang her cello bow. It was forged by a teenage boy, and based on his mom’s shock when Joelle said she wanted to purchase it, it was maybe one of his first sales.
Aurora Chasing — Night Three
Tonight, we try to “aurora chase” on our own. Our previous guide says that “anyone with a brain” will be able to find the aurora tonight. The skies are crystal clear. Around 8:00pm, we begin a nap to prepare for another late night. At 10:00pm, we wake to green streaks outside our AirBnB window. It’s not like last night, but they come right to us. We bundle up and hop in the car, in search of a good place to view. We find a parking lot—Stiles Creek Trailhead and Shooting Range—with clear views around us, and we start our northern lights stakeout. Jo and I both fall asleep, and at 2:00am, Mom, who has been on the lookout for four hours, calls it quits. The best show of the night was outside our AirBnB window between 9:00pm and 10:00pm, most of which we slept through during our nap.
Paws for Adventure: Dog Mushing
I’m turning this one over to Joelle… the dogs LOVED her (and mom).
If you had asked me before our trip what "Dog Mushing" is I would have guessed something ranging from over-loving a dog with kisses to animal-cruelty aimed at making Flat Stanley dogs. Turns out, it is the real name for Dog Sledding (not that I know much about that either). Beyond a vague understanding of the Iditarod race, I knew nothing before this trip. Fortunately, I have a bit more context after falling down a Wikipedia rabbit hole during our drive yesterday.
We arrive at the kennel and trail complex and check-in inside of a yurt where a "regular" dog is napping beside a wood burning stove. This pup is apparently from the South and NOT interested in anything involving cold or work. Once we are given yet another parka to pull over our many layers of clothes, we go outside to meet all the dogs who aren't pulling sleds today.
Each dog has a little doghouse with their name on it, a bucket (probably for food), and a peg to which they are chained (plus a lot of yellow snow and ice). There are SO MANY dogs! They are all so sweet and friendly and clearly get plenty of love from the tourists like us passing through each day. The dogs are definitely athletes. You can see a circle each of them has carved in the snow from running loop after loop around their peg and area. Some of the dogs are running in circles while others snooze away in their houses, pose on top of their houses to lure visitors into petting them, and watchfully gaze after the humans to pick out the top petters. We lose track of time giving love to dog after dog. Grey really loves my mom and paws her for more pets every time she stops. Jamie and Tagish are my favorite. Thankfully, they are neighbors because I just can't chose one to love on.
Finally, we are pulled away by the owner because our sled dogs are ready to go. The dogs only pull up to two people plus their Musher at a time, so my mom takes one sled while Hannah and I share another.
It was absolutely magical. The trails are flat and open enough to see the Alaskan Range, with the sun hanging low and golden in the sky. Trees line some edges, branches heavy with snow and still with cold. When glades open, you can appreciate just how smart the dogs are to know just where to go in the vast wilderness. At one point the dogs take off, speeding up all together. Hannah and I wonder at it, and our musher–Olaf, originally from Germany–points out a mom and baby moose a ways off the trail. Moose are the most dangerous animal out here for dogs and the lead dogs know to get their pack out of there.
Our eyelashes freeze together as the dogs pull us, but neither of us care. All you have to do is squeeze your eyes together for a few seconds to melt them apart and reveal the magic of the dogs and Alaskan landscape again.
Aurora Chasing — Night Four
The late nights are catching up a bit, especially for mom who was on “aurora lookout” rather than napping in the car last night (thanks mom). But, when in Alaska! We bundle up and hop in the car. This time, I drive, so Jo and I can be the aurora spotters in the front, while Mom naps in the back. We return to our spot 15 minutes up the road at Stiles Creek Trailhead and Shooting Range. Wrapped in blankets to snuggle in for a few hours, Joelle is about 5 minutes into her giggle-y “comedy show” when she says, “Am I hallucinating or is that an aurora?” Our iPhone camera “aurora detector” proves it is, with strong green shining through the camera screen. We get fully bundled and hop out to watch the show. There are multiple auroras, with one particularly cool green streak stretching across the sky. We see the green color strengthen (“aurora detector” no longer needed), the streak begin to curve, and lots of movement across the sky. It is so cool. While it’s a little less bright than the one we saw on our tour (probably because the sky isn't as dark... light pollution), the aurora seems much more active as it moves across the sky. At one point, it is like a painter doing brush strokes to add streaks of green, as layers move across the sky to add to the aurora. It is a truly amazing hour, watching the sky dance. We crawl into bed by midnight (woohoo), just to hear Mom’s aurora alarm “ding” again.
Chena Hot Springs
Greenhouse and Geothermal Energy Tour
The Chena Resort grows their own lettuce, herbs, and tomatoes in sub 0ºF weather! Using the geothermal water, they have created large greenhouses to grow this produce for their restaurant. Our animated guide tells us about the process, including the three sources of warmth—it really is toasty in here. While we can’t go in the growing area (because they don’t want us to contaminate the restaurant’s food), we sample the produce later in the restaurant’s salads.
The Chena Resort also produces its own Geothermal Energy, with three turbines on site. This is enough energy to consistently power the entire resort. The water comes in at 165ºF and is piped around a tube of refrigerant. The steam from the boiled refrigerant then spins the turbine, and the water is pushed back down into the Earth to reheat. They proudly claim that they are the only geothermal plant in the country that can produce power with such cool water (water boils at 212ºF but refrigerant has a lower boiling point). Unfortunately, we don’t get to go in the Geothermal Power Plant, but we do get to peek in the window to the 3D printers that produce the gift shop items.
