Wow
Alaska! (27 Aug- 9 Sep 2015)
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| A very blessed trip where we ogled at the amazing dancing northern lights on 4 consecutive nights! |
It
was almost a decade ago when I first visited Alaska onboard a 7-day Princess
Cruise after a very enjoyable self-drive tour of the Canadian Rockies . While the cruise brings you in close
proximity to the many glacier and provided a better chance of witnessing ice
calvings, overall it was too relaxing and boring for me being a captive
passenger onboard the cruise as I did not participate in any of the organized
activities. So it was just mindless
feasting on the great food but you do get bored with the same food everyday no
matter how good they are. It’s not surprising therefore that I looked forward
to each port of call at Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway.
What
mesmerized me most were the 2 train rides that I took, in Skagway (White Pass
& Yukon Summit) and from Anchorage southward to Seward, and the exciting
zipline in Juneau. I did not have time
to experience the much raved about 12-hour scenic train ride from Anchorage to
Denali and onwards to Fairbanks.
The
call to revisit Alaska has been growing louder with each passing year. Coupled with the prospect of seeing the
dancing Northern Lights in September, I finally put the plan into action this
year with the fabulous company of 8 friends.
Thank God for a fantastic trip (at least for me) whereby we managed to
see (orca, humpback, dolphin, eagle, moose, caribou, close encounter with a grizzly
bear, dall sheep), do (zipline, ATV-all terrain vehicle ride, hiking,
bicycling, and one even did kayaking, flightseeing, train and ferry rides) and enjoy all that we wanted to do and see and
best of all, wrapped up the trip with a grand finale of 4 nights of heavenly
light show of the elusive aurora borealis and a bonus view of the celestial
lights from my window seat onboard the flight from Fairbanks to Seattle!
The
focus this time is on the land tour and via trains, flight and self
drive. To complete the Alaskan
experience for my friends, I also included a round trip (6-hour 1-way) ferry
ride onboard the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) from Juneau to
Skagway. The AMHS is a rare example (in
the USA) of a shipping line that offers regularly scheduled service for the
primary purpose of transportation rather than of leisure or entertainment. It
has 11 different vessels, is colloquially known as the “blue canoe” and is 1 of
only 27 US Highways that received the honour of
an All-American Road, National Scenic Byways. Our route on the LeConte took us through the calm scenic
Inside Passage that offers views of imposing mountains, majestic glaciers and
fjords. Depending on the route chosen, some vessels also have cabins though
customers are free to pitch their own tent on the open deck ;)
There is a cafeteria that serves hot food and microwave oven for heating
up your own food.
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| At the dock in Skagway |
We
took a total of 3 train rides including a 3.5-hour round trip to the White
Pass & Yukon Summit that departed from Skagway. The engineering feat of 65 miles of iron road was completed in 26 months in 1898
during the Klondike Gold Rush. To enjoy
the best view one should sit on the left side of the train on the onward sector
from Skagway.
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On the tiny open platform where everyone jostled to take picture of the passing scenery |
As we were not cruise passengers, our ride did not include a short bus ride at the summit to the Yukon Suspension Bridge (passport required for landing on the Canadian Yukon). It’s a pity as I really enjoyed this on my previous trip, the panoramic view from the steel suspension bridge over the raging Tutshi River and the snow-capped mountains in the far yonder. There’s also a nice cafeteria with alfresco sitting, a gift shop and interesting exhibits.
The
6-hour, 183-km Coastal Classic train ride from Anchorage to Seward was equally scenic
along the Turnagain Arm but due to flooding at one of the sections of the
railroad, we had to transfer by coach to Seward. However, we were compensated with a nice
stop-cum-short hike at Grandview Whistle Stop, Chugach National Forest. It seemed to me that the imposing Spencer
Glacier had retreated much in the span of 10 years. I remember the train passing very close to
the edge of the glacier but this time round it was far away from the train.
Some of us took the Gold Star during the forward journey while the rest took
it on the return sector during dinner time.
