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• Alaska means "Great Land" in the Aleut Indian language.

• It has the 11 tallest mountains in the USA. Denali is the highest at 20,310 feet. California's Mount Whitney comes in 12th at 14,494 feet. From Denali's base to it's peak - it's 1 mile taller than Everest.

• Giants of the animal kingdom live in these harsh conditions: moose, caribou, bison, and bears: grizzly, Kodiak, polar.

• It's 663, 267 square miles of wild. Alaska is still bigger than a grouping of 22 states.

• The coastline is 33,000 miles long which is 50% longer than the coastline around the lower 48 states.

• There are over 3 million lakes & many aren't named, so it's an estimate. Wisconsin is next with 15,291.

• In 1867, Russia sold Alaska to the USA for $7.2 million. Russian culture is still evident in several small southern villages.

• Lowest recorded temperature = -80 degrees F., that's below 0. Let's say you live in 80 degree weather, that's a 160 degree difference. STUPID CRAZY. I lived in Fairbanks for years & the coldest I got to enjoy (NOT) was -64 degrees.

Plan on 8-14 days total for Parts 1-2. Best times to visit are April-November. Temperatures can drop to minus 50 degrees F. or lower. Anchorage & the southern region has milder weather. See "Vacation Travel Tips" below.

Great add-on trip: Mount Denali & Glaciers, AK

Experience the Extraordinary in Alaska

Fairbanks, Alaska is appropriately named the "land of the midnight sun". In Jun/Jul there is almost 23 hours of daylight, while Dec/Jan barely get 4 hours of daylight. In Dec, Jan & Feb you usually don't even get to see the sky or any sun because of the thick ice fog. I call that stupid extreme and I know that's why I have a strong dislike to it getting dark at 5 pm. However, the plants really need the extra daylight hours to grow during the short summers.

Fairbanks is also listed as the coldest city in the USA - like brutally cold. The upside is there's lots of natural, rejuvenating hot springs around - see Chena Hot Springs below.

Fairbanks was first established when a man named Barnette hit a sandbar in 1901 while traveling up the Chena River and just decided to stay.

The magical Northern Lights, also known as the Aurora Borealis, come in shades of violet, blue, and green. The lights appear when a solar storm on the face of the sun emits electrically charged particles that travel thru a magnetic field, and then combine with gases.

The Northern Lights float about like rolling waves thru the night sky and it's an extreme & spectacular site to see. To experience this amazing phenomenon - visit late Sept. to end of March.

Norther Lights a.k.a. Aurora Borealis

Where to See the Northern Lights?

The brightest lights and the areas you can most often see the Northern lights are near the Arctic Circle. From Fairbanks, head north on the Steese Hwy, which turns into the Elliot Hwy and eventually the Dalton Hwy. Just south of Prospect Creek, AK you'll pass the Arctic Circle sign. Or go further north to Coldfoot or Wiseman, AK.

There's several other great viewing areas away from bright city lights, including: Chena River Recreation Area, Cleary Summit, or Murphy Dome. If you plan on continuing with Part 2 of my blog towards Anchorage - Denali National Park is another great spot.

If you'd like to go with a tour, there are several available. And, if you're looking for lodging with a Northern Lights view - try Northern Sky Lodge B&B or Borealis Basecamp with see-thru domes.

Dog Sledding

If you haven't tried dog sledding, you should add it to your bucket list. My Dad used to have a Malamute and that 90 pound muscle boy loved to pull me thru the woods next to our house. These dogs really are a special breed.

Thanks to some genius, you can also dog sled in the summer. The winter's scenery has a peaceful beauty about it. My last sledding trip was so quiet, except for the soft crunch of paws in the snow. And lucky me, it was a gorgeous sunny day and just perfectly amazing.

There's so many outfits that over dog sledding adventures, you can even drive your own team. Or, just be a passenger and choose from 1 hour to half day trips.

Snow Skiing

Snow skiing is another super fun sport, and my favorite spot was Birch Hill. It's great for beginner/intermediate skiers. If you like extreme snow skiing, try Moose Mountain skiing.

