Back to Nature - Fairbanks, AK

This was my second trip to Fairbanks in as many years. Having spent ten days here in March 2007, I looked forward to this trip with nearly as much anticipation and excitement. Perhaps because I knew what awaited me . . . maybe because this time I was going to have the opportunity to share in this found gem in our 49th state - ALASKA! Regardless, this was a trip months in the planning and one that was going to provide me with my first real break from my new job.

My friend Cathy and her 15 year old son joined me for this Alaskan Adventure. Like so many of my friends and family members, Cathy was captured by the beauty of not only the northern lights . . . but also the landscape and the winter activities that Alaska is known for.

They were adventurous not only in the activities that we did, but also in dining choices selected. While it is easy to find a great burger in Fairbanks, it is a bit more challenging to decide on what type of restaurant you wish to indulge in. We found a couple of nice options including the Wolf Run Dessert and Dinner House. I just love that name! Dessert and dinner house. Stephen Covey should take great pleasure in "beginning with the end in mind" when choosing a restaurant.

I think I'm falling in love the with sprint dog races. Again, I had the opportunity to photograph a couple of days of the Open North American Championship. A three day aggregate time race, I was thrilled to watch defending champion Buddy Streeper as well as this year's champion Egil Ellis who won his eighth ONAC. It was an exciting final day on Sunday, with Egil looking determined and his dogs happy.

While the aurora borealis, aka northern lights, were the highlight of my first trip to Fairbanks, on this trip they would be a bit of a disappointment. With only one decent viewing night (out of eight), the photos this year are significantly fewer than last. With that being said, I must admit that we did have an outstanding viewing with lots of beautiful lights dancing across the night skies for hours. They did not disappoint on that night!

Quick Tips:

Make sure you have plenty of contingencies in case you find yourself not able to do the all-nighters that come with aurora viewing and photographing. For us, that really put a damper on things as we didn't really have a lot of daytime activities planned. Ordinarily, I'm expecting to sleep at least half of the time on most days because I've been out all night, the night before.

A couple of fun things to do that are easy and don't require a lot of pre-planning. First, be sure to see the Museum of the North at the University of Alaska - Fairbanks. It is a small museum, so a good two to four hours can be expected here.

Also don't miss out on the 20 mile trip to North Pole, Alaska home of (well of course) Santa Claus. This is a huge shopping experience, dedicated to keeping the spirit of Christmas alive for young and old. Just beyond North Pole, AK is the Knotty Shoppe which is a fun Alaska gift shop. Everything here is Alaskan made so you don't need to worry about cheap imitations from overseas.

If you go to Chena Hot Springs Resort for a night of aurora viewing, you should probably just plan on staying there overnight. It is an hour from downtown Fairbanks, but it is a long and tiring hour to drive. Besides, if you are going out there for the northern lights, you'll want to be there between 10pm and 2am, at the least. Who wants to be driving at that hour of the night?

Be sure if you're going in winter that you are well prepared for the cold weather. Frostbite will ruin your vacation . . . and your feet! Layers of clothing will be your friend, so make sure you have a game plan if you're going to be outside spectating or doing.

Best Way To Get Around:

RENT A CAR! I was shocked during both of my trips to Fairbanks by the number of people who come to town, take a cab to their hotel and then find there is little in the way of flexible public transportation. If you take the shuttle to Chena Hot Springs, as an example, for what two of you will pay for R/T ground transportation, you could rent a car for a week!

With that being said, if you are staying in Fairbanks proper and only plan to see and do things close by, you can use the bus system to get around. It seemed to have decent coverage and with plenty of buses out on the route(s).

If you want to see the Arctic Circle, do not take your rental car up the Dalton Hwy (aka Haul Road). Most car rental agreements are void if you do so. The road is in terrible condition with loads of gravel spun out from under the wheels of the 18 wheelers "hauling" up the road.

Instead, use one of the popular tour companies and leave the driving to someone else. On this trip we used the Alaskan Arctic Turtle Tour Company and thoroughly enjoyed our time with owner/operator Jim Winslow. While some might say a bit pricey at -, I would suggest it will be the best you'll spend in Fairbanks.