The higher Gold Star price is the same for breakfast or dinner but it
is definitely a better deal for the 3-course dinner versus the breakfast that
comprises eggs, cheese, stuffed French toast, scrambled eggs and bacon and
yoghurt. The Gold Star coach is located on the upper deck and has a see-through
glass dome and large unobstructed glass windows for excellent view. Passengers are also entitled to free-flow of
both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
There’s also a relatively big open viewing platform behind the bar
counter for unobstructed photo taking of the captivating scenery. For non-Gold Star passengers, there’s a smaller glass-domed section that is shared by all
passengers. Hence, there are frequent
announcements for passengers to be considerate and not hog the seat for more
than 20 minutes at a time.
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| The Gold Star coach comes with breakfast or dinner and free flow drinks |
If
you could afford time for only one train ride, then opt for the 12-hour (1-way),
563-km Denali Star ride from Anchorage to Fairbanks, or at least to
Denali. The views are particularly awesome in Falls
where gold shimmering leaves dominate the landscape, accentuated by silvery barks and sporadic red
shrubs. In all the train rides, passengers are allowed to roam freely except to
the Gold Star section where customers there are issued a “gold” star brooch
for easy distinction. Nevertheless, it
is not at all difficult to gain access to the private glass-dome coach and the
large viewing platform just for a visit.
The washrooms there are definitely a class of its own, although strictly
speaking it’s meant for use by Gold Star customers only. I believe this may not be possible during the
peak summer season when all trains are packed to capacity.
Awesome Flight
If
you take the cruise, you will MISS this “million-dollar view” onboard the
<2-hour flight from Juneau to Anchorage.
Make sure you choose the RIGHT WINDOW seat and sit as far away from the
wings as possible as the views outside are jaw-dropping! You can only ogle with your eyes as the
double-paned window is not ideal for taking clear and sharp photos especially
when it’s glaring and sunny outside unless you have a good SLR camera and with
a polarizer lens. Spectacular sights of
powdery snow, snow-capped mountain range, massive glaciers, floes,
meandering rivers, fjords and sea of clouds of various formation
drifting above the lakes, glaciers and mountains that alternate between lush
green, brown and snow white. Cross your fingers that the weather is perfect on the
day of your flight as rain could mask the otherwise heavenly sights.
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| Glacier highway viewed from the plane from Juneau to Anchorage |
Second
to this is the optional flightseeing tours for those who cruise to anchorage
instead. They are very expensive and the
view is dependent on the weather. I was
very blessed to enjoy the 3-hour return flight (US$450) from anchorage to Denali
with a lake landing. My friends were not
as lucky having paid US$400 each (only an hour!) as the experience was somewhat
marred by the dense clouds that day.
Denali National Park Shuttle
Bus Ride to Wonder Lake
Denali
means the “High One” or the “Great One” in the Athabaskan language of Alaska
natives. The mountain is coveted as a
climbing haven for those preparing to scale Everest or simply to enjoy Mt
Denali. It is nicely located near the
Arctic Circle, the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Alaska,. During his visit to
Alaska on 30th August 2015, President Obama announced that Mt
McKinley will be renamed to Mt Denali to show honour and respect to the Alaska
natives.
Denali
National Park comprises 6 million acres and is bisected from East to West by
the Alaska Range. The Park Road is the
only vehicle allowed access into the National Park. Mt Denali, towering 6,194m
(20,237 feet), is the largest mountain on earth situated entirely above sea
level and 5,000m above the Alaska Tundra. Its massive snow-capped peak
basically crowns the 600-mile long Alaska Range. The Denali terrain includes tundra and taiga
zones where the former is differentiated by its treeless peak and the latter,
by stubby evergreen, spruce and aspen which are found around the Arctic Circle.
Weather
in Denali is extremely volatile and changes without warning. Visitors are advised to be prepared for all
weather by wearing layered clothing as one can expect the sun, wind, rain and clouds
all on the same day. In summer, the mountain is at least partially shrouded in
cloud but we were extremely blessed with clear and sunny skies, a rarity
according to the shuttle bus driver.