Snow Machining

FYI: You must have a driver's license to operate a snow machine. Most Alaskans call it snow machining vs. the name snowmobile. Gotta say - it was pretty awesome the day after heavy snows (which happened A LOT), to crank up a snow machine and ride around the neighborhood. They also come in handy if the roads were closed.

Every year we headed to Summit Lake and the surrounding hills. Snow machining across the frozen lake & surrounding snowy mountains is a BLAST. If you hit a slushy spot - they key is to keep the throttle down and whizz thru it. Below left is the Richardson Highway, just north of Summit Lake and Paxson AK.

The best time to go is April-May, when the weather has warmed a bit and the sun has broken free of the ice fog. Snow machine rentals are available in Fairbanks & Anchorage if you have a trailer hitch. Arctic Xtreme Adventures on mile 194.7 also has rentals.

I forgot my sunglasses once, and spent 2 days walking around the house blind and wearing eye patches - NOT fun. FYI: Wear sunglasses - the sun reflects off the snow & can seriously burn your eyeballs.

Romp with Reindeer

Location = Pleasant Acres Ranch. 464 Cory Ranch Rd, Pleasant Valley AK.

A romp with a reindeer is another unique & awesome experience. They're pretty much a happy bunch, especially since they know you're also going to feed them. They don't bite, but I wouldn't go out of my way to test that theory!

As you walk & romp with your reindeer, you'll notice they're sort of like a really big dog.... just don't back up into their long pointy antlers. It was so much fun, we're looking forward to our next trip back to Alaska so we find more reindeer to romp with.

They also have dog sledding & modern igloos with large windows for lodging. Plus, it's another good viewing spot to see the Northern Lights.

Location = Chena Hot Springs. 17600 Chena Hot Springs Rd, Mile 56.5, Fairbanks AK. Open year round. NO cell service, some Wi-Fi. Options: day tours from Fairbanks, drive yourself, or use the Resort shuttle (expensive). Chena Hot Springs & Ice Museum are $20 each for adults.

More fun things to do at Chena Hot Springs Resort include: hiking & biking, canoe, horseback ride, and ski/snowshoe. Ask the Resort about their rentals.

Chena Hot Springs

Chena Hot Springs is naturally heated underground spring coming up at a sizzling 165 degrees F. all year round. It must be cooled for you to enjoy the restorative mineral waters. After our nice hot soak, we stepped out & walked barefoot thru the snow. Easy-peasy. Your feet will stay hot for a minute or two. It's pretty cool, I mean hot. You gotta try. Lucky for me, my friend had a hot tub in her backyard, and the best part - her older brother was a nice looking tub ornament!

Aurora Ice Museum

The Aurora Ice Museum at the Chena Hot Springs Resort is spectacular. It's created from 1,000 tons of ice. It's another magical display with a kaleidoscope of lights that bring the glassy ice to life. The Museum is not as big as the ice hotels in Finland, but still pretty impressive.

Pioneer Park

Location = 2300 Airport Way, Fairbanks AK. The physical location is off Airport Way Frontage Rd. Open 365, but the businesses are closed in winter. Pioneer Park really comes to life from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Pioneer Park as the name suggests, is a historical themed park. To create the super cute Gold Rush Town, they relocated original buildings from Fairbanks' early history to the site. The Park really transports you back to the early 1900's. Hey, no worries if you're feeling sick - knock on the green cabin to see if Doc is in. You can also rent a canoe/kayak and head down the Chena river, or ride bikes up the river path. Rentals are available from the Park on the Chena River.

Fairbanks 142 Bus

In the early 1960's, the "Fairbanks 142" bus was hauled into Denali National Park by a construction crew to use for shelter. I saw the movie & looked up the story.

It was forgotten until Christopher McCandless journeyed into the wilderness on a self-discovery mission in 1992. After 4 months, he became ill and died in that bus. The subsequent movie by Sean Penn, "Into the Wild" brought the Fairbanks 142 bus to life. It's now in a museum in Healy, Alaska.

