Pink Flames across the Sky: the aurora in Fairbanks!

Melanie @Tough Love Travel is a certified Alaska expert with 16 years on-the-ground experience in the state. 

Check out her Alaska website right here!

It was April, 2012 when she screamed at the sight of pink flames streaking across the Alaskan sky over her head.

Kathy Lenninger, owner of Sled Dog Adventures, was escorting a couple who had come on a pilgrimage, all the way from Australia, just to see the aurora.  Their mecca, however, was composed of solar particles rather than stone, and their "arrival" was not guarantee.   Sure enough, for awhile it seemed their spiritual journey would end in disappointment - they'd been in Alaska for a month so far, with no aurora.
And then they met Kathy.

THEIR QUEST FOR AURORA
On that April morning, the 3 aurora-seekers traveled an hour north of town to the White Mountains, to a trail that would lead them into the snowy wilderness and up to a mountain-top cabin for an overnight.  

Each driving their own team of dogs, they fought their way up the steep grade in waning northern sunlight, and arrived at the cabin in time to bed down their 16 huskies and have some dinner.

Up there in the black, clear night, they scanned the sky, over and over, but with no promise of aurora, the Aussies eventually tucked themselves into their cozy attic loft for some sleep.

Around 10pm, Kathy thought she'd go out to give the dogs an extra pat before turning in.   Thanking them for their hard work earlier that day, she bent down, stroking and scratching one dog after the other.

At dog 8, with her back aching, she stretched up, for just a minute, but then SCREAMED!
Above her, the sky was alive with pink flames!

She yelled for the clients, who came rushing out.  In her 39 years up in Alaska, she had never seen any aurora like it!  And her clients finally "arrived".

For an unbelievable 20... maybe 25... minutes they stood there mesmerized by the aurora.  The pink flames danced on and on, eventually morphing more to yellow and eventually streaking in green (the most common aurora color).

The next day, they drove their dogs back into Fairbanks, eager to tell their story, but the town already knew.   The glorious pink aurora had made the front page of the Fairbanks Daily News Miner!

WHAT MONTHS ARE BEST TO SEE THE AURORA?
The above story occurred in April, but you can catch the aurora even in August.   Summertime is when I, myself, saw the aurora, but it was over a Walmart in Edmonton Canada --  hardly as romantic as Kathy's mountaintop cabin.
Aurora viewing is most popular in winter because the nights are longer.

ARE THERE INDICATIONS THAT THE AURORA WILL APPEAR, OR BE PARTICULARLY VIBRANT?
There are no indications to the naked eye or to the typical person.  But scientists can predict the chance of aurora and they keep a website updated at their University of Alaska's Geophysical Institute lab to share their insights with the public.  Click this link!   Today, for example, the aurora is forecast is high -- rated a 5 -- with a band reaching from Barrow up on the Arctic Ocean down to King Salmon, which is in Katmai National Park in the Gulf of Alaska.

MOBILE APPS FOR AURORA TRACKING? 
Yes,  there's an iPhone Aurora app that you can download, or just use this QR code:

WHAT MAKES THE AURORA?
The dumbed-down scientific explanation is that charged articles from the earth's solar wind hit our atmosphere and light up.

IS THIS YEAR'S AURORA TRULY HEAVIER THAN NORMAL?
Kathy's been in Alaska for decades and she says she hears from other locals that this year's aurora is more vibrant, but frankly, she's usually sleeping at night!
Green and yellow are the most common aurora and she has seen a lot of those this winter.


HOW CAN YOU OPTIMIZE YOUR CHANCE TO SEE THE AURORA?

Aurora Borealis Lodge

• Stay at one of the many Fairbanks guesthouses that staffs a full-time night owl to constantly scan the sky for auroras and wakes up guests when one is spotted.

• Meet the owners of Aurora Borealis Lodge, 20 miles outside of Fairbanks on Cleary Summit.    It's outside of town to minimize light pollution and it's large glass windows are north-facing for premier aurora viewing!

• BEST YET!  Go out on an overnight dogsled with Kathy Lenniger!  You can email her here to ask all your questions!  Or read about her great sled dog excursions here!

For nuanced and personalized trips to Alaska, designed by an expert with 16 years of on-the-ground experience, 

call Melanie @ Tough Love Travel today!

(609) 923-0304

melanie@toughlovetravel.com

Or schedule a free call here!

Meet Kathy for a Sled Dog Adventure to REMEMBER!

Think this could be the COOLEST thing for you to plan for Alaska?  I think you're right! 

Grab a FREE 20-minute appointment now, to see what YOUR Alaska adventure could look like!

WHAT'S A SLED DOG ADVENTURE LIKE?