This
is one fabulous ride that I would strongly recommend. It is 85miles (137km) and 11 hours long
(round trip) but time flew by with the endless
awesome autumn hues and wild life sightings as the bus traversed across
mountain passes and wetland tundra.
Depending on the weather and the capacity of the bus, some buses can
only go as far as Eielson Visitor Centre which is a shorter 8-hour
journey. It was the cheapest and best
value activity that we had in Alaska costing just US$58.25 (inclusive of tax
and booking fees) each vs US$95 tour bus rate. The main difference is that
drivers of the shuttle bus are not obliged to give narration whereas tour bus
drivers are, and passengers of the shuttle bus can hop on and off any shuttle
bus whereas tour bus passengers must stick to the same tour bus that they are
booked on. We were blessed with a female
shuttle bus driver who provided very good narration at the appropriate juncture. And there were numerous keen-eye passengers
who helped to spot wild life in their natural habitat amidst the Alaska Tundra.
It
is free seating onboard the green shuttle bus but do sit on the left side of the bus on the forward journey as
most of the captivating views are on this side of the bus. It was pretty amusing to observe how all the
passengers would swerve towards the left side whenever wild animals were sighted
or when there were post-card perfect views .
We were fortunate to see grizzly bear, moose, caribou, dall sheep and
eagle with the exception of wolves. Be sure to bring all your food, drinks and
necessary clothing with you on the long trip as there is no food once you leave
the Wilderness Access Centre.
There
are stops to answer nature call (about every 90 minutes and lasting 10-15
minutes each time) and numerous photo taking opportunities. Hikers can opt to hop on and off the shuttle
bus to enjoy the various hiking trails on the tundra but must be aware of the
bus schedule and be prepared to wait at least an hour for a shuttle bus with
available seat as it’s subject to space availability.
Juneau
It
was a wet first few days in Juneau and Skagway.
Most of the shops/businesses are aligned with the cruise arrivals. When no ship arrival is expected, almost all
shops are closed and fewer restaurants are open. Juneau is one of the busiest, if not the
busiest city, it being the capital of Alaska.
Our
hotel was conveniently located in the city centre and hence we could walk to
all the tourist spots, dock and even Mt Roberts Tramway. Seafood is good and readily available,
especially The Alaskan King Crab, Halibut and King Salmon. Great eateries to savour the fresh, juicy
seafood are Tracy’s King Crab Shack (BEST deal at US$24 per lb vs US$40 at other eateries), Hangar on the Wharf and supposedly Twisted
Fish which we did not have time to sample.
A very interesting and reasonably priced restaurant is the popular Red
Dog Saloon which has a retail outlet adjoining the restaurant. The bustling place is adorned with “wild
life” of all kinds and even has a singer to entertain the diners. Alaska Crepe Escape, The Rookery Café and
Heritage Coffee are other worthwhile stops.
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| Savouring the Alaskan King Crab at Olivia's Bistro |
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| Red Dog Saloon restaurant |
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| Yummy seafood, especially Alaskan King Crab. At The Fish Company |
Only
3 of us braved the rain to take the Mt Roberts Tramway and did a 2-hour hike in
the wet weather. The rain was not heavy
but it did make the hike tougher especially on the muddy trail to the
summit. It was a good workout
nonetheless.
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| Mt Roberts Tramway, Juneau |
On
our last day in Juneau, the weather was perfect! It was 1 of only 32 days in Juneau when the
sky was sunny and clear. We had
prebooked our Zipline activity on this day and had been praying for good
weather as it had been drizzling incessantly since our arrival.
After an exhilarating experience “flying” through 10 ziplines and returning to the main island via a 4-wheel drive truck and speed boat, some of us continued our adventure onboard a whale watching ferry. It was a guaranteed whale sighting trip or all $ refunded! We were rewarded with sightings of orca leaping from the sea surface, humpback whales spewing water sprays and playful dolphins alongside the whales, all within reasonably close range.
