In Search of the Northern Lights

Borealis Basecamp

1.9.23 - 1.10.23 2 °F

We were picked up at the Pikes Waterfront Lodge at 3:00pm and after picking up others around Fairbanks we arrived at Borealis Basecamp just after it got fully dark at about 4:15pm. We checked in to our rather comfortable igloo and proceeded to dinner at a very good restaurant that is part of the Basecamp complex (and the only place within 45 minutes!) We went to bed and were hopeful that we would see the lights, but the projections were not favorable, although the sky had cleared and the stars were out.

Our day today was a bunch of fun - snowmachining and dogsledding. I have snow machined before in Yellowstone in the winter but had never been dogsledding which is a passion in this part of Alaska---many many professional and amateur mushers. The temperature was a relatively mild 2 degrees, and the outfitters made sure we were dressed appropriately providing any additional gear needed for cold weather protection.