Summer Solstice!
June 26, 2023
We stayed in Fairbanks from June 16 to June 26, and it was a wonderful place to have fun and get things done. On our first visit to Fairbanks in October of 2017, we saw the spectacular Museum of The North as well as Running Reindeer Ranch, Creamers Field, the Aleyska Pipeline, Chena Hot Springs Resort, Angel Rocks Trail, Hilltop Restaurant on the Elliott Highway, and the North Pole.
All of the above are worthy of a visit, but we planned to see new places. We timed our stay so that we could celebrate the midnight sun during the Summer Solstice. Our campground in Fairbanks was at the Elks Club (we’re Elk members) on the Chena River, where kayaks, boats, and paddle boarders went by our back door on the weekends. Downtown was just across the river and we found the antler arch!
Our first fun activity was to take a half-day float fishing trip with Alaska Fishing and Rafting Adventures down the Chena River. We purchased our Alaska fishing licenses in advance, then early one morning our guides drove us about 34 miles northeast to the Hodgins Slough Access. When we launched the boats at the river we were greeted by swarms of biting mosquitos and were grateful to have head nets. Once we got out on the water, they were less numerous though still as fierce! Our guide Dave rowed us to several spots along the river, where I used a spinner rod and Larry tried fly fishing for the first time. Neither of us had worn wading pants before and it was a unique experience to feel the cold water but not get wet. Both of us landed a grayling!
On the summer solstice (also our 38th wedding anniversary!), we picked up our bibs for the Midnight Sun Run later that week and found the Chinook Hot Dog bus recommended by our river guide. Great hotdogs made by a great guy!
Later that afternoon we visited Pioneer Park where we toured old cabins and buildings from early Fairbanks history preserved and moved to this location.
Their aviation museum was especially interesting–flying is an essential way of travel for Alaskans, with a rich history of innovation and adventure.
We had dinner at the Alaskan Salmon Bake before being entertained at the Golden Heart Review comedy musical about Fairbanks’s history.
While the sun never really set, we had no problem sleeping.
The Riverboat Discovery cruise on a replica Sternwheeler was an attraction that exceeded our expectations in how well done it was, especially considering how few months it operates.
We enjoyed the sled dog demo by Trail Breaker Kennels, and talks at the Athabascan Village.
I had the book “Granite” autographed by Susan Butcher’s husband and purchased the stuffed animal to go along with it as inspiration for our granddaughter.
The book celebrates how Susan’s belief in the runt of the litter helped him become the lead dog on all of her four Iditarod championships. We ate a family-style lunch at their restaurant and talked to fellow tourists before driving to the Dredge #8 tour a little north of town. Larry had a blast panning for gold and his efforts were rewarded with 45 dollars worth of gold flakes!
Another morning we met our van tour at 5:40 am and rode with guide Anna Kate for 232 miles of the Dalton Highway to the Arctic Circle.
Known as the “Haul Road,” this rough gravel road is used primarily by commercial truckers driving from Fairbanks to the oil fields in Deadhorse.
We decided to take a guided van tour and were glad we did as it is a long drive from Fairbanks to the Arctic Circle. Our tour included stops at Joy’s,
Finger Rock landmark,
the Yukon River Fish Camp for lunch and dinner,
(This is the same almost 2000 mile Yukon River we saw just after its start south of Whitehorse on its way to the Bering Sea!)
the Arctic Circle for photos,
a permafrost demonstration, and the Pipeline.
We admired this group for their courage riding on the Dalton!
The day finished back in Fairbanks around midnight along with a certificate for crossing the Arctic Circle.
Sunset lasts for several hours and then the sun rises again!
The Summer Solstice Festival was downtown on Saturday, June 24, and we walked over to see the fun. Our favorite part was a competition where teams vied for the fastest time pushing a Hummer up the street. Of course, we were rooting for the Army team!
We purchased fun Bear and Moose hats at Walmart for the Midnight Sun 10K that night.
There are serious competitors, but many runners dress up in costumes, and neighborhoods along the route provide refreshments, encouragement, and sprinklers to cool off!
Larry mentioned we might want to jog a little at the start to get out of the crowd, and I said we could keep it up—so we did. We jogged for 30 seconds and walked for 30 seconds the entire 10K. The run started at 10 pm and we finished before midnight with a time of 1:24:12 and a 13:34 minute mile average. Pretty good!
It was a great ending to our stay in Fairbanks!
“Once you come to Alaska you never go all the way home.” – a local Alaskan