After an exhilarating experience “flying” through 10 ziplines and returning to the main island via a 4-wheel drive truck and speed boat, some of us continued our adventure onboard a whale watching ferry. It was a guaranteed whale sighting trip or all $ refunded! We were rewarded with sightings of orca leaping from the sea surface, humpback whales spewing water sprays and playful dolphins alongside the whales, all within reasonably close range.
We
had a delightful hike to Mendenhall Glacier and waterfall. We prepaid the round-trip Glacier Shuttle
(20-minute ride) to Mendenhall Visitor Centre only to discover that it would
start operating at 11am instead of from 8.30am at 30-minute interval. Apparently their service is also aligned with
the cruise arrival which is not reflected on their website. We
took a taxi there instead but managed to return via the Glacier Shuttle. A great photo stop with the dual image of
Mendenhall Glacier and the waterfall.
There were also drifting floes in the calm waters. The group also had much fun attempting star
jump with the waterfall-glacier as the backdrop. The wet weather however
dampened our mood in exploring a few other trails in the vicinity, especially
one which was lauded for its high chance of seeing bear catching salmon!
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| Signboard at the Glacier Express bus stop at Mendenhall Glacier |
Skagway
We
visited Skagway primarily to experience the White Pass & Yukon train ride
and arrived via the AMHS. However, we
were forced to extend our visit by one more night because our original return
ferry ride was cancelled and rescheduled to a day later.
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| Skagway Visitor Information Centre |
From
the dock, we took the Smart Shuttle bus (US$2 flat rate) for the 10-minute ride
to our hotel, aptly named The White House Hotel. It’s actually a quaint B&B in a quiet
residential area that is just minutes away from the historic Skagway city
centre. The rooms were cozy, nicely
decorated and have large bay windows
that provide delightful views of the serene
mountain range and surroundings. The
muffins were excellent and there were free recipe cards for one and all who are
interested in trying their hands at replicating the yummy treats. In fact most of the muffins that we had in
Alaska were exceptionally good and of generous serving size.
We
savoured many good food in Skagway, especially at The Brewing Company, Olivia’s
Bistro and The Fish Company. The
servings were generally gigantic and we frequently shared our food to avoid
over-eating. Even then, we tended to
veer towards over indulging in the splendid seafood. My friend who drinks enjoyed the many
different brews of Alaskan beer.
However, one eatery to be avoided is the over-rated BBQ Shack in
downtown Skagway. The food is
excessively salty and pricey!
We
did 2 hikes in Skagway. The first was a forest
hike to Lower Dewey Lake. It was
generally easy except for the 1st 15-20 minutes of steep
incline. On the return route, we stopped
by a river where wild salmons were spawning.
My friend braved the cold waters barefooted to attempt catching a wild
salmon. It looked deceptively easy with
many hovering around rocks and other obstacles but she gave up after struggling
for some 15 minutes with her bare hands and feet. No free sashimi that we had hoped for.
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| View of Skagway port from the Lower Dewey Lake hiking trail |
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Mushroom aplenty on the Lower Dewey Lake hiking trail, Skagway
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Anchorage
After an eye-feast flight over the Alaskan Range from
Juneau to Anchorage, we arrived early with ample time for some outdoor adventure. There are courtesy call booths at the airport
to selected hotels for free shuttle service which we took advantage of.
Some
of us had a pleasurable pursuit via 2 wheels along the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail
(2 hours round trip) while others
explored the town.
We later congregated at the hotel to await the pick-up service by the ATV company for a 3-hour ATV-cum-hiking trip. It’s my 2nd time driving an ATV (all terrain vehicle) after an exciting ride in Iceland.
During the forest hike with the 2 guides, I
almost came face to face with a grizzly bear!