Aurora Arctic Circle Drive Tour

Alaskan Arctic Turtle Tours
Jim Winslow, Owner/Operator
Tollfree: 888-456-1978
Local: 907-456-1798

Having done a drive tour to the Arctic Circle in March 2007, this was on my suggested “must do” activity on this year’s trip. I opted for another tour company operator in order to sample what else is available to visitors to the Alaskan Interior. We were not disappointed!

Alaskan Arctic Turtle Tours is owned and operated by Jim Winslow, a native Oregonian who has called Alaska home for the past 30+ years. A down home and friendly sort of guy, he takes pride in making sure his guests enjoy their day with him on this day-long drive tour. One of the focuses I found most enjoyable was the general casualness of the day. Unlike other guided tours, with continual narration, Winslow allows the discussion and interaction to be reflective of the interests of the tour group members. On this day, there were ten of us, including a young family of three from Southern California. It was nice to have our day’s activities loosely enough structured to allow everyone, including this family, the opportunity to spend just a little extra time out playing in the tundra’s snow. They certainly seemed to have the time of their lives, including making snow angels at 3,000 on the snowy summit at a parking pullout viewing area.

On this particular tour, we had a later than usual start as our return home was timed to allow for viewing of the aurora borealis. We were picked up at our B&B promptly at 11:00am, with a couple of additional stops for the other guests. By 11:30am we were off for the Arctic Circle. Along the way, there were comfort and viewing stops planned so as to assure everyone could stretch their legs and use the facilities. Several of the stops were specifically for taking advantage of the spectacular views and the photo ops of what was an ever changing landscape. It is really hard to adequately describe how this area of Alaska changes as the miles go by over the span of the 200 mile drive.

Some of the noted stops along the way include the wayside at the Yukon River (rest rooms but no other facilities available), Finger Mountain (rest rooms which are not suitable for use in the winter due to the high arctic winds and driven snow that was a good three feet deep INSIDE the outhouse structure, and the destination of the day . . . the Arctic Circle visitors area (again rest rooms but no other facilities).

At the Yukon River stop, you have an up close opportunity to see the Alaskan Pipeline. During the winter, the river is frozen providing local residents recreational and commuting options via dog sleds and snow machines (aka snow mobiles in the lower 48). Summer months offer a rest area with restaurant services across the street.

Finger Mountain is perhaps what I most readily visualize as the arctic tundra taiga. It is here that the winds were whipping around at easily 25 to 30 MPH. Snow was blowing and drifting, creating small areas of single lane road access due to deep snow on the roadway. It was here that we had our first wildlife sighting . . . a caribou cow and her yearling calf. The two were easily camouflaged with their white and beige markings. Fortunately a group member saw “something moving” out on the flat land, so we stopped for several minutes of viewing and photographing from the warmth and comfort of our van.

From there, we were about 15 miles from the Arctic Circle. It was curious to see a small forest area out in the middle of the baron land. It was there, probably five or ten miles from Finger Mountain that we had another sighting . . . a red arctic fox. It was beautiful, with very thick fur. It seemed a bit skiddish about being watched as it moved swiftly from the right side of the road to head up into the forest. Thankfully there is little traffic on the Dalton Highway so we were able to simply stop in the middle of the road to take photos from inside our vehicle.

At the Arctic Circle, it is easy to have a bit of a let down in that the area looks largely like any rest area you might find as you travel through the United States passing from one state to the next. But this isn’t like any other stop along the road. This *is* the Arctic Circle in Alaska. The landscape and views are spectacular. The reality of the desolation and harshness of the land evident all around makes it difficult to not appreciate what the animals must endure to survive.

There is the tourist spot where visitors can take photos of family and friends, proving you have been to the Arctic Circle. There were also two outhouse type rest room buildings, but beyond that little else. And with the “we came, we saw” experience, it was time to load up the van and head back to town. While it took us roughly five hours to traverse the 200 miles, it was easy to get comfy and plan for an extended nap heading back to town. One of the benefits of taking the later departing “aurora” version of the Arctic Drive Tour is that we would be treated to an especially unique sunset beginning at the Yukon River and subsequently further on down the road. The beautiful orange and red colors over the arctic did not disappoint.

