Tag Archives: winter

Best place in Alaska to view the Northern Lights?

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Q: Where is the best place in Alaska to view the Northern Lights?

A: Generally speaking, the further north you can get – the better.  One of the easiest to get to, and best cities to see the northern lights from is definitely Fairbanks. You can take the Alaska Railroad straight to Fairbanks from Anchorage, or make the drive up along the George Parks Highway. For lodging, check out Pike’s Waterfront Lodge, or the Alpine Lodge. Continue reading →

Is Denali Backcountry Lodge open year round?

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Q: Is the Denali Backcountry Lodge open year round? Can we take the Denali Backcountry Adventure in December?

A: The entire towns of Denali and Kantishna shut completely down from around September 15- May 15th.  The traffic lights even shut off.  There is no lodging in or around the Park Entrance during this hiatus.  The Denali Park Road goes unmaintained after the first snow, and the wildlife in the park get a well deserved reprieve from human visitors.  There are plenty of other activities you can partake in while you are staying in this winter wonderland though.  One of the most treasured is seeing the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) in Fairbanks.  There are also plenty of winter sports to enjoy including snowmachining, dog mushing, and skiing!

When can we visit Alaska and avoid mosquitoes, but not get too cold?

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Q: What is the best time of year to visit Alaska? We’d like to enjoy the outdoors when it’s not too cold, but we’d also like to avoid the mosquitoes.

A: Thats a tough one.  As soon as the temperature gets above freezing for any amount of time, and the lakes and wetlands start to thaw, the bugs come out.  Right now, late May/ early June, is the best time in my opinion.  The mosquitoes are large (about the size of nickels), but they’re also slow and there are not as many.

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