It was unbelievably fast and charging in my direction, just 2 trees away
from me. I screamed so loud that I
actually startled the furry monster into fleeing off the opposite direction,
much to the dismay and chagrin of my friends who missed it totally. Only me and
a friend, we were the last 2 with the guide, witnessed the scary moment. In fact our guide had his pistol drawn and ready
to shoot at the bear!
We later congregated at the hotel to await the pick-up service by the ATV company for a 3-hour ATV-cum-hiking trip. It’s my 2nd time driving an ATV (all terrain vehicle) after an exciting ride in Iceland.
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| Close view of the school of spawning salmon |
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Surprise stop-cum-short hike here due to flooding and the train could not go all the way to Seward. We had to transfer to a 30-minute coach ride to Seward instead |
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| The train depot in Anchorage |
Despite this being my 2nd visit to
Anchorage, I still do not have a strong impression of the place other than the
train depot, downtown restaurant for dinner and the coastal bike ride.
Denali
National Park
We
took the 8.15am – 8pm Denali Star train ride from Anchorage to Fairbanks and
then transferred to the complimentary taxi ride to our hotel (paid by the
hotel) in Fairbanks. We spent a night
here as it was too late to drive to Denali. It would have been ideal to end the
train ride in Denali instead of further up north in Fairbanks but we were
constrained by the car rental service in Denali. There’s only one car hire company in Denali and
it does not allow us to drop off the car in Fairbanks. The lack of car rental company is largely due
to the fact that there are very strict regulations on where you can drive to in
the National Park and visitors have to take the Park Shuttle Bus to most places
within the Park or hike on foot.
That
same evening, I was fortunate to see the promising signs of the Northern Lights
just next to our hotel. The sky was dark
with some clouds and it was not bitingly cold as in severe winter in
Scandinavia. I spent some 30 minutes
outdoor catching sight of the faint shimmering light against the ink black
sky…My friends who were out chasing the lights earlier were not as lucky.
Early
the next morning after breakfast, a few of us took the complimentary taxi
service to Fairbanks Airport to pick up our 2 rental cars, a 7-seater and a
regular saloon. We had 5 pax in the
7-seater white Toyota Sienna and 4 pax in the grey Nissan Versa. All the big
luggage were stowed in the larger car and just 3 pieces in the smaller
car. I drove the bigger car which was
equipped with my own Garmin GPS navigator and hence the 2nd car was
relegated to following me. I also
brought along 2 Motorola walkie talkies for ease of communication between the 2
vehicles which worked out very well for us.
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| Tanana Valley Visitor Centre |
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| Our 2 rental cars, a 7-seater Toyota Sienna and a Nissan Versa saloon |
The
drive to our lovely lodge in Denali took almost 3 hours covering about 200km
with a couple of breaks in between. It
was a pity that we did not have sufficient time to enjoy the homely and
luxurious dome-shaped lodge and its amenities as we had to dash off to the
meeting point for the Denali Flightseeing tour shortly after checking into the
lodge. And we did not return till past 1am after a 2-hour hike in addition to the flight, a late dinner and our 1st enjoyment of the awesome northern lights.