Photo courtesy of Alaska.org.

Location = 101 St. Nicholas Dr., North Pole AK - about 13 miles SE of Fairbanks.

Santa Claus' House is adorable - it's 365 Christmas. Surprise your kids & order a real "Santa Letter" that's mailed to your child. It'll make a believer out of him/her! If you haven't yet, don't miss the chance to goof around with Santa Claus' reindeer. And if you're there during winter, you should definitely see the ice sculptures. Artists come and carve 600 tons of ice into art sculptures. These sculpted statues look like they're made from crystal. A beautiful form of art.

More Fun Things to Do - Fairbanks to Anchorage

• Riverboat Cruise on the Chena River - Fairbanks.

• Salmon Fishing in Valdez - super fresh & delish. Commercial fishing: halibut 6-8 feet long & enormous King Crab legs.

• Hiking Trails - everywhere. I came across a bear once while hiking thru the woods with our canoe. Scary stuff. Did you see Leonardo DiCaprio in the Revenant movie? Hiking in groups is much safer. "Vacation Travel Tips" below.

• Scenic Hwy & Wildlife Viewing - from Anchorage go south on Seward Hwy. Stop at Beluga Point turnout to view beluga whales & Dall sheep along the mountain. We didn't spot any sheep, but the whales were magnificent.

• Scenic Loop - from Anchorage drive the Seward Hwy to Seward, then hop the ferry around the southern tip to Homer. Drive up the coast on the Sterling Hwy, then back to Seward Hwy & left back to Anchorage. There are multiple small towns for fun little morning or afternoon sightseeing trips along the way.

• Whitewater Rafting: Class 4 in Healy & Denali. Class 5 at 6 Mile Creek - Yikes. To calm it down a bit, but still have an exhilarating ride, try the Nenana. That's the one I've been on - it's an adrenaline pump, but not enough to give you a heart attack! The Nenana is a super fun Class 3-4.....but, DANG that water's cold.

The Wonders of Alaska

• Must try foods: Alaskan King Crab legs & the Moose burger.

• The Northern Lights in winter & the Midnight Sun in summer.

• Dog sledding and the extreme Iditarod Race of 1,000 miles. The Alaskan Malamute dog is powerful & bigger than a Siberian Husky.

• The birch trees with white bark against a snowy background is a stunning portrait in black & white.

• Ring of Fire volcanoes along the southwest peninsula & the thermal hot springs.

Vacation Travel Tips

• The Alaskan bird should be the mosquito - they can really do some damage!

• Average temps high/low

• Fairbanks = July 73/52 degrees F. Jan 0/ -15. The lowest = -66.

• Anchorage = July 62/55 degrees F. Jan 23/14. The lowest = -38.

• Rain/Wind - southern areas are rainforest and therefore the wettest, even in summer months with higher rains during fall. Fall is short, but so gorgeous as the mountains come alive with vibrant colors.

• Backpack essentials - cell phone, water, bug spray, bear spray & bear horn, tube whistle (louder), flashlight, flares, pocket knife, sunscreen, rain/wind jacket.

• Winter Essentials - thermal blanket, waterproof boots, dry socks, warm clothing.

• Hiking conditions - trails can be wet & slippery even in summer. Snow covered areas can be deceiving with ice underneath, so please be safe.

• Vehicle safety – Keep a spare blanket, boots, jacket, gloves, and snacks in the car. Winter roads can have both ice & snow. Use “winter” tires. If you only have "all season" tires - take snow chains.

• Wild animals - Think huge & dangerous. Don't run, back away slowly. Bears are more aggressive in April after hibernating & mamma's with her cubs. Male moose can be territorial & aggressive starting late August during rutting season. More people have been hurt by moose than bears. If you hit a moose on the road - your car will be totaled. Wolves travel in packs.

• Trash - Pack out what you pack in.

• Rivers/lakes – even summer temps are brrrrr cold....no tropical attire here!

• Wilderness areas – best in groups of at least 4. Give someone your itinerary.

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