Fairbank AK -- Northern Lights ????
This is not strictly an RV issue, but maybe my RV friends will be able to help me. About 20 or 30 of my family members and I wish to see the northern lights. We were thinking about a trip to Fairba...
Forum Discussion
Interesting perspectives. Couple of things I'd offer from viewpoint and opinions of an Alaskan:
- While there's no guarantee of seeing an active aurora at any given time or location, IMNSHO, it's certainly worth a trip to try. Seeing the multicolored moving curtain (that I have seen last for 30 minutes or more at a time) is an incredible and unique experience.
- My experience indicates that there seems to be more aurora activity in the fall and early spring...but that doesn't mean a Christmas trip = "no aurora", and Christmas is a good milestone to build a trip around
- With 20 - 30 people, you'll have lots of leverage with airlines, hotels, tour operators, etc.
- IMNSHO, the scenery is much more striking in the winter: best viewed from inside a warm vehicle, building, or airplane, but very striking. If one has the interest, a flightseeing tour would be something unique to do in December.
- Fountainhead Auto Museum and UAF Museum of the North are two non-aurora activities to do. There will be dog sledding, sno-go tours, and possibly ice-fishing for the more adventurous. One can also (IIRC, haven't looked into it for a long time) take a driving tour to the Artic Circle (may not be offered in the winter).
- FWIW, not something to be undertaken lightly, but driving up the old road (Anchorage- Glennallen-Delta-Fairbanks) on a cold clear winter day is a very scenic drive and one sees a hint of Alaska that isn't usually seen from the asphalt.
- If there was schedule flexibility, combining a "see the aurora trip" with the Iditarod (Feb/March) would be doable with 2 caveats: a) that would be a 2022 trip, presumably; and b) (very much IMNSHO) the Iditarod is one of the greatest marketing efforts ever to be foisted on the public. What it is today is not what it was meant to be.
Soapbox stowed for another short while.....
- While there's no guarantee of seeing an active aurora at any given time or location, IMNSHO, it's certainly worth a trip to try. Seeing the multicolored moving curtain (that I have seen last for 30 minutes or more at a time) is an incredible and unique experience.
- My experience indicates that there seems to be more aurora activity in the fall and early spring...but that doesn't mean a Christmas trip = "no aurora", and Christmas is a good milestone to build a trip around
- With 20 - 30 people, you'll have lots of leverage with airlines, hotels, tour operators, etc.
- IMNSHO, the scenery is much more striking in the winter: best viewed from inside a warm vehicle, building, or airplane, but very striking. If one has the interest, a flightseeing tour would be something unique to do in December.
- Fountainhead Auto Museum and UAF Museum of the North are two non-aurora activities to do. There will be dog sledding, sno-go tours, and possibly ice-fishing for the more adventurous. One can also (IIRC, haven't looked into it for a long time) take a driving tour to the Artic Circle (may not be offered in the winter).
- FWIW, not something to be undertaken lightly, but driving up the old road (Anchorage- Glennallen-Delta-Fairbanks) on a cold clear winter day is a very scenic drive and one sees a hint of Alaska that isn't usually seen from the asphalt.
- If there was schedule flexibility, combining a "see the aurora trip" with the Iditarod (Feb/March) would be doable with 2 caveats: a) that would be a 2022 trip, presumably; and b) (very much IMNSHO) the Iditarod is one of the greatest marketing efforts ever to be foisted on the public. What it is today is not what it was meant to be.
Soapbox stowed for another short while.....
