2013 Visitors Guide by Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Free Summer

2013

Visitors Guide Your information source for visiting Interior Alaska

Eric Engman/News-Miner

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The voice of Interior Alaska since 1903â&#x20AC;?

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2013 Summer Visitors Guide

Index of stories Activity suggestions from residents ........ 4 Alaska Railroad ..................................... 14 Biking in the Interior ............................. 56 Chena Hot Springs Resort ..................... 59 Chena Lake Rec Area ............................ 62 Creamer’s Field ..................................... 26 Dalton/Elliott highways .......................... 71 Denali Highway ..................................... 72 Denali Music Fest ................................. 12 Denali Park ............................................. 5 Denali Park in half a day .......................... 9 Denali Park navigation ......................... 10 Denali Park on a budget ........................ 12 Denali State Park .................................... 8 Downtown Fairbanks map ...................... 38 Downtown Fairbanks shopping ............... 37 Downtown Fairbanks tour ...................... 33 Downtown Market ................................. 36 Fairbanks Community Museum ............. 23 Fairbanks facts ..................................... 70 Fairbanks history .................................... 3 Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre ............ 45 Fishing in the Interior ............................ 34 Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum ...... 22 Georgeson Botanical Garden.................. 24 Golden Days .......................................... 46 Gold Dredge 8 ....................................... 49 Golf in the Interior .................................. 52

KEY EVENT DATES Midnight Sun Baseball Game: June 21 Midnight Sun Festival: June 23 Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre: July 12-28

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Large Animal Research Station ............. 24 Midnight Sun Festival ............................ 44 Midnight Sun Game ............................... 54 Museum of the North .............................. 18 Mushing tours ....................................... 58 North Pole ............................................. 61 Northern lights ...................................... 63 Parks Highway ...................................... 13 Paxson/Cantwell .................................... 73 Pioneer Park ......................................... 30 Richardson/Alaska highways ................. 64 Riverboat Discovery .............................. 40 Running in Fairbanks ............................ 51 Steese Highway .................................... 66 Sternwheeler Tanana Chief ................... 48 Summer Arts Festival ............................ 39 Tanana Valley Farmers Market .............. 47 Tanana Valley State Fair ......................... 21 Taylor Highway ...................................... 76 Top outdoor activities ............................ 42 Trans-Alaska oil pipeline ....................... 68 Valdez ................................................... 79 Valdez harbor ........................................ 78 Visitors center ...................................... 27 World Eskimo-Indian Olympics .............. 29 Worship in Fairbanks .............................. 16 Wrangell-St. Elias .................................. 74 Yukon Quest .......................................... 57

Golden Days: July 17-21 World Eskimo-Indian Olympics: July 17-20 Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival: July 14-28 Tanana Valley fair: Aug. 2-11 Tanana Valley Sandhill Crane Festival: Aug. 23-25

1-888-488-6392 (907) 488-6392

Alaska DOT highway conditions: Dial 511 Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau: 456-5774, visitor information National Weather Service: (800) 472-0391, recorded info Alaska State Troopers: 451-5100 Fairbanks Police Department: 450-6500 Emergency: Dial 911

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WEBSITES OF NOTE

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Alaska Department of Fish and Game: www.adfg.alaska.gov Alaska State Parks: dnr. alaska.gov/parks Alaska Department of Transportation highway info: 511.alaska.gov Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau: www.explorefairbanks.com National Weather Service, Fairbanks: pafg.arh.noaa.gov U.S. Bureau of Land Management: www.blm.gov/ak Fairbanks Daily News-Miner: newsminer.com Download the News-Miner’s free mobile app, available at Apple’s app store and on Google play for Android devices.

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The story behind the Golden Heart City By DERMOT COLE cole@newsminer.com Fairbanks comes by its nickname “The Golden Heart City” naturally. It was a combination of good luck, bad luck and gold that led to the establishment of the community in 1902. A year earlier, E.T. Barnette was trying to get to a spot much farther to the east and establish a trading post when shallow water and a fear of getting stuck prompted a steamboat captain to unload Barnette and his trading goods where Fairbanks is today. Barnette’s bad luck turned into good luck a year later when an Italian prospector named Felix Pedro discovered gold about 16 miles north of Barnette’s stockpile. Pedro’s discovery and the location of Barnette’s trading goods launched a rush to Fairbanks that brought prospectors and merchants from other gold fields such as the Klondike, across the Canadian border in the Yukon. Between the 1902 gold discovery and 1910, the Fairbanks camp grew to more than 3,500 souls, according to the 1910 census. But about 11,000 other people lived in small towns scattered amid

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Fairbanks is named for Charles W. Fairbanks, who represented Indiana in the U.S. Senate and served as vice president under President Teddy Roosevelt. The town was named in his honor as a tribute, proposed by Judge James Wickersham, who had told Barnette that he would locate his courthouse here if Barnette chose that name. Gold production and the town’s fortunes began to decline after 1910. It wasn’t until after the federal governLibrary of Congress ment finished building the The city is named for Charles Alaska Railroad in 1923 that W. Fairbanks, who repre- Fairbanks enjoyed a resursented Indiana in the U.S. gence. Senate and served as vice It happened because the president under President railroad improved transTeddy Roosevelt. portation services, allowing access to coal, which replaced the gold fields north of Fairbanks. Please see HISTORY, Page 5

2013 Summer Visitors Guide

HERE’S WHAT YOU GOTTA DO ... • The Permethrin treatments for your clothes work great for mosquitoes. Just spray on or soak your clothes in the liquid and it repels mosquitoes for several weeks, even if you wash your clothes. (Permethrin in a natural insecticide obtained from flowers). ... They usually have the stuff at Beaver Sports or Sportsman’s Warehouse.