If there was a disappointment on our tour, it would be that sometimes weather just doesn’t cooperate with the best made plans. Two weather situations must be in alignment in order to have viewing and photo opportunities. First the sun must provide the solar wind impact into earth’s atmosphere at a significant level to spark the aurora. Secondly, there must be crisp, clear skies. Perhaps a third should be added; dark skies. On the night of our tour, we had a decent aurora forecast based on the space weather coming from the sun. Unfortunately earth’s weather wasn’t so cooperative, as the skies were very cloudy. The only celestial viewing to be had was the nearly three-quarter moon, which was very bright shining through the broken clouds.

Of course, no tour company or service provider can assure that the weather will cooperate. After sitting up in a very nice aurora viewing area for about an hour, everyone was in agreement that it had been a long day and that it was unlikely that we would be seeing the aurora on this night. We headed the rest of the way back into Fairbanks, returning folks to their hotels shortly after midnight.
If you are planning to take an arctic drive tour you will want to be prepared in how you dress, what you bring with you and for nourishment along the way. In the winter, dressing in layers is essential. We left our lodging in Fairbanks late morning and it was around 20 degrees F. Within a few short hours, it was well below zero with strong whipping winds, easily -30 degrees F windchill. You cannot safely go out in that type of cold without good insulated footwear, gloves, head protection and a coat.

Because of the length of the day, you will want to bring along some personal refreshments. A snack (or two) along with a bottle of water will help you to get through the day. Arctic Turtle Tours provided sandwiches around dinner time, along with soft drinks and cookies as part of the tour package price. (The other major tour operator doing the arctic drive tours does not provide a meal during the trip.) While a picnic at the Arctic Circle would have been nice, we opted for the warmth and comfort of our van at a pullout along the ride back towards Fairbanks.

As for the price, the Arctic Drive Tour is $169. Add another $31 if you are interested in doing the tour with the later start and aurora viewing option. The value for this experience is well worth the $200 if for no other reason than the beautiful sunset and being able to sleep in an extra few hours! (The normal arctic drive tours typically start around 6:30 or 7:00am.) Additionally, I thoroughly enjoyed the door to door service to our B&B. You cannot underestimate the hassle of getting up early, driving to the pick-up spot in a very cold car . . . only to return late and have to drive home after a 400 mile, 12+ hour adventure by van.

Winslow offers other Alaskan tours. Additional information can be found at: http://www.ptialaska.net/~wlodgejw/index.html .

Northern Sky Lodge is a very nice B&B approximately 30 miles from Fairbanks. I found Pascale's homey location last year in looking for a place to learn to mush my own team of sled dogs. When Cathy said that she and Jon would like to give it a try, I immediately thought of Pascale again.

Northern Sky Kennel is on the same property as her B&B. She has 22 dogs that she uses for sledding adventures of her guests and other visitors. You do not have to be staying with her to come out to mush the trail driving your own sled team.

She gives all guests a brief overview of the sledding process as well as safety information. On this particular day, the trail was especially icy which was reason for concern. In order to keep the sled speed down, she only used three dogs for each sled team.

She leads the dogs out on the trail, driving her snow mobile. They are trained to follow her. Once out on the trail, she gets out far enough that she will use your camera to take photos and/or video. I still fondly view my video from last year's Vonook of the North sledding adventure at Northern Sky Lodge.

Both Cathy and Jon got the hang of it rather easily. Not to be outdone by me last year, however, they both took a spill. I think it comes with the experience. Pascale told me that just about everyone wipes out their first time mushing their own dog team.

If you are going to go to Alaska in the winter, I would highly recommend the experience of driving a dog team. Do not over-estimate your ability or stamina, however. At first, a five or six mile trail ride of about 45 minutes will seem whimpy. Trust me when I say that it will require muscles that you may not typically use. Perhaps more importantly, the frigid wind blowing through you will create a cold that you may never have experienced before.

You will need to dress warmly, in layers and protecting yourself so as to avoid having exposed skin. It does not take much to cause frostbite, even when the temperatures are above zero.