The dogs are jumping, lunging, barking and  jerking the dogsled that is tied to a  post by a long line.  You are holding on to the handlebow, knees bend,  grip
tightened with one foot on the brake, other foot on the runners -- ready for your sled dog adventure!

The lead team leaves first, and you are next. Remembering your previous lesson, you pull your  quick release knot, the rope comes loose and you and the dogs are free, and very
close to flying. 

All is suddenly quiet. 

The brake slows them down somewhat, but the speed is exhilarating as they chase the team in front. But after a while, the wild lope becomes a trot as your sled ---  full of sleeping bags, food, all the accoutrements of camping on this sled dog adventure -- weighs them down.   The dogs know they have a job to do. You’re heading out on an overnight winter camping trip in Alaska, and you have about 20 miles to  go. Alaskan huskies can do this sled dog adventure in 2-3 hours depending on the trail conditions .

IS THERE A SCHOOL FOR SLED DOG ADVENTURES? 

Yes, mushing school provides all the equipment (including some personal gear, see below), the sleds, the guide or instructor, and, of course, the dogs.

WHAT HAPPENS IN SLED DOG ADVENTURE SCHOOL?
You’ll learn to harness the dogs and position them in the team. Then you head off on a 5mile training  run -- you'll start your sled dog adventure in a sitting position, then you trade places with your guide and they sit and help YOU DRIVE the team around the course. 


Age is not a factor, but good balance and fairly good physical conditioning are needed.  
While the dogs do most of the work, you need to be able to hang on to the handlebars if you tip over, or run after your  team if you lose them, as your guide in front will catch them. 

Sled dogs do not back up, darn them.

But if you're wondering if YOU are "up" for a sled dog adventure, check out Aaron and Maggie, on the left.  They're a pair of typical, middle-aged, suburbanite honeymooners from Jacksonville, FL.  They had a BLAST!


WHO'S THE GUIDE ON SLED DOG ADVENTURES?
Your guide, and the owner of the company, is Kathy Lenniger, a lifelong dog musher, salmon fisherman, and outdoorswoman, who has run Sled Dog Adventures out of Fairbanks, AK for more than a decade.   
Want to talk to Kathy?  She'll pick up the phone at (907) 479-5090!

WHAT DOGS ARE USED FOR SLED DOG ADVENTURES?
                                                      Alaskan huskies of every size and color are trained for sled dog adventures. 
                                                      
Kathy's  largest  are 65-70 lbs , the smallest are 40 lbs. and all are solid muscle.  


And here's a video of the head K9 for your sled dog adventure, Ace:

CAN YOU OVERNIGHT IN THE WILDERNESS ON A  SLED DOG ADVENTURE?
Yes!
Whether you go to a cabin or a tent camp, your guide first unhooks the dogs and ties them to stake-out chains from the sled.  Then, if camping, Kathy sets up the arctic oven tents, each with their own woodstove, 
and gathers local firewood for the stoves and cook fire. 
You’ll be served hot drinks and hors d’oeuvres while dinner is cooking,
and you'll melt snow for water for the dogs’ dinner. They eat well and so do you, often
salmon and a stir-fry of fresh vegetables, hot bread, and cheesecake for dessert.
(Your body will crave fat in the cool air.)

ARE THERE TOILETS ON SLED DOG ADVENTURES?
While the cabins have outhouses, the tent camping has the great outdoors and a hole that  you dig in the snow. No lingering with a magazine out there!

WHAT GEAR DO YOU NEED FOR A SLED DOG ADVENTURE?
Your outfitter will provide arctic outerwear such as parkas, overpants, neck gaitors, hats, boots (if you need them), and large overmitts  for just-in-case.  
You wear good long underwear, wool socks and other layers.  It doesn’t have to be
expensive to be warm.

WHAT'S NIGHTTIME LIKE ON A SLED DOG ADVENTURE?
The stars or northern lights might grace the skies, then it's off to bed in thick arctic sleeping bags. If you've chosen one of the arctic oven tents, there's a window to check the skies at
night. It’s so roomy you can stand up to get in and out of your gear. 

The dogs usually serenade you with a group howl or two, and Kathy has even heard wolves respond with  a melodic chorus a few times.

WHAT DO CLIENTS SAY ABOUT DOG SLED ADVENTURES?

“this is the best thing I have ever done in my life.”

Sled dog adventures is an intimate immersion in nature in an intense climate, and the power and strength of these amazing huskies imprints in the hearts of so many people who live in a
mechanized world. 
As a 37 year dog driver, Kathy can tell you these dogs do it because they love it, and ask for nothing but a good meal. Their enthusiasm is  contagious.

Come see for yourself! 

Grab that appointment with Melanie now! 
It's free and there's no obligation -- just a time to dream!

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