BUT it couldn’t have been a more blissful night with our first sighting of the amazing arc of lights that donned the cloudless dark skies. I spotted it while approaching our lodge after dropping off our 3 friends in another accommodation a short distance from our lodge. I decided to check it out by parking on the side of the solitary road and switched off all the lights emitting from the car. Only 2 of us were in the vehicle while the others were resting in the lodge. I decided to text them via SMS since wifi was not available in the open public area. At this crucial moment I encountered intermittent drop calls via the walkie talkie and my friend at the receiving end had a fright thinking that we were involved in some serious car accident. 2 of them dashed out in the saloon car, thinly clothed without sufficient warm clothing and covered shoes and socks. Perhaps the thrill and excitement of seeing the glorious lights made them less conscious of the cold. After a while, I decided to sacrifice watching the elusive lights to drive back to the lodge to fetch the other 2 friends since this was my 6th time witnessing the aurora borealis. The 6 of us were mesmerized by the pulsating light show for almost 2 hours. Auroras are caused by the excitation of particles from the Sun spiralling in the geomagnetic field near the poles resulting in the release of energy in different forms, including light. Album on northern lights
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Denali Dome Home |
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Denali Visitor Centre |
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| Healy Overlook Hiking Trail. I did not have enough time to complete the strenuous 7.8km 4-5-hour round trip hike Album on hiking in Alaska |
BUT it couldn’t have been a more blissful night with our first sighting of the amazing arc of lights that donned the cloudless dark skies. I spotted it while approaching our lodge after dropping off our 3 friends in another accommodation a short distance from our lodge. I decided to check it out by parking on the side of the solitary road and switched off all the lights emitting from the car. Only 2 of us were in the vehicle while the others were resting in the lodge. I decided to text them via SMS since wifi was not available in the open public area. At this crucial moment I encountered intermittent drop calls via the walkie talkie and my friend at the receiving end had a fright thinking that we were involved in some serious car accident. 2 of them dashed out in the saloon car, thinly clothed without sufficient warm clothing and covered shoes and socks. Perhaps the thrill and excitement of seeing the glorious lights made them less conscious of the cold. After a while, I decided to sacrifice watching the elusive lights to drive back to the lodge to fetch the other 2 friends since this was my 6th time witnessing the aurora borealis. The 6 of us were mesmerized by the pulsating light show for almost 2 hours. Auroras are caused by the excitation of particles from the Sun spiralling in the geomagnetic field near the poles resulting in the release of energy in different forms, including light. Album on northern lights
We were overcome by exhaustion after a long day and decided to return to the lodge as 2 of us had yet to take our shower. The 2 friends who had insufficient warm clothing on them quickly bundled up and ventured outside the lodge for a spectacular feast of the natural phenomenon for another hour or more. It was a blessing indeed that at least one compact camera managed to capture the awesome spectacles…..so for those who would like to capture the dancing lights without having to lug around a heavy and expensive DSLR camera, do invest in a compact Sony RX100.
We
left at around 6.15am the next morning with our luggage in both cars for the
Wilderness Access Centre to join the 11-hour tour to Wonder Lake. Our blessings continued in Denali with
fabulous weather, awesome autumn colours and numerous sightings of dall sheep,
grizzly bears, moose and caribou. It was
incredible that no one felt the strain of the long journey onboard a very basic
vehicle. We were richly rewarded with another grand light show that same night.. There were shafts and curtains of light with
the rare tinge of red. What a blessed
trip, with 2 more nights in Fairbanks and still hoping to be further
entertained by the heavenly lights.
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| Can U see what I see.....2 caribous! |
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| The sure-footed Dall sheep |
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| Frequent swerving to the left of the bus to capture the awesome sights |
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| Grizzly bear |
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| Distant view of a moose |
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| Wonder Lake |
Fairbanks Album on hiking in Fairbanks
Fairbanks
is lauded as one of the best places to witness the mysterious lights and thus,
our expectations and hopes were high, especially since we managed to check
ourselves into the strategically but remotely located Mt Aurora Lodge which is situated
directly below the auroral oval, an annular ring around each geomagnetic pole
where auroras are most likely to occur.
It also helps that the staff also provides
real time update on the aurora activity and intensity.
However,
when we arrived at the accommodation in the day, we were all shaken by the
sight of the lodge. It looks like some shanty town building hastily put
together with wood and corrugated zinc sheet. Their website had provided no
picture of the lodge but there were good reviews on the high chance of sighting
the famous lights.
