The art of ice sculpting is synonymous with Alaska and particularly Fairbanks. During my visit to Chena Hot Springs Resort I took the hour long tour of their Aurora Ice Museum which features the work of award winning artist Steve Brice.As you enter the museum,…Read More

The art of ice sculpting is synonymous with Alaska and particularly Fairbanks. During my visit to Chena Hot Springs Resort I took the hour long tour of their Aurora Ice Museum which features the work of award winning artist Steve Brice.

As you enter the museum, the first thing that you will probably notice is that they must keep it very cold inside to assure that the quality of the exhibits are not damaged by warm air. They keep it at approximately 20° F and while that may feel balmy when compared to the outside temperatures that are consistently below zero, you will want to be sure to be warmly dressed. I found it very interesting as I looked at the construction of the building itself, as from the inside it looked like it was one big Styrofoam cooler, lined with the white thermal protection.

The first display inside is the workshop which has several of their signature martini glasses as works in progress. Take a look at the photo attached to this review to see the tools of an ice carver... chisels, electric drills and hammers. You can also see in the photo a block of the ice that is used to create the wonderful pieces of art.

Walking into the central area of the museum, the beautiful pulsating colors are vivid and are designed to replicate the aurora borealis in terms of the changing hues reflected in the ice. There are several themed exhibits including two jousting warriors, an oversized chess set, a chapel alter that has been used for wedding ceremonies, the Coca-Cola polar bear and the beautiful hanging chandeliers are just a few of the ice sculptures you will see. The main focal point in the room, however, is the real bar that is fully made of ice to include the bar stools and sitting area around several bar tables. The tops of the stools had a fur covering to prevent your butt from sticking to the cold ice. It is here where visitors can purchase a martini served in an ice martini glass. Because I was here in the middle of the afternoon and was in a very small group of just two, I took a pass on the experience.

At the back end of the large room was the “Ice Hotel” where guests can spend the night sleeping on a bed of ice in reindeer fur sleeping bags. It was very interesting, but I personally cannot imagine sleeping in a room of ice where the temperature remains at a constant 20° F. My favorite of the four rooms was the one with the four-poster bear bed with a lovely Christmas tree providing special ambience.

If you are interested in doing this tour, you will need to sign up at the resort’s activity center. The price is $15 and does not include the martini. Tours are scheduled at specific times throughout the day, so you will need to know what time you wish to visit and make sure you arrive at the Aurora Ice Museum on time. Once the group enters the building, the main doors are closed and additional people are not permitted to enter.

For those who want to learn to create art from ice, you can sign up for a three day ice carving class given by the artist himself. At a pricey $1,800 per person, lodging at the Chena Hot Springs Resort is included.Close

As I mentioned in the overview, Chena Hot Springs Resort is a year round resort with activities available for people of all interests and abilities. In addition to those which I’ve featured here in individual reviews, guests and visitors to Chena Hot Springs Resort can…Read More

As I mentioned in the overview, Chena Hot Springs Resort is a year round resort with activities available for people of all interests and abilities. In addition to those which I’ve featured here in individual reviews, guests and visitors to Chena Hot Springs Resort can take in a massage in the massage cabin... take a flightseeing tour to the Arctic Circle... or enjoy a casual nature walk on the main trails throughout the 440 acres of the resort. All of these activities are available year round.

There are also a lot of seasonal activities based on the weather and outdoor conditions. During the winter, the resort also offers cross country skiing, snowmobile tours and horse drawn carriage rides. In the summer months, the opportunities are expanded to include more outdoor activities such as fishing, cycling, four-wheeler tours, canoeing and panning for gold at the Chicken Dredge gold mining site.

More information on all of the activities offered by Chena Hot Springs Resort may be obtained at their website: www.chenahotsprings.com. The website also includes package offerings and pricing for most activities.

