Alaska

ALASKA

by luvurpassion September 30,2025

Day 1 Wednesday Aug 27, 2025

This was our second trip to Alaska covering Fairbanks, Denali and areas around Anchorage. We did not opt for a cruise as seeing the northern lights was a major wishlist in this tour. Fairbanks was basking in sunlight at 70 degrees Fahrenheit when we arrived in the afternoon. The rental car office was by the side of the bag pickup area. After picking up bottled water, breakfast items and snacks from a nearby Walmart and a to go dinner from a local diner, we headed out to our Airbnb in Murphy Dome. This area is away from the city lights and is a great place to view the aurora borealis from September to April. However the aurora god was not on our side on this trip. The aurora forecast that takes into account geomagnetic activities was around 1 Kp index during our Fairbanks stay. This index can be predicted correctly 3 days in advance after the solar storms happen. An index of 3-5 indicates moderate auroral activity while 6-7 is an active aurora and 8-9 represents very active aurora, with displays possible at low latitudes and even near the equator. Our cabin was at a remote location and was decorated cutely. We were wondering that the outdoor area around the hot tub and the firepit seating area were not maintained well and resulted in tall grasses but then learnt from the owner that the animals do the natural lawn mowing work before fall sets in.

Day 2 Thursday Aug 28, 2025 - Fairbanks

It was a leisurely morning with an overcast sky. After a heavy breakfast, we went out to explore Fairbanks downtown. Pioneer park, located on Chena river, is a 44 acre historic village with multiple museums and historic displays. We saw remnants and exhibits showcasing the US purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867 at a $7.2 million, the gold rush era that started near Klondike river, the historic mining sites and posed for pictures with the stuffed bear. A scenic path called Chena Riverwalk runs alongside the river and connects the park. It was a refreshing stroll that spurred up our appetites for Mondovian lunch at Soba restaurant. The restaurant decor was fabulous and the food with a touch of Polish and Ukrainian cuisine was an instant hit. The ice museum was our next stop. We had our heavy jackets for the inside 22 Fahrenheit but the museum also provided parkas. The artist carved an ice sculpture in front of us which was an added benefit apart from viewing the existing sculptures. This followed a short walk to Moose Antler Arch, an iconic arch made up of over 100 moose and caribou antlers collected all over Interior Alaska. A trail beside Creamer’s Field was a good place for birding and wildlife viewing.

Day 3 Friday Aug 29, 2025 - Chena Hot Springs

We stayed 3 nights in Fairbanks with the hope of Aurora viewing. The 3rd night was at Chena hot springs resort, about an hour drive along highway AK2 followed by 50 miles on Chena hot springs road. The weather was better with the sun peeking out every now and then. Locality and houses started thinning out as we moved away from the city. The multiple creeks and forks of Chena river along the way were ideal for photo shoots; we made two stops to absorb the beauty. It started raining as we approached the resort. The front desk and cabins were photogenic with local souvenirs and decor. The 3pm show at Aurora ice museum was full but we did not regret it as we had already experienced the ice sculptures in Fairbanks.

Staying inside the hot springs was so comfortable that the chilly outside 40 degrees with showers did not bother us. We dined early in the resort cafe; . There was not much to do with the chilly rain outside and we retired to bed early. We had a long day tomorrow with a 3 plus hours drive followed by 5 hour Denali tour.

Day 4 Saturday Aug 30, 2025 - Denali

Denali National Park with miles of unspoilt wilderness and wildlife is one of the most popular attractions in Alaska. Private vehicles are allowed 15 miles into the park till savage river crossing. Only authorized vehicles and backpacking campers can go beyond this point. We had booked the 6 hour tour that takes you to the interior part. Our driver and guide Ryan narrated lots of interesting park related facts and tales. He would spot wild life from a distance and all cameras, binoculars would start clicking. Denali peak has an interesting naming saga - the original name was changed to Mt McKinley, reverted back to Mt Denali by President Obama to respect the tribes and again converted to Mt McKinley by Trump in 2025. But what's in a name? So Ryan rightfully referred to the majestic peak as The Mountain. At a distance, we saw a mama bear playing with the cubs. Fall color was abound around the road with the aspens glowing in yellow. The bus traversed the boreal forest in the tundras with the scattered birch trees. The Alaskan tundra is characterized by Permafrost, a permanent ice layer underground that can go up to 10 feet deep. Regular vegetation cannot survive the permafrost.

Our long day ended with a sumptuous taco dinner at the cafe adjoining our cabin at Crows Nest. The elderly couple sitting beside us came from our city in California and surprisingly belonged to the same region in India. Sometimes this makes us think what a small world it is!.

Day 5 Sunday Aug 31, 2025 - Drive from Denali to Anchorage

We checked out early in the morning from Crow’s Nest and went back to Denali park, this time driving our car for 15 miles into the park till Savage river crossing. It was a sunny morning with some clouds floating around. We made multiple stops to capture the Alaskan range glistening in the morning sun. And suddenly the clouds thinned out and there was The Mountain right in front of us. We soaked in the majestic moments along with the rest of the tourists flocking on the roadside until the clouds came back. The Savage River crossing had multiple trails, we went on a short round trip trail along the river. After a sumptuous hot lunch at the Visitor Center, we embarked on the 4 hour drive to Anchorage. The vegetation along the road changed from tundra wilderness to lush vegetation as we drove south. Fall color was abundant with yellow aspen being the prominent one. The roadside wilderness on Highway 3 started changing to urban landscape as we approached Anchorage. We wanted to make a 40 minute detour to Lake Eklutna but dropped the idea as the pouring rain would make the hike very challenging. We

Our joy subsided with profound sorrow in the evening when an extremely sad news of the untimely demise of a friend came in. It reminded once again how fragile our lives are and that we should be grateful for every small thing.

