Alaska's cities
Winter fun in Fairbanks
Northern lights, hot springs draw visitors north
By Sarana Schell / Anchorage Daily News
Heading into the dark chill of Interior Alaska may seem like the wrong direction to go between October and May, but savvy travelers can bank on encountering light and warmth in the state's Golden Heart -- Fairbanks.
Hot springs are a sure bet for soothing warmth, and the heat of the mineral water is even more relaxing when experienced in a pool surrounded by snow. A cross-country ski at 20 below zero always makes a warm room and hot drink seem cozier, too. Old friends reunite at the Athabascan Old Time Fiddling Festival in November, dancing and making music for days.
Daylight may be brief, but it can be dazzling. Sometimes frost will coat trees, and pale cold sunlight makes feathery crystals on dark birch branches sparkle in clear, still air.
Bright nights
Night light is softer but equally beautiful. Moonlight teases tiny rainbows from the faces of snow crystals and creates distinct shadows behind snow-laden trees. The pink-tinged green of the aurora borealis often spreads across the stars, sometimes in dancing, jagged curtains, sometimes in slow-moving swirls.
The Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau says the city sits along a ring-shaped region known as the Auroral Oval that marks an ideal viewing zone. The best viewing hours are from late evening to early morning. February and March are favorite months, with an aurora visible nine out of 10 clear nights, active on four.
Even for those early to bed there is no shortage of night-sky-watching darkness. On winter solstice, the visitors bureau reports, the shortest day of the year stretches across 3 hours and 42 minutes of daylight, from sunrise at 10:59 a.m. to sunset at 2:41 p.m.
Preparation for the trip
A winter trip in Alaska takes care and preparation. The time spent preparing can lend a visit richness, though, the way cookies from scratch taste better for the effort put into them.
Driving the Parks Highway can be a breeze under clear skies, as cold weather makes roads as dry as in July. That same cold weather necessitates a full stash of emergency clothing and supplies in a vehicle before setting out. Monitoring weather across the state can help make an aurora-watching quest a success, and advise drivers to allow extra time in case of snow.
Snow, of course, is the basis for half the reasons to go to the Interior.
Guided dog-mushing tours and lessons are one wonderful way to enjoy the snow. The visitors bureau can even point out companies that arrange overnight trips.
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