First off, if you decide to go Fairbanks in the winter time, you must be prepared to handle to cold temperatures. You will be quite miserable if you do not have the proper equipment, so it's a must to go over the list of things you may need. I was told it was a mild winter and on our first night, we got some pretty frigid temperatures.
1. FOOTWEAR - You have no idea how important it is to have the proper footwear when the temperature is as cold as it is and you want to go treking around the area. I ended up with DC snow boots and they were spectacular! While "boots" are great to have, if they're not snow boots, they may not cut it and may leave you with some frigid toes or even worse, possibly frostbite.
Waterproof Snow Boot
2. THE IMPORTANT PARTS - Where are the most important areas? Your feet (wool socks), your hands (proper snow gloves), and your head (head gear/face mask). I was able to secure some pricey socks that were the best investment ever. I had a few pairs in case I needed to double them up, but one pair ended up being great even in the coldest of temperatures. The face mask was only necessary when the conditions were windy and when I went sledding, but being able to flip up the bottom of my face mask to only leave my eyes exposed was great!
Micro Fleece Balaclava with Windproof Face Mask
Winter Ear Flap Hat
3. LAYERS - Think about how you can properly layer to stay warm and adapt to the changing temperatures. I ended up with my normal undershirt, layers with Under Amour cold gear, with a Nike wool long sleeve, an zip up layer from REI, topped off with an Asics windproof jacket which sufficed for most of the trip. I ended up using a Ninja hoodie (while part cotton, I used it as an under layer to protect my neck from the wind) as an under layer and also used a snow jacket when I went sledding. For the bottom, I had REI underwear, shorts, Under Amour cold gear, an under layer from REI, and then my jeans. I used a snow pant on the day I went sledding.
4. WARMERS - For those not use to the cold weather, warming packets (toes and hands) are a good accessory to carry around with you to keep you warm despite the cold temperatures.
Obviously, if you plan on camping, then you'll need a lot more than what I mentioned above, but if you're not roughing it, the above should be perfect fine. Just don't be the uninformed tourist who shows up in shorts and a t-shirt that says, I <3 LA.
Also when planning your vacation, you have to consider where you are staying in order to determine whether or not you need a car. The road conditions can be very dangerous and many of the rental cars are not equipped with the tires that you need in order to drive safely in the conditions. If you do drive, proceed with extreme caution when on the roads, especially if you've never driven in the snow or even worse, the ice. Let's just say, if it's sunny outside and the road is clear, it does not mean it's safe; quite the opposite. Sometimes, those can be the worst conditions to drive in. Regardless, being a native-Angelino, I was able to navigate the roads, but I did so with a little bit of caution.
Lodging can be an important choice depending on what you are planning to do. If you're there to enjoy the various tourist attractions the city has to offer and have no vehicle, stay in town near a hotel with good food/shopping options nearby, as it can be tough to get around even if it's across the street. However, for many of the tours offered, there will be transportation that will pick you up from a designated location (or even your hotel) and drop you off. If you are there trying to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights, you may want to consider something more remote. Since that was my goal, I browsed around on AirBnB and found a beautiful and cozy Alaskan cabin that while a few miles from town, was a perfect place isolated from the light pollution of Fairbanks. Be mindful that in the winter, there will be no running water (we used Wet Wipes to keep us clean) so you have to plan accordingly. However, at the cabin we stayed at, they provided us with a tank of water and we had an outhouse to use for our other duties.
One of the things I loved most about Fairbanks were the people and it began with two of the best hosts, Charlie and Trina. They were so kind and welcoming and did their best to answer any questions that we had. It was a great start to our wonderful journey. We began our first day exploring the beautiful field that was before us right outside the cabin. The sun rose at about 10am and set just around 4pm, so we didn't have the most sunlight, however, it was definitely enough to explore. We ventured out and despite the cold temperatures, enjoyed the surrounding areas around our beautiful cabin.