If your ideal vacation includes nothing but R~n~R, you can do that too! This resort is perfectly situated from the hustle and bustle of the city, and features a very nice rustic atmosphere where guests can come to get away from it all and recharge their battery. It is possible to completely immerse yourself in an Alaskan lifestyle that is in balance with nature, intended to create a new appreciation for a more modest existence. Of course, if pampering is your style, you can have that too at Chena Hot Springs Resort!Close

Chena Hot Springs Resort has a very nice kennel facility where guest can visit to see sled dogs, young and old. There are some 100 dogs housed here, including around 70 that belong to the resort. The rest are owned by the musher who provides…Read More

Chena Hot Springs Resort has a very nice kennel facility where guest can visit to see sled dogs, young and old. There are some 100 dogs housed here, including around 70 that belong to the resort. The rest are owned by the musher who provides lessons on dog sledding at the resort. It was also fun to see the young puppies, ranging in age from three days to three months. The three month old puppies were housed in an outdoor pen, while the very young litters were inside with their momma dogs.

Here at Chena Hot Springs Resort, winter guests have a number of outdoor options including taking a sled dog ride, with someone else driving the sled... or they can mush the two-mile trail on their own. Mushing lessons are available, which I was lucky to observe during my visit out to the kennel facilities. On the first run through the course, the trainer is on the lead sled, with the student being pulled behind in another. This allows the guest to learn how to control the speed of the sled while keeping the leads tight throughout the course. After successful completion of the first circuit of the course, the student is place in the front sled and the trainer is in the read sled. Once the student is comfortable and successful in making the loop, the back sled can be removed and the student mushes without the benefit of the trainer onboard.

I enjoyed watching a man and his daughter taking turns with their lessons. The dogs seemed to really enjoy their run and were always ready to go again for the next lap. When they returned after each trip out, the dogs would roll around on their backs and eat snow to quench their thirst. It was funny to watch the other dogs bark every time the sled pulled out, as though to say “take me too!”

The young man working the kennel told me that the mushing lesson experience is a full day adventure. He said that he often was the one who took folks out on the dog sled ride, but that the trainer was a professional sled dog racer who had a lot of experience in racing and teaching. He mentioned that the trainer had just recently competed in the Yukon Quest, one of the more famous sled dog races in Alaska.

While there was nobody taking the dog sled ride during my visit, the sled was out on the yard because they had been some folks out earlier in the morning on a dog pulled sled. The sled used for this type of experience is larger and has a nice cushion like bench for the riders to sit. They are also given moose hyde blankets to cover up with in order to keep warm during their ride.

If you are spending time in Alaska during the winter, I strongly encourage you to take a sled dog ride or mush a team yourself. I did it at another kennel outside of Fairbanks earlier in my week, so I didn’t do it here at Chena Hot Springs Resort. If you happen to be at Chena Hot Springs Resort during a time of the year that does not have snow, you can still enjoy the thrill of a dog sled ride in a “cart” pulled by dogs.Close

Chena Hot Springs Resort was developed around the hot springs that were discovered in the late 1800s. In fact, the resort celebrated their 100th anniversary in 2005! It is said that prospectors came from miles around to soak in the hot mineral springs found here.…Read More

Chena Hot Springs Resort was developed around the hot springs that were discovered in the late 1800s. In fact, the resort celebrated their 100th anniversary in 2005! It is said that prospectors came from miles around to soak in the hot mineral springs found here. With the air temperature hovering around -10° F during the day, the steam could be seen rising from the Hot Springs Rock Lake, creating ice formations all along the edge on the rocks that border the lake.

When you arrive at the swimming area, you will enter a bathhouse type changing room. Lockers are available for a quarter so that you can protect your clothing and other belongings. There are also bathrooms and showers here. If you choose to swim inside, there is a swimming pool that is fed from the hot springs. The water temperature is maintained at just over 90° F and is chlorinated.

Outside, you will find the centerpiece of the Chena Hot Springs Resort... the Hot Springs Rock Lake! With a zero entry walk-in ramp, entry and exit into the lake is very easy. The bottom of the lake has sandy base and many go into the lake barefoot to swim. The water level was just about chest high (approximately four feet deep)... and at 106° F it was very soothing. As the steam rises from the lake, the water condenses and caused icicles to form on your hair. Many went completely “under” the water so as to create an ice formed “helmet” because the water froze almost immediately. Possibly the worst part of a visit in the middle of winter is getting out of the warm bath water and having to hustle inside to the locker room area.

