For a special birthday, my sister wanted to see the northern lights
(aurora borealis). So I researched possible locations, settling on Chena Hot
Springs "resort," located about 60 miles out of Fairbanks, Alaska. The best
time to see the lights is in the Winter when there is no moon. So we
trekked out there the first week of February when it is very cold
(-50F). We did see the lights, though relatively weak. Apparently, we're in
the midst of a six year lull in solar activity. It was an adventure
nonetheless!
To view a slideshow, click on any image.
 |
The 60-mile road to Chena from Fairbanks was
purpose-built, meaning it ends at the resort. Yet surprisingly, the road to
nowhere was dotted with houses along the first 20-30 miles outside of
Fairbanks proper. People who want a lot of space, I guess. |
 |
The resort has a variety of activities including
dog sled rides, dog mushing lessons, their ice museum, tour of their
geothermal power plant, and more. |
 |
This is one of the largest buildings housing
guest laundry, administration, and the activity center where you sign up for
activities and get much-needed borrowed gear including coats, pants, and
boots as well as snow shoes and x-country skis. |
 |
Clad in clava we bought during last0minute spree
in REI in Seattle, my sister is pointing at the
thermometer registering -38F. We were told that this thermometer was about
10 degrees light, meaning it was more like -50F. |
 |
Here I am dolled-up in post Korean war airflight
jacket, pants, and boots, courtesy of the resort. The outfit weighed about
seven pounds! My sister liked her ensemble so much she plans to find a like
jacket in a Seattle Army-Navy surplus store. |
 |
Snowmobiles available at $75 per 30 minutes.
Chena was a bit pricey! |
 |
Long Winter shadow |
 |
A sign you don't see every day! |
 |
Sled dog kennels. The dogs live outside with hay in their
little huts which is supposed to be quite warm. |
 |
The dogs may have some Siberian husky in them indicated by
blue eyes, but they are mostly muts including hounds and labs. They are
small and wiry. |
 |
The musher guy said he sleeps outside with his dogs when
racing, even when it's as cold as -70F! |
 |
Sled team in action. |
 |
|
 |
See this little guy? He is not harnessed with a partner
because he is an "asshole" according to the musher guy. |
 |
Chena's ice museum. They run it year-round at
20F. |
 |
In March, they harvest ice blocks out of their beaver pond.
My sister graciously provided reference point to show scale of these
ice blocks -- huge! |
 |
They make novelty ice martini glasses for the tourists. The
on-staff, married ice carvers also make carvings for local events, resort weddings,
contests, etc. |
 |
This is a HUGE (life-size) mounted knights display. |
 |
|
 |
Chena is a popular destination for Japanese tourists, which
come in two flavors ... blueberry and cranberry according to their tour
group-provided coats. Here are a couple of blueberries. |
 |
And a few cranberries. |
 |
Pretty icy scenery. |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
Aside from evergreens, the resort had a lot of birch/beech
trees on the property. I was surprised that the birches could withstand the
weight of the snow. |
 |
|
 |
Hot spring that doesn't freeze. |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
Though daylight hours are short, we had three very sunny
days! |
 |
The fog here is called "ice fog." |
 |
|
 |
They have greenhouses on site that grow lettuce and
tomatoes hydroponically (i.e. no soil). |
 |
This is the test greenhouse. They have a very large one
running too. The current owners' dream is to have the resort totally
self-sufficient by 2010. |
 |
Bridge to some of the staff's cabins which are heated by
wood fire which the staff have to split themselves. |
 |
Staff cabin. I should have taken a photo of our room in the
Moose Lodge which was actually quite comfortable and nice. |
 |
A cow moose! |
 |
At 10pm, they load up snow cats (quite movie Shining-esque) with guests to climb the
mountain upon which sits a yurt in which you wait to see the lights for
four hours. This is my sister during in first night apparel which was
completely inadequate for the cold! We thought it was a 20 minute trip, not
a four hour trip! |
 |
Inside ceiling of the yurt. |
 |
And here you go -- the northern lights. |
 |
I am sorry to say that I have water stains on the lens
which you can see. Going in and out from the yurt's
just bearable inside cold to the outside frigid air results in condensation all over the camera. |
 |
I learned my Nikon camera is hearty little guy, adjusting
to the cold by slowing down a lot, but it didn't stop as did a fellow
guest's Cannon. |
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
Bye bye Chena. We went through a 90 degree change from
Chena back to Seattle. My sister still has tingling toes from the first
night when we weren't dressed appropriately for the cold! |