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Mt Aurora Lodge is strategically located below the aurora oval hence has high chance of witnessing the elusive aurora borealis, which we enjoyed 4 nights in a row in Denali and Fairbanks. Picture of the owner of the popular lodge
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| Wild cranberries |
Fortunately,
the interior was a total contrast to the exterior. It was a commendable effort by the owner to
assemble and recycle many old and discarded stuff thereby giving an eclectic
yet homely feel to the spacious dining hall. The rooms are located on the 2nd
floor and although it is not luxurious, it is comfortable with attached toilet
and bathroom and hot water. One can even
look out for the northern lights from the comfort of the bed but the lodge does
provide aurora wake up calls
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| Good breakfast at Mt Aurora Lodge |
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| We had very good food here at Silver Gulch where the locals frequent |
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| The Pump House where we indulged in 2 dinners here. By far it served the best food that we had tried in Alaska |
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The Pump House also offers great view apart from the excellent food |
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| Very fresh and good value food at The Pump House, Fairbanks |
Perhaps
due to the effect of the hot spring bath, we were all very tired and sleepy that
evening. So it was a blessing that the
northern lights that night were not particularly spectacular. We
had a good night rest and sleep, all charged up for our final night in wait of
the stupendous light show.
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| Chena Hot Spring, Fairbanks |
The next morning we headed for the nature trail to enjoy the outdoors after a relaxing breakfast. Compared to the 1st week of our hectic trip, the last few days were very relaxing. A supposedly 30-minute hike took >2.5
hours with frequent photo stops along the peat covered trails that are soft and
spongy. There were more reddish tinge
here amongst the dominant golden hues and abundant cranberry shrubs that
cloaked almost the entire landscape. We
bumped into a gentleman and his dog, collecting the fresh cranberries with an
unique tool that looks like a handheld dust
pan with a comb on top. He and his dog turned instant celebrity with request
from all of us for separate individual shots with them.
We later congregated at the lodge then set off for lunch and thereafter, to drop our 3 friends off at another magnificent lodge, A Taste of Alaska Lodge. The popular Mt Auroa Lodge was fully booked and could only accommodate my last minute, 3 add-on friends for just one night the night before. But it turned out to be a blessing in disguise for though it took me many hours to find an alternative and nice lodge for their last night in Fairbanks, it was a gem of a find. Compared to our shanty-looking lodge, this was heavenly! We lingered in the lodge for a long while before 6 of us reluctantly made our return journey to our basic abode.
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| Lovely A Taste of Alaska Lodge, Fairbanks. Highly recommended |
But
our shanty lodge location is indeed THE ultimate place to view the heavenly splendours. On our last night in Fairbanks, we gazed for
hours at the skies directly above our head for the randomly appearing lights
that magically appeared from various directions, despite the onset of clouds
that threatened to shroud the amazing lights.
There were many customers checking into the lodge that night who were
elated to be greeted by the alluring natural wonder. The majority retired indoor and eventually to
the warm and comfort of their bed after a light drizzle and the infrequent
appearance of the lights. Only my friend
remained steadfast, and stayed up till the wee hours before day break and was
rewarded with the last appearance of the magical light display…. Kudos to her
steadfastness and perseverance. Our other 3 friends at the other lodge were
fortunate to enjoy the dazzling light show from the comfort of reclining chairs
in the vast garden and cuddled behind warm blankets.
Our final day in Fairbanks saw us spending leisurely time hiking in the large field and forest that encompass A Taste of Alaska Lodge. While some simply took a long and leisurely breakfast and lazed around the lodge, the rest of us went exploring the rolling hills and shimmering forest enveloped in a myriad of colours. The owners of the lodge are truly ardent fans of nature and are indeed very blessed to live in a gorgeous lodge a short distance from the visitor’s lodge, surrounded by nature, awesome autumn colours and serenity.
We also visited Walmart, the farmers market and the University of Alaska Museum in Fairbanks.
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| Really nice place to have a quick lunch at the farmers market in Fairbanks |
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| I had a very good falafel for lunch at the farmers market |
The famous University of Alaska
Museum has one of the best selections of Alaskan artwork in the state. We had a very hurried meal thereafter, a very quick Mexican dinner, before rushing to the airport to return our rental cars.
But there was a great parting surprise for me in Fairbanks, a grand finale to my Alaska trip. I had the bonus sighting of the northern lights from the window seat of our late night flight from Fairbanks to Seattle. I was the only one assigned with a right window seat and hence was the only one amongst my friends to witness the magical spectacle while almost everyone else was asleep in their seat.
