Travel: Wild winter wonderland

On a cold February morning travelers created a festive atmosphere at The Eastern Iowa Airport. A few were heading for Colorado’s ski slopes. But most happy Iowans were bound for Florida, Arizona, Mexico, or some other warm, sunny place. Their luggage was light with swimsuits and sunscreen tucked in their bags.

A traveler, noting snowshoes in our bulging luggage, asked where we were headed and looked dumbfounded when we said, “Alaska.” Eight hours later we drove through tunnels of snow on an Anchorage highway. Late at night, huge snow machines were busy clearing roads of the record 110 inches of snow that had fallen since November.

We briefly thought those sun-bound Iowans were right and that we had foolishly flown north. Our doubt quickly melted as we experienced Alaskan wonders on our first midwinter visit.

Although most tourists trek to Alaska during the warm months there are amazing reasons to head north come winter.

Much to Explore

That Alaskans take winter with humor was obvious as we marveled at Snowzilla, a 20+ foot tall snowman crafted by a family in their Airport Heights front yard. It added immediate levity to our trip. Later we tromped on snowshoes through nearby Russian Jack Park’s lighted and groomed trails. Because Anchorage usually has little wind, the snow laden spruces and ice-bent birches lent a dreamlike quality to the quiet woods.

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Alaskans relish the outdoors and embrace the unique indoor cultural and cuisine scenes. We toured the remarkable Alaska Museum and appreciated the intricately stitched garments made of natural materials by Alaska Natives. A unifying Alaskan theme is the importance of salmon. We pondered: Is it art or practicality? Well, it’s both.

We delighted in a performance of “The Sound of (Black) Music.” Amazing vocals and instrumentals wove Afro, funk, and soul into the familiar Rodgers and Hammerstein musical.

We even visited a dumpster. Yup. A dumpster. Anchorage is a raven Mecca. These huge crow cousins are part of Mother Nature’ cleanup crew foraging for edible scraps tossed out by people. The one we sought was different. It was the famous “White Raven,” an Anchorage social media darling. It eluded us but, on our way to the all-Alaskan Spenard Roadhouse, our daughter spotted it winging overhead.

Anchorage restaurants mirror its ethnic diversity. Bistros, Chinese, Ethiopian, French, Italian, Mexican, Islander, seafood, coffee shops, pizza places, bakeries are among the choices in this culturally-rich city. After a couple of days noshing on Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop goods, Bear Tooth pizzas, and our hosts’ wild caught salmon and deer dinners, it was time to get serious about winter travel in Alaska.

Interior Alaska

We were there to chase the aurora borealis, or northern lights. Although sometimes visible from Anchorage, odds are far better at seeing them from the state’s second largest city, Fairbanks. It’s 356 train miles to the north. Being farther north and away from salt water, Fairbanks is darker and often enjoys clearer skies than Anchorage. Our Aurora apps showed good odds of colorful night lights.

We could have opted for a quick flight north but elected to take the train to the aurora on the Alaska Railroad. Promptly at 8:20 a.m. we joined a throng of other aurora seekers and boarded the Aurora Winter Train from the Anchorage depot near downtown. For the next 12 hours our train chugged through three mountain ranges, dense spruce forests, deep snow, and tight canyons. From time to time, we’d see moose and, surprisingly, spotted a lone wolf trotting through a snowy meadow. During brief stops at Talkeetna and Denali, people debarked for photo ops of the ice encrusted train until the conductor hailed us with the classic, “All Aboard!”

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The Alaska Railroad

A century ago, passenger trains stopped at almost every American town and training was the best way to travel. That rapidly faded as autos and airplanes became the favored way to get places. Except for a few Amtrak routes and commuter lines in big cities, it’s hard to take a train anywhere.

The Alaska Railroad is an exception. When construction started in 1903 there were virtually no roads in Alaska. The railroad built a construction camp near Ship Creek that became the city of Anchorage. Gradually the track was laid north, and on July 15, 1923, President Warren Harding dedicated the line that then extended from Seward in the south to Fairbanks in the interior. The railroad was purchased by the federal government in 1967 and later sold to the State of Alaska.

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As passenger trains have evaporated the AKRR is going strong. It gives visitors an opportunity to enjoy 21st century train travel. The railroad offers travel year-round. The Aurora Special package included the train north to Fairbanks, an overnight in a downtown hotel, and a flight back the next day. Visitors can extend their stay.

Train travel is delightfully different from being crammed into an airplane. Seats had plenty of legroom. We walked up and down the train and talked with strangers, inviting them to play board games. Two women from Taiwan, eager to see the northern lights, challenged us to a rousing game of UNO. The train includes a bistro car for snacks and a dining car, where we enjoyed a tasty, relaxing dinner as we sped through a dense spruce forest.

“The Alaska Railroad is convenient for visitors. The depot is an easy walk from downtown Anchorage hotels and shuttles bring train riders to their hotel in Fairbanks,” said Robin Moore, spokesperson for the Alaska Railroad.

“There’s lots of flexibility to tailor visits using the railroad to get around. For people who don’t have cold weather gear or clothing, it’s easy to rent them along with outdoor sporting goods in Anchorage,” said Moore.

Fairbanks has plenty to do indoors, too. Shops, Creamer’s Field, concerts and museums all beckon. The Museum of the North on the University of Alaska Campus features displays of immense dinosaurs, mammoths and American lions that once roamed the area. Recently it has added the “Magic Bus” 142 of “Into the Wild” fame.

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The Aurora Borealis

Many people trek to Alaska with the main goal of seeing a magnificent display of the northern lights. Although it must be viewed when the sky is dark, seeing the aurora is a little like fishing. You might see it or you might not. September through April are prime viewing months but, on some nights, they just aren’t out and on others clouds obscure the view.

Kasey Gillam of Explore Fairbanks said that for the best chances of seeing the aurora plan to be in the area at least three or four nights. When requested, lodgings’ staff will awaken sleeping guests if the lights are showing. Chena Hot Springs and other resorts cater to aurora viewers. They’re located away from Fairbank’s lights, although visitors can often see them from downtown. The University of Alaska frequently updates its website on current and predicted aurora activity.

Darkness

Many Iowans believe Alaska is pitch dark during the winter. That’s hardly true. Only places north of the Arctic Circle see no sunshine during the depth of winter. We were in Anchorage in early February and enjoyed daylight from about 9:30 a.m. until about 6 p.m. It was slightly shorter in Fairbanks. During the fall and spring equinoxes the hours of daylight in Alaska are the same as in Iowa and other parts of the earth.

Preparing for Alaska’s Winter Chill

We brought layers of warm clothing, because we have them. These included base layers, nylon wind pants, warm jackets, hats, and mittens. Visitors from warmer climes can rent north country clothing in Anchorage. Contrary to popular belief it’s not always subzero. On our final few days in Alaska the temperature rose to almost 40 degrees. Snow was melting. Layering clothing helps people dress properly for changing conditions. We also tucked into our suitcases a set of dressier clothes to wear to the concert and restaurants.

Most people visit Alaska on packaged tours during the warmer months. Visitors see what the tour company wants them to see. We prefer striking out on our own and planning transportation and lodging that’s as close to our desires as possible. Fortunately, the Alaska Railroad and various shuttles and ride services make it easy to get around without renting a car.

On our recent trip we enjoyed indoor and outdoor adventures, saw wildlife, ate delicious food, visited museums and snowshoed. The aurora and White Raven eluded us. That is OK, because as a Lyft driver quipped, “Aurora seekers are like addicts … they always come back to see them again.”