While there are two hot tubs here (one inside and another outside) they were unoccupied. I suppose when you are at a hot springs spa, there is no reason to soak in a hot tub.

The swimming pool and lake are open from 7am until midnight daily. There is no lifeguard outside so you will be swimming in the lake at your own risk. Additionally, children under the age of 18 are not permitted in the lake. Overnight resort guests have complimentary use of the swimming facilities on the day of arrival and the day of departure, as well as all days of their stay. Day guests can buy a pass for $10 per person per day at the pool reception building. While towels are provided free of charge to resort guests, those visiting for the day will be charged $5 for use of a towel during their stay. After you shower and are ready to get dressed, they do have hair dryers available so that you don’t have to go back outside with wet hair.Close

Chena Hot Springs Resort really caters to the aurora viewing tourist trade. I recall seeing a television show that featured the snowcoaches used by the resort to transport guests up a steep 2.5 mile hillside to a viewing area at the summit. As I watched…Read More

Chena Hot Springs Resort really caters to the aurora viewing tourist trade. I recall seeing a television show that featured the snowcoaches used by the resort to transport guests up a steep 2.5 mile hillside to a viewing area at the summit. As I watched that day, I thought “Now there is something I must see and experience in my lifetime.” With my trip to Fairbanks planned around the University of Alaska – Fairbanks Geophysical Institute’s aurora forecast, I was committed to making the side trip to Chena Hot Springs to view the northern lights.

This tour is available to guests and non-guests alike. The price is $75 per person for the four hour experience. Folks gather at the resort’s activities center at 10pm for the half-hour trip up to the viewing area and heated yurt. The yurt is a tent-like structure that had two gas space heaters with a number of chairs and a couple of gas type lanterns for light. In the middle of the area is a large serving table with hot water for tea, coffee and hot chocolate. There is also an outhouse available should you have the need.

Our group was very small, just five in total. I thought that was the perfect number of people as it allowed us all plenty of space out on the snow-covered hilltop when the aurora became active. Some in our group were up there just to watch and experience the aurora while another woman and I were there to photograph as much as we could. I should point out that in attempting to take photos of the aurora, you cannot use standard point and shoot type cameras, nor can you use the flash. Photographing the aurora requires an SLR type camera (digital or film) with a wide angle, fast lens and the capability to manually control the exposure time. Before my trip to Alaska, I spent weeks reading and learning how to photograph the aurora so that I would be able to capture the experience to share with others. I was blessed that I had a wonderful time and great northern lights to shoot. On my night at Chena Hot Springs, the aurora was very active and colors vivid!

Between the solar sub-storms, it was possible to slip into the yurt to warm up. That was a real bonus since it was approximately -25° F with winds gusting to probably 20-30 MPH. It was very, very cold! I think the longest stretch of time spent out viewing and photographing the aurora was probably around 45 minutes.

Our time was over at 2am, so we loaded back into the snowcoach to head back down the hill to the resort. Everyone was pretty wiped out... I think some even slept despite the loud noise made by the vehicles snow treads. Once back to the resort, we could still see the aurora dancing over the hills surrounding the airstrip. As much as I would have liked to stay out and take more photos, I was tired and still cold to the bone so I opted for sleep instead.

If you are not interested in a committed four hour timeframe, or paying to view the aurora from the hilltop, you can go out onto the resort’s airstrip to view and photograph the light show. The resort also has an “aurorium” which is a building with glass window front from which you can observe the aurora. There is no charge to utilize the aurorium to consider that an option too.

If you go to Fairbanks or the Interior Region of Alaska to see the aurora borealis, I would encourage you to plan at least one evening out at Chena Hot Springs Resort to enjoy and photograph what is truly a remarkable experience!Close