Of course, we were there for much more. We began by stopping at North Pole, Alaska (how could we not) and explored. While the area is not as spectacular as it sounds, just the mere fact that you've been to Santa Claus' House at North Pole is extraordinary. (Notice I didn't put "the" North Pole.) We ventured around the gift shop and then also saw the beautiful ice sculptures. Just be aware that because of the changing seasons, not everything is open year round so check the calendars before you go. Don't expect to send too much time here though. Of course, just down the street, we were able to get a taste of reindeer sausage.
We then ventured off for a trek to Chena Hot Springs and Ice Museum. Imagine the setting, the middle of a snow covered resort in negative temperatures and you're soaking in water outside. Yes, that's right, it's an outdoor hot spring in Alaska. The drive to Chena is quite a long one, but well worth it. As I mentioned before, drive carefully, but enjoy it as well, as you get a number of beautiful sites on the drive. You can actually stay at the resort and enjoy a number of activities including the hot springs, however, it's close enough to Fairbanks (60 miles) to make it a short trek. One of the best things at the site is the Ice Museum. While you have to take their guided tour, you can venture through a museum from one of the best ice carvers in the world, Steve Brice. The museum houses a small workshop and also many of the pieces they created including a full ice bar that serves Apple Martinis in an ice cup that you get to bring home since they won't reuse it. It's a bit pricey, but can definitely be worth the experience.
Dog sledding is also another amazing adventure that is often connected with Alaska. Every heard of an Alaskan husky? Many of these sled dogs were former race dogs. They are definitely beautiful creatures and you can definitely see the strength that they have in their legs. It's interesting to see the different characteristics of each of the dogs and ultimately who ends up being the lead dog. There are a number of options for sledding in the area and you search around online, you're bound to find the price and trip that is a perfect fit for you. Also, keep in mind that it gets much colder on the ride that when you are standing. Many places will provide you with an extra layer and while I thought I had enough, I am glad I took the extra layer.
Of course, what is a trip to Fairbanks in the winter without a peek to the sky to see the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights). The lights are actually solar flares coming from the sun that hit our magnetic field. Ultimately the collision causes what we see in the sky. With the cold temperatures, it often can be a challenge to capture the aurora, but if you are patient, you will be rewarded. Remember that in the colder temperatures, batteries tend to run out faster, so pack extra batteries and also bring a solid camera, tripod and a remote (not necessary but helpful). I ended up using a Canon 5D Mark II and used a Canon 16-35mm f/2.8 lens. In the end, even with a low rated aurora (1.33), we still were able to capture some decent images of the aurora.
The difficulty in capturing the aurora, especially when it is weak is, you have to choose what you want in the image. Ultimately, the beauty lies in what you create and while you may want to capture the best image possible, remember to enjoy the experience as sometimes it's best to sit and enjoy the experience rather than focus so much on the perfect shot, as it is more incredible to the eye than what you can capture on camera.
Also, sitting out in the cold is a challenge. Use technology to your advantage. While we had the advantage of shooting at a hostel near Two Rivers where there was no light pollution, the best part about being there, was we were able to relax inside the common area of the hostel while it was cold. In the end, I used two sites to determine how long and when we would be outside. One, I used to determine what the expectations for the day would be: University of Alaska Fairbanks Forecast. It did a pretty good job for the daily forecast, however, the hourly did not always update and was not as accurate. When shooting the aurora, I used another site that was able to get us prepared for almost the exact time the aurora began to grow. The Aurora Service was key in helping me stay warm, but also not missing a moment of the aurora. I still checked from time to time so I didn't miss anything, but I went out ten minutes before it was predicted to be at its brightest and the forecast was right.
The aurora is pretty difficult to predict, but it is said that if you are in Fairbanks for three nights, there is a pretty good chance that you will see the aurora. Just remember that it will show up at different times in the night, normally later in the evening.
Overall, while my trip to Fairbanks was short, it gave me a good idea of what I could do in the future. From ice fishing to longer sledding treks to snow machining (snow mobiles) and more, there are still a great number of things that you can do in this wonderful place of Fairbanks where some of the most amazing people around live. Now it's time to visit when the sun never sets.