Aurora Ice Museum
Ice carving is a thing here! The World Ice Art Championships are in Fairbanks in February and March. We won’t get to experience that, but The Chena Resort does have an ice museum. Our tour heads into the museum, and it’s actually warmer in here than it is outside. One of the few rules we are given is to not lick the ice, which the tour guide thinks should be an unspoken rule. The Ukrainian ice carver is currently working on some pieces at the front of the museum, specifically the ice glasses that the bar’s apple martinis are served in. Yes, there is a bar in the ice museum, completely made out of ice—The Aurora Ice Bar. There are also three “hotel rooms” complete with ice beds, one of which is a polar bear. I can’t imagine people actually stay in here…? There are weddings though! There is an ice chapel, about one wedding per month, and flowers from each wedding preserved in the ice. We explore the igloo, hotel rooms, chapel, and ice bar. Joelle remarks, “Is it just me, or does everything seem very lick-able? I didn’t want to until they mentioned it, but now everything looks like a giant popsicle.” Fortunately, she refrains from it. We admire a knight riding a horse—the replica of a previous ice championship winner, although only 1/3 of the actual size. Previously, there was a whole chess set, but guests kept touching them, melting all the pieces into bishops and pawns. The tours are 45 minutes and spaced to allow the museum to cool back down after the glowing lights are turned off and guests’ body heat removed.
Hot Springs
Hot springs sound nice, but walking to and from the pool in a swim suit in -20ºF does not sound nice. Oh well! We’re doing it. Fortunately, it’s a short walk. The surrounding trees and forest are covered in snow, magical as always. One particular tree is taking form with the amount of snow on it. Chicken? Bunny? Snow monster? Who can say. The steam wafts above, hiding the sky, but where it parts, the stars above shine bright. The green lights in the pool give the illusion of the aurora, which we are hoping to see. We wade around the pool, with different areas having remarkably different temperatures, and sprinkle snow on ourselves to get that tingly feeling (okay, maybe I deviously sprinkled it on Jo). Our hair and eyelashes crystalize and turn to icicles in the cold air. The warm soak is nice, despite being a lot of work to take all our layers on and off.
Happy New Year!
In my research, I repeatedly found Chena Hot Springs to be a great place to view the aurora, and we are hoping that proves right. There are New Years festivities tonight, so we seek a comfortable couch to hang out on until then, while mom returns our swim suits and towels to the car (to turn to icicles…). Outside the activity center, four mini snow cats are preparing for the aurora tours. We head inside and settle on the couch, just in time for someone in a bright yellow vest to come in and say, “that’s the best aurora I’ve seen in 20 years. You all are missing the show.” Joelle and I run out back, and sure enough, there are faint, green wisps in the sky above the mountain. I’m not sure I would say this is the best we’ve seen in the last four days, let alone 20 years, but it is a great way to ring in the new year. The colors pop more through the camera on our phones, but the green wisps are clear, starting as streaks, before becoming more vibrant and curving, and then fading away. This aurora has rays beaming upward, making for a slightly different formation.
If the aurora wasn’t enough, the resort also has a (10:30–phew) fireworks show! Everyone shuffles outside, and there is a faint “okay, start the show.” Joelle quickly asks, “what, are they just going to shoot them off in the parking lot?” That’s exactly what they do. We hear each firework light and launch into the sky, while headlamps run away from it each time. It is awesome—maybe one of the most fun firework shows I’ve ever seen, with big “pops” right above us, live reactions from the audience, and a very “homey” feel. How do we know when it’s over? The firework launchers yell across the parking lot, “Happy New Year!”
Isn’t it dark??
While there are less than 4 hours between sunrise and sunset, the sky is light for much longer than that. “Twilight” is nearly an hour, before sunrise and after sunset.
Weren’t you cold??
Honestly, no. Temperatures ranged from -20ºF to 4ºF, yet we didn’t really get cold. But, you have to dress right! Also, hand and toe warmers are highly recommended. Here is our standard “uniform” and packing list:
Base layer pants (x2)
Warm leggings (thermal or fleece) (x2)
Down pants (x1)
Ski pants (x1)
Base layer top (x2)
Fleece layer top (x1-2) – Melanzana was awesome
Standard down jacket (x1)
Ski jacket (x1)
“Sleeping bag” down jacket (x1)
Fleece-lined balaclava (x1)
Warm hat (x1)
Glove liners (x1)
Warm mittens (x1)
Smart Wool socks (x3-5)
Swim suit for hot springs (x1)
Snow boots (x1)
Sneakers for travel days (x1)
Hand and toe warmers
Some other interesting things…
Don't forget to plug your car in! No, it's not electric, it's just that cold. Heat coils powered via extension cords keep the engine oil from freezing.
There really seems to be a connection between Colorado and Alaska, as we have met many people throughout our trip originally from Colorado that now live in Fairbanks. Zach from Running Reindeer Ranch; Aaron, our northern lights tour guide; and another tour guide we chatted with at Chena Hot Springs after he noticed Joelle’s Melly. Don't forget, Jane's daughter, from Running Reindeer Ranch, is now at CSU too.
I like to ask locals where they are from and, if not Alaska, what brought them to Alaska. I ask other travelers similar questions, along the lines of why they chose Alaska for their trip. There was an overwhelming theme in the answers: Movies or books, usually about Balto the Sled Dog. After reading these books or watching these movies, it became their dreams to either move to or visit Alaska, and it seems many have made their dreams a reality.
You know how we are always saying the pictures don't do it justice. Well, the Aurora might be the only thing that pictures do it more than justice. That said, it is pretty amazing to see in person, even if the colors are more vibrant through the camera. I started calling my phone the “aurora detector” because if we weren’t sure if an aurora was starting to form, the camera on my phone would let us know.
Dog Sledding!
Northern Lights Viewing - Live Commentary
Carving an Ice Glass
Happy New Year!
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