Reasons to love winter in Fairbanks, Alaska

We’ve now been in Alaska almost 5 months! Time goes by too fast, it really doesn’t feel that long. I wanted to share on here an update on what we’ve been up, and the best way to do that is through photos of course! This is our first winter in Fairbanks and we’ve just started to discover what this area has to offer.

In that time we moved into our house, met Mike’s family for a holiday cruise in the Carribean, hosted my family for a week, spent way too much time indoors, flew to Hawaii for a long weekend, and learned some great winter activities we love! I know I’ve even admitted on here that I cried when we found out we were moving to Alaska, however, we’re finding it a really interesting (never boring!) place to live. Winter is absolutely gorgeous, and every day the light seems to be different.

Here are some things we’ve enjoyed.

Moose

Moose are everywhere! We even have a few living in our neighborhood and I usually get to see them at least once a week. I haven’t been able to capture great shots of them because well, we have a dog, and she barks. Her barking is loud and mean and it does scare them off very quickly! 

Winter Scenes

Winter is absolutely stunning here! The short days, soft light, ice clinging to the trees, it’s mesmerizing! I don’t feel like I’ve been able to do the beauty justice. Some of these were taken on Fort Wainwright, just behind our house and others along the Richardson Highway. 

Sunsets. 

During the shortest days of the year, sunrise runs into sunset with beautiful light for hours. The sun doesn’t come out every day but when it does, wow! Days are quickly getting much longer now, but even still, there are some stunning long-lasting sunsets. 

Ice Sculptures

Winter in Ice is hosted in North Pole every year, a park full of ice carvings and fun for kids. Mike, Jackson and I went together twice, and I went a third time when my family came into town. It may have been cold, but it was fun! I love that there are things to enjoy outside even when the temperatures aren’t very friendly. There’s an ice park later in the winter that we haven’t been to yet, but it also looks fun. Also, Chena Hot Springs Resort has an ice museum where you can drink a martini out of a glass made of ice!

Dog Sledding 

I’ve already written a blog about our experience, but it’s a highlight here in Fairbanks. 

Sled dog races 

We were able to watch the Yukon Quest pass by right behind our house! There aren’t many places in the world you can see such a unique sporting event.

Cross Country Skiing

There are tons of cross-country ski trails in the area. I’m not much of a skier (my husband is), but we bought ski’s because, well, we live in Alaska! I’ve found I really love it though (I just hope not too many people see clumsy me go down hills and fall and such), and we’re hoping to get Jackson interested for next winter. Birch Hill Recreation recreation area is one of the premier cross-country skiing destinations in the country (too many hills for me), but there are also many trails around the university and more. 

Northern Lights 

Two years ago Mike and I tried chasing the Northern Lights in Iceland thinking that might be our only chance to see them, and we failed. Living here in Alaska we see them regularly. They never get old, and each show is so different! It really is a magical experience you can’t imagine without seeing it first hand. 

And more!

There’s so much more we’ve experienced and enjoyed here but I don’t have pictures that do it justice and will make this post way too long! Ice climbing at the University’s climbing wall, soaking in the hot springs at Chena Hot Springs Resort, snowmobiling, exploring the many Bazaars before Christmas, First Friday events, etc. There’s also the Morris Thompson Visitor Center and the Museum of the North at the University that are both worth a visit.

Winter in Fairbanks is definitely worth seeing!