The 45 minute mushing experience is very modestly priced at just $50 per person. Many other kennels and tour operators offer "sled rides" where someone else mushes the team of dogs and you ride in the basket up front. For me, you really need to drive the sled to fully appreciate and enjoy the experience.

Northern Sky Lodge has a web site where you can obtain additional information including how to contact Pascale: www.northernskylodge.com .

P.S. While a bit out of town for a B&B, her lodge is very nice and features an outstanding aurora viewing area facing to the northern skies.

Fairbanks has a charm that reminds visitors of the gold rush era, a time long since gone. The downtown area has a lot of shops and businesses that seem to barely stay afloat. During the winter, it seems to be a relatively slow paced city, with the streets rolled up and quiet by 6:00pm. As you get outside of the downtown area, however, you will find much of what you are probably used to seeing in your own community: Wal-Mart, McDonalds and convenience stores. While sprawled out in a large geographic area, Fairbanks is not densely populated.

The downtown area is where the start/finish line is for the GCI Open North American Championship sprint dog races. They actually run down Second Avenue while competing which provides spectators an exciting vantage point for watching the dog teams run. I spent two days as a spectator, fan and photographer. The first was at the start/finish line on Second Avenue. On Sunday, the longest and last day of the three day race, I staked a spot where the teams head out onto the course via the ramp from Second Avenue down onto the Frozen Chena River . . . and subsequently return about 80 minutes later coming uphill to head towards the finish line about a mile away. It was a very exciting vantage point to watch and photograph these four legged athletes!

Other outdoor sporting activities can be found at Birch Recreational Area, as well as one of several ski areas near town. They enjoy downhill skiing as well as the cross country version. If you've never seen people skiing with dogs pulling them along, then you may be thrilled to see skijoring. It is a pretty remarkable thing watching the skier being pulled along the course by a dog (or two).

Very near the downtown area is Ice Park, where the International Ice Art Championships are held. This year was unseasonably warm at the very beginning of March so many of the ice sculptures were damaged or completely destroyed by the 40 degree weather. Additionally, we were in Fairbanks near the end of the public exhibition period so the viewing (and photographing) was less than optimal. It was still a great way to spend an evening, as there were probably 15 or 20 sculptures still in decent condition.

If you are looking for a unique gift that is made in Alaska, look no further than the Great Bowl Company located just off Airport Way. All bowls are made on the premises from native white birch trees. There is a viewing glass where you can observe how the bowls are made. If you would like to have something personalized into your bowl, they have the capability to do that including inscriptions and photo-etching. They can prepare special gift baskets that include locally made jams and other food items. Worried about how much you buy and getting it all home? No worries as they will ship your items home for you!

There were a couple of late evenings (after 7:00pm) when we found ourselves hungry and needing to find something for dinner. For a very good burger, I would recommend Boston's Pizza which is near the intersection of the Old Steese Hwy. and Johansen Expressway by Wal-Mart . . . or Brewster's which is facing Airport Way about a block from University Ave. Both had more items on their menu if you're looking for a more full service dining experience. For us, however, both were very good for a late night burger!

While driving around within the general Fairbanks city limits, there is a good chance you'll see moose. In fact, the only wild moose we saw during our trip was out on Farmers Loop Road in a small neighborhood on the hillside. It was a momma and her yearling calf, which totally excited Jon . . . who had been on high moose alert since our arrival the week before. Thankfully, he did not have to return to Wisconsin without seeing a moose live and up close!

I mentioned the Museum of the North at the University of Alaska - Fairbanks in my overview for this journal. It is a wonderful little museum that tells of the history and culture of the native Alaskans. I would highly recommend planning two to four hours some morning or afternoon exploring this local treasure.

If you plan a vacation to Fairbanks in the summer, you will have additional options for tours and activities in and around the city. Take a look at their visitors' and convention center web site (www.explorefairbanks.com) for information including local attractions, tour operators and activities.

How can you go wrong with a restaurant that had "dessert" before "dinner" in its name? The Wolf Run Dessert & Dinner House was conveniently located just a couple of miles from our B&B in Fairbanks. Selected as the "Best Desserts in Fairbanks" for several years in a row, this cozy restaurant will surely delight you.

