Winter Wonderland: northern lights, dog sledding and hot springs in Fairbanks. Photo / Sherman Hogue
While summer tourists pack Alaska’s cruise ships, winter offers outdoor adventures from dogsledding to ice carving to the aurora borealis. Janna Graber takes us to Fairbanks, Alaska, in the depths of winter.
I’m bundled up warmly from head to toe, and it’s hard to walk in my thick snow pants, boots and bulky coat. I don’t look graceful, truth be told, but I follow our guide as he treks across the deep snow under a dark Alaskan sky.
My friends and I are on a hunt – for Northern Lights, that is. If you could see our faces beneath the thick scarves, our excitement would be obvious. While many visit Alaska in the summer, we’ve travelled to the city of Fairbanks in the dead of winter.
“Why?” you might ask. This little town in the heart of Alaska, population 30,000, lies directly under the Auroral Oval, a ring-shaped zone over the far north where Northern Lights activity is concentrated. It’s the perfect place to see the Aurora Borealis.
The Northern Lights dance across the sky here all year long, but it must be dark enough to see them. During summer, the sun barely sets. The lights become visible with winter darkness. Aurora season runs from August 21 to April 21, and during this time, the lights can be visible on average four out of five nights.
To see the Aurora Borealis in Fairbanks, you can drive to any vantage point and wait. Many hotels offer wake-up calls to their guests when the lights are out.
I recommend going with a local guide who knows the best spots and timing. We went aurora hunting with Aurora Point, who fed us warm cookies and hot cocoa in a heated building between viewings. We oohed and aahed every time we saw pale glows of green and blue zip across the night sky. Nature put on quite a show that made the trip well worth it.
But that’s not the only reason to visit Fairbanks in winter. This Alaskan town, the second largest in the state, was built mainly because of Gold Rush fever at the turn of the 20th century. It embraces the winter season with unique outdoor activities, festivals and a culture that makes the most of the coldest months. Yes, it’s cold here in winter – temperatures range from -18C to -35C – but it’s an experience you’ll remember.
Here are six more reasons to visit Fairbanks in winter.
One of the items on my Fairbanks bucket list was dog sledding. Fairbanks hosts the North American Championship of sled-dog races every year, and it’s part of the culture. My friends and I wanted to learn more about it, so we booked an adventure with a local outfitter led by a veteran musher.
He explained the basics of dog sledding and then introduced us to a few of the dogs. As he readied them to go, they jumped with excitement. Then my friend and I sat down in the sleigh, covered in thick, warm blankets.
When our guide gave the dogs the signal to go, he didn’t even have to direct the sleigh. They knew exactly where to go, following a snow-covered trail through the forest. It was quiet and peaceful – a beautiful way to see the Alaskan wilderness.
Chena Hot Springs is a must-visit in Fairbanks. There’s something so relaxing about soaking in hot thermal springs while snow falls around you. The thermal springs are popular with locals and visitors alike. You can even stay overnight at their resort.
My friends and I spent a whole afternoon here. After soaking in the thermal springs, we stopped at the Aurora Ice Museum on the property and enjoyed apple martinis served in glasses made from ice while standing around the ice bar. We finished with a hearty meal next to the fireplace in their cosy restaurant.
If you’re visiting in mid-February to the end of March, don’t miss the World Ice Art Championship in Fairbanks; a month-long annual event that attracts ice sculptors and artists from all over the world.
It typically hosts more than 100 ice sculpting artists from different countries. Many of these massive ice structures rise to more than 6m in height and you’ll need at least a few hours to see all the ice sculptures and slide down the ice slides that are part of the festival fun.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when we stopped at the University of Alaska Museum of the North, but this well-executed museum was impressive. We had planned 90 minutes there, and it wasn’t nearly enough to see everything I wanted to see.
The museum focuses on native cultures in Alaska and Arctic animals and diverse wildlife. It also has a huge collection of indigenous art. It’s a perfect way to understand Alaska’s rich cultural heritage and escape the cold for a few hours.
I couldn’t pass up the chance to meet the big guy himself, so I stopped at the famous Santa Claus House at the North Pole, where Santa has put smiles on visitors’ faces for more than 70 years. You can often see the jolly fellow when browsing for the perfect gift inside the Santa Claus House, which also serves coffee and delicious cake from The Sweet Shop. While you’re there, visit Santa’s reindeer team in the red barn next to Santa’s House, where you can feed them through the fence.
Fairbanks also offers something for auto enthusiasts at the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum. Often named one of the top attractions in Fairbanks, the museum’s owner and his wife combined their passions – his love for cars and her love for fashion to create a fascinating collection.
The museum houses more than 95 rare cars from the early 20th century, with clothing pieces from these periods in history. You can admire horseless carriages, electric cars, steamers and other vehicles. You’ll come away with some amazing photos.
Pike’s Waterfront Lodge might be the most interesting and fun place to stay in Fairbanks. It’s more of an experience than just a hotel, offering a full schedule of activities that are especially popular with families.
Pike’s Landing is a historic spot on the Chena River, named after Lloyd Pike. The structure goes back to when Alaska obtained statehood. If you’re like us, you’ll get caught up in the excitement of aurora seeking during your stay. They have a special package for aurora seekers with access to their Aurora Conservatory, a building with three glass walls and a slanted glass ceiling. If you’d like, they’ll even wake you up if Northern Lights are spotted during the night.
With so much to do, my time in Alaska flew by. Though I had dreaded the cold of an Alaskan winter, I was so busy having fun that it didn’t factor in at all. Perhaps it truly is as the Alaskans say, “All you need is the right clothing”.