Thank God for granting us journeying mercies, good
health and a most wonderful and enchanting experience feasting on 4 consecutive nights of the alluring northern light display in Denali and Fairbanks..
TIPS:
- If you take the train to the White Pass & Yukon, and from Anchorage to Seward, ensure that you sit on the left side for the best view on the scenic train rides. Remember to visit the glass dome-shaped deck in the train for unparalled view of the beautiful landscape. If you visit on a cruise, make sure to continue by bus to the Yukon Steel Suspension Bridge
- Similarly on the bus tour in Denali National Park, make sure you are seated on the left side of the bus for the most awesome views. Opt for the Wonder Lake tour (11 hours Round Trip) or at least to Eielson Visitor Centre (8 hours RT) but if you would like to visit the iconic Reflection Pond where Mt Denali is famously pictured in most postcards, then go for the 13-hour Kantishna tour that takes you right to Reflection Pond. Bring all the food, beverage and warm clothing with you on the long trip as no food is available once you leave the departure point at Wilderness Access Centre
- Early to mid-September is a good time to visit Denali if you enjoy autumn colours and hopefully to catch the awesome northern lights
- Take a flight from Juneau to Anchorage or vice versa. The view is worth a million dollars!
- If you take a night flight out of Fairbanks or Anchorage, remember to choose a window seat and to look out for the aurora borealis
- There is long daylight hours in summer and early falls. The sky doesn’t get dark till almost 10pm in early September so you will have plenty of time to participate in some organized outdoor activities
- Bring your swimming costume for a dip in one of the many natural hot springs. Perhaps the most accessible, big and famous one is the Chena Hot Spring Retreat. Admission is US$15. Bring your own towel or you would have to pay US$5 to rent a towel
- Organised activities are expensive in Alaska, averaging at least US$200 an activity with the flightseeing tour being the most expensive (from US$310 to US$700 depending on the duration, type of flight and whether you opt to land on the glacier or lake) but it is worthwhile to join some of these unique activities such as glacier hike/walk, ice cave exploration, dog sledding, ziplining, ATV ride, whale watching, etc.
- It is very enjoyable to go for long nature walks. Trail maps are readily available from the Tourist or Visitor Centre in each town. However, if you are visiting in summer, it is absolutely important to bring insect repellant and loads of sunblock lotion.
- It is a good idea to bring a pair of good binoculars that could help you sight wild life from the moving vehicles or while hiking. In fact the binoculars can also be used as a great aid for taking photos of animals from afar even with just your smartphone or compact camera!
- The weather is very unpredictable in Alaska so layering is the way to go when it comes to clothing. Always equip yourself with rain gear and warm clothing and bring lots of ziplog bags for waterproofing your prized belongings (eg passport, wallet, smartphone, etc)
- The most promising period to coincide your trip with the aurora borealis is in Spring followed by Autumn, when the skies are clear and dark. But beware that there is no guarantee in witnessing natural phenomenon. Do look out for the amazing dancing lights in the dark skies especially between 10pm and 2am. Check the relevant live webcam and aurora borealis forecasting websites (eg http://www.gi.alaska.edu/auroraforecast) for regular update on the probability and intensity of seeing the rare lights
- It is customary at sit-down restaurants to give a 15%-20% tip of the total meal cost and 10% on carry-out eateries although it is not mandatory. Mandatory gratuities are used by some restaurants on large group comprising 6- 8 or more customers. Also to keep in mind the sale tax which varies with the state you are in that are included in your bill
From
Tripadvisor: For waiters at sit-down restaurants, bartenders,
barbers/hairdressers/attendants at beauty salons, taxi drivers, tour guides,
and food delivery folks, the tip should be calculated as a percentage of your total
bill as follows: 10% usually means you aren't totally happy, 15% usually means
all was acceptable, 20% for excellent, over 20% for
outstanding. 15-20 percent is considered standard in most
communities.
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