Located in what was originally designed and built as a private home in the 1960's, Wolf Run Dessert & Dinner House has been serving the public for nearly 15 years now. The log cabin building looks like rustic mountain, something that you might expect to find in Alaska. As you enter, you will be greeted by their friendly wait staff who will seat you on one of the three levels of this split level home.

We enjoyed soup or salad before our dinner entrees, making certain to allow plenty of room for the desserts that keep folks coming back for more. While Cathy and I opted for the broiled halibut special, Jon selected a rather sweet version of pork marsalla. Unfortunately, he didn't find the sauce to his liking not that it was bad.

Our dinner entrees were served with crisp carrots and snap peas. They added a nice balance to our meals.

With dinner behind us, the real decision was upon us: Which of the half a dozen or so desserts would be indulged in? I quickly zeroed in on the Kentucky Derby Pie, while Jon selected the Key Lime Tart. Cathy chose the Cold Fusion . . . a three layer chocolate explosion of taste sensations.

Dessert certainly made the meal, with each of us believing that we would have to make one last stop for dessert only some evening before leaving Fairbanks. While a dessert menu for special and to go orders is available, the nightly offerings do change daily.

Wolf Run Dessert & Dinner House is open daily for lunch and dinner, with abbreviated hours (11am - 3pm) on Mondays. They do accept reservations, which may be necessary on weekends. You can also call in your to-go order as well as whole dessert orders for that special event at home.

The Pump House provided such a marvelous dining experience last year, that I wanted to be sure that we got out at least one night for a special fine dining experience. While more your Alaskan saloon and seafood house, The Pump House has been delighting locals and tourists alike for decades. Our night out, our last in Fairbanks, did not disappoint.

The atmosphere is outstanding, with the hundreds of antiques and items reflective of the Yukon Gold Rush era in Fairbanks. Hanging directly overhead, was an old native sled used around the turn of the century by a local Alaskan hunter. While the wooden structure seemed to be in decent repair, it was difficult for me to imagine a team of dogs pulling this sled down the Chena River seemed impossible.

For dinner we collectively had quite the representation of Alaskan delights. OK - Cathy and Jon did while I stayed with a more "lower 48" favorite - the NY strip steak. Cathy ordered the Alaskan king crab legs. You really have to look at the photo attached to this review. Yes, that is TWO legs for one pound! The crab meat she pulled out of those legs were huge lumps. At $36, they had better delight . . . and by all accounts, she was very pleased with her choice.

Jon went a bit more adventurous, choosing the reindeer tenderloin. Good for the young man, willing to take a risk with dinner entrees. We all sampled his meat, agreeing that it was very good and not gamey at all. All entrees included soup or salad and a basket of warm sourdough bread.

After dinner, we asked to see the dessert tray. OH MY GOODNESS! It was better than I recalled it from a year ago. The theme of the night, however, was clearly chocolate. Jon did the chocolate éclair, Cathy the chocolate mousse and I did the chocolate cheesecake creation. They were all outstanding!

If you decide to partake in the Pump House, plan to have a leisurely dining experience. While the service is very attentive and good, the meal will progress at a pace that will allow for good conversation and full enjoyment of the company of your dining companions. For us, it was the perfect night out for our last night in Fairbanks.

I cannot say enough good things about 7 Gables Inn and Suites! This is the second time I've stayed with Paul & Leicha and have come away from Fairbanks with another fabulous experience.

For this trip, I had the Waterfall Room which is on the first floor of their B&B. Just one of two room on the main floor, it was very convenient to the front door and the community kitchen. While some might be concerned about the late arriving guests or those coming in during the middle of the night from aurora viewing, for me it was perfect. If you are a light sleeper, you may want to consider a room on the second floor.

Cathy & Jon had a room up there which was adequate for them. With a full sized and twin bed in the room, it was a bit tight but ample enough for the week. My room had just one full sized bed, but had a bit more space for a sitting chair and a nice desk & chair. I found that my space was actually more comfortable and functional than the room I had at 7 Gables last year.