Day 6 Monday Sep 1, 2025 - Matanuska Glacier

Viewing Northern lights and walking on a glacier were the two top attractions we had planned for this trip. Out of the few available glacier tours, we booked the family run Nova tour of Matanuska glacier that promised some good hikes on glacier ice. We made a quick stop at Thunderbirds Falls which was on our way to Matanuska. It was a scenic trail leading up to a gorgeous waterfall. Heard from a local that salmon run can be seen from one of the gorge viewpoints. Salmon run happens during the month of August where salmon swim upstream to reach the river bank where they were hatched. It's a biological wonder that the salmon would hatch at the place where they were born and continue this ritual through generations. The run season had ended, so we could not witness this phenomenon but the phenomenon was nevertheless thrilling.

We picked up a quick lunch at Taco Bell, this place is an all time favorite for our son. The fast food chain has now introduced a lot of variations in the menu and honestly I was not disappointed. The two hour drive from Anchorage to Matanuska was scenic with fall color though the peak season had passed and the leaves looked less glamorous. Surprisingly, Google maps ended the Nova destination in the middle of Highway 1. We followed the only turnout at the place and reached the Nova office. It was not a big deal but I wish there was some signage.

After signing the paperworks, we picked up snow boots and helmets from the office. Our guide advised us against using our own hiking boots as they would get really muddy from the glacier mud. It was perfect sunny weather and a light jacket was enough. John drove us along with another couple for 10 minutes to the base of the glacier. The scenery was getting more and more jaw dropping as we approached the glacier. John kept on reminding us not to click pictures while walking as good footing was very important in the silt. Glad we took the boots from Nova; we could have no way cleaned the silt from our hiking boots.

We walked almost 10 mins over a makeshift wooden bridge which did not even exist 3 years back. The effect of global warming was again an eye opener here. John guided us through crevices and narrow openings. The sun was shining bright and we were soaking in the moments. John showed us the trick to get glacial water by hitting an ice wall with his axe. We filled up our bottles with this purest water.

Day 7 Tuesday Sep 2, 2025 - Kenai Fjords

Alaska offers countless cruise options on its endless coastline to experience marine life closely. Kenai peninsula situated south of Anchorage is separated from mainland by Cook Inlet on the west and Prince William Sound on the east. The peninsula includes several of the most populous towns in Southcentral Alaska, including Seward, Soldotna, Homer along with numerous smaller villages and settlements. It's a popular peninsula known for its accessible beauty.

We had booked a 6 hour Kenai Fjords National Park cruise with Major Marine Tour starting from Seward. The weather forecast was not so favorable with rain likely the entire day. Our 127 mile long drive on scenic Seward Highway from Anchorage to Seward with the Chugagh mountains on one side and the Cook Inlet coast on the other side was spectacular even on a gloomy cloudy day. We stopped frequently to capture the mountain range and pristine waterfalls along the way. Alaska Railroad’s Coastal Classic Train route ran alongside the road; it is one of the most scenic railroads with amazing views. Boarding this train is on our wish list for some future visit.

Boarding for our cruise started at noon. A family pic in front of the catamaran was a must. We preferred seating in the downstairs heated cabin but would run out to the open deck every now and then to capture the close encounters with countless otters, sea lions, bald eagles and of course whales. Deli sandwich lunch was served as the captain started narrating the areas wildlife, geology and history. The captain guided the ship along massive bird rookeries and sea lion colonies while circling the Resurrection bay and stopped the engine several times to view passing whales. A whale family with two calves entertained us for so long that we stopped clicking the camera at the end. The ship went to the Hogate Glacier real close and we witnessed a glacier calving. We braved the freezing wind and stayed at the front of the ship to capture the moments. However, the cherry on top of this cruise tour was the Spire Cove, a beautiful geology created by crashing winter storms. The cloudy sky made the towering rock spires with lush green moss seem surreal mythical formation. It was an otherworldly magical place; no doubt this is a heaven for outdoor photographers.

Our final reward of the day while driving back on Seward Highway was the reflection of the mountains in a roadside lake. The day ended with sumptuous shrimp, halibut and salmon dishes at Momma O’s.

Day 8 Wednesday Sep 3, 2025 - Anchorage

We try to keep one day on our trips with no planned agenda. Today was that day. We spent a leisurely morning just doing nothing and enjoyed the outside scenery from the balcony. Lunch was at local deli Rainforest cafe, the food was delicious but the ambience was even better. We spent the afternoon hiking to a nearby regional park and getting some souvenirs from a local shop and called it a day after dining. There was a good chance of aurora activity that night but the cloudy sky failed us. Our fabulous trip had come to an end and we packed up that night with a heavy heart. We had a morning flight to catch the next morning.

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