Leicha did not disappoint with her morning gourmet breakfasts that featured an international theme. Each meal started with a light fruit dish which was typically followed with an egg or custard type dish along with breads or pastries and potatoes. Add milk, orange juice and the hot beverage of your choice and you're good to go for the day.

Another nice feature of the inn is the daily housekeeping service available at no additional charge. While I only utilized the service a couple of times during my week's stay, it is nice to know that you can have the room spruced up a bit without having to pay a midweek housekeeping fee.

There are a number of other nice amenities including jetted bath tubs, free wi-fi throughout the inn, as well as a nice comfortable and spacious community living room area with a PC set up for browsing the internet or printing off your airline boarding passes.

If you are planning a trip, whatever time of the year, I would highly recommend 7 Gables Inn and Suites. They have reduced pricing for winter as well as extended stays. Our rooms for the off season were just $55/night (plus local hotel taxes). Considering the value of the breakfast alone, I do not see how one can go wrong.

Their location is very convenient to the airport, downtown Fairbanks, University of Alaska - Fairbanks and the Parks Hwy (the road to Denali NP). Additional information on 7 Gables Inn and Suites may be found at: www.7gablesinn.com.

Because of the fantastic time I had last year at Chena Hot Springs Resort, it was on our itinerary for this year's trip to Fairbanks. With three of us, the family suite was the best arrangement. The suite features two bedrooms, one with two double beds and the other with two twin beds. With a common full bath with shower . . . and a separate half bath in the smaller bedroom . . . we had plenty of space and privacy. It should be noted, however, that only the larger bedroom has a sitting area, television and clock radio. Additionally, there was no telephone in the room which seems a bit weird to me.

With that being said, we felt as though the accommodations and space were more than adequate. Unfortunately, the building where the family suites are located seem to be in a bit of disrepair. Fixtures torn from the walls and remounted in a rather haphazard and unattractive manner, as well as a torn bed skirt left me to feel as though the attention to detail had been slipping here at Chena Hot Springs Resort.

While the inside of the room was clean and didn't create any concern for being appropriately sanitary, the exterior of our unit and specifically the balcony was littered with large items creating the impression that such attention for detail was lacking.

I also found that generally speaking, the resort was in a bit of disrepair. While ordering dinner the night of our arrival we learned that the grill wasn't functioning properly and that the steak order may not come up exactly the way we wanted it. The next morning, there was no running water, posing a bit of a challenge for cooking as well as showering. Fortunately, we got through our showers before the water pumps went down.

The other thing that you could not help but to notice was the extreme heat in the rooms. I had to keep my bedroom door latched open about two inches to get some cooler air to offset the heat. "Cooler air" is a bit of an understatement as the outdoor temperature had to be close to zero degrees Fahrenheit.

While the aurora is what brought us out to Chena Hot Springs, we were disappointed with the solar activity presenting no viewing opportunities. It was most unfortunate, as the prior three nights had decent aurora forecasts but the cloudy skies prevented visibility.

If you visit Chena Hot Springs, be prepared for what will feel like a trapped feeling. The resort is in a remote area, approximately one hour from Fairbanks. There is little to no services on the 56 mile road that leads to Chena Hot Springs. We packed beverages and snacks so that we would not be dependent on high resort prices on both of these items.

As for the resort dining, I actually enjoy the atmosphere and ambience of their lodge setting. The meals we had there were decent and fairly priced. I had a bowl of the clam chowder for dinner which was outstanding. Served with that warm olive bread that I loved last year, it was more than enough for my evening meal.

There are many activities available at the resort, making it very possible to have a totally Alaskan Adventure without leaving their property. You can mush your own team of sled dogs, take a snow machine tour of the forest, cross country ski or lounge in the thermal hot springs that brought miners to this area over 100 years ago. Summer brings other activities including fishing and boating.

On a scale of one to ten, I would probably rate Chena Hot Springs as a six largely because of the rather high prices they charge for everything. Our two bed room family suite was $220/night plus tax, for three people. This price did include daily use passes for the hot springs lake and indoor swimming pool.

Additional information including pricing and activities schedules may be found at: www.chenahotsprings.com.