For the 2013 edition of the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner Visitors Guide, we thought it would be good for you to hear from some of our readers about where they take their summertime visitors to in the Golden Heart City. So we went to our Facebook page in early April and asked them to tell us what they think are the must-see places around town and the places they take guests for an off-the-beaten path experience. And, yes, we asked them to tell you how to deal with our less-than-welcome mosquitoes. We’ve put a sampling of their comments below. Welcome to Fairbanks, and we hope you enjoy your stay. — Rod Boyce Managing editor Fairbanks Daily News-Miner editor@newsminer.com Twitter: @FDNMeditor

• For mosquitoes, run a Bounce dryer sheet on your skin. They will leave you alone. • River rafting! • Angel Rocks! • The hot springs for sure. And fishing for grayling on the Chena. • Many people go to Angel Rocks, but Granite Tors isn’t hiked nearly as often. The Large Animal Research Station is a good spot to visit. The Fairbanks Community Museum is good, too. A map of historical buildings downtown for a self-guided walking tour would be cool. Creamer’s Field is another great spot to visit. • Mosquitoes tend to avoid the people who regularly consume garlic. Oh, and I almost forgot. Goldpanner baseball games! A must-see during any Fairbanks summer visit! • Pump House restaurant! • We like to take folks out to Chatanika and walk across to the abandoned dredge. • Hit the Farmers Market off College Road. Kayak the Chena, visit Creamer’s Field, hike Granite Tors and Angel Rocks. Tour the UA

• Definitely the musk ox farm! • Large Animal Research Station, hiking to Angel Rocks, the hot springs, Hot Licks Ice Cream and the UA Museum of the North. Pipeline and Silver Gulch brewery on Day 2.

Sam Harrel/News-Miner file photo

• Park the RV and take two or three days to do some hiking (Stiles Creek/Colorado Creek) and enjoy Alaska’s solitude.

Canoeists pass under the • White Mountains on the ATV William R. Wood Memorial and the botanical gardens, too. Footbridge in May 2012 on • The reindeer at Santa Claus the Chena River downtown. House, and the drive to the Arctic Circle!

museum and Morris Thompson center.

• Segway guided tour through downtown Fairbanks!

• When I have visitors, we have to make the trip out toward Fox and to the pipeline and on to Chatanika to visit and have lunch at the lodge and a walk over to the dredge. And back to the other side of Fairbanks to North Pole to the Santa Claus House and on out past Eielson to the Knotty Shop and just plainly enjoy the mountains and beauty.

• I’m from the Lower 48, and every time I go, a must for me is at least one visit to The Chowder House!

• Summer isn’t complete without homemade blueberry ice cream from The Fudge Pot! • UAF museum. View of the Alaska pipeline. Alaska Railroad. • Salmon from Alaska Salmon Bake. • A run at Birch Hill, a swim at Harding Lake, a hike around Granite Tors. • The beach at Chena Lakes. Hilltop Truck Stop pie. • Moose Creek bluffs. My 11year-old daughter insists.

• The best thing to come to Fairbanks in probably 50 years: Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum. A must see! • Romping through the boreal forest with reindeer at Running Reindeer Ranch. www.running reindeer.com. • Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum, UA museum, and take advantage of the midnight sun by being out and about late. Maybe a drive to the top of Murphy Dome to visit the stone couch! • Paddle and Pedal owned by Bradley Hodges. Kayak from Graehl Landing to River’s Edge on the Chena River, stop for lunch, bike back to Graehl Landing with stops at Pioneer Park and Visitors Center. • Pita Place! Oh, wait, that might mean more people in line ... shhhhhh. • Turtle Club, visit the historic Catholic church downtown, see the first family, Creamer’s Field is wonderful any time of year. Angel Rocks, Chena Hot Springs Road campsites. Drive Goldstream Road. Alaska Coffee Roasters Co. has the best espresso in the land. Not to mention wonderful baked goods and friendly staff. • Something Outsiders don’t get is the idea of hauling water. Take them to the spring at Fox and let them drink.

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Welcome to Denali Park By KRIS CAPPS For the News-Miner When an Alaskan says “the mountain is out,” there is no doubt which mountain is filling the horizon. It is Mount McKinley, or “Denali,” as most Alaskans call it. The 20,320-foot Denali is the tallest mountain in North America. It often is covered by clouds, but when visible, is a magnificent sight. The mountain is not the reason Denali National Park and Preserve was created, though. In 1917, the park was formed to protect the wildlife. Eventually expanded to 6 million acres, the park is home to moose, caribou, Dall sheep, wolves and grizzly bears. More than 650 species of

HISTORY Continued from Page 3

flowering plants eke out a living in the park, along with a variety of mosses and lichens.

Only plants adapted to long,

mining, by the University of Alaska Fairbanks and by the oil development activities on the North Slope. Today the Golden Heart

City and its suburbs are home to about 100,000 residents.

Please see DENALI, Page 6

Contact News-Miner columnist Dermot Cole at 459-7530. He is the author of several books about Fairbanks and Alaska.

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wood as the primary fuel, and large-scale gold dredging entered the picture. The floating dredges processed hundreds of thousands of tons of rock and kept the Fairbanks economy going until World War II. In the late 1930s, the war clouds in Europe and the Pacific prompted Congress to create a cold-weather test site in Fairbanks for the U.S. Army, but after hostilities began, the post became a key part of the growing military infrastructure in the territory. Ladd Field, now known as Fort Wainwright, was the transfer point for nearly 8,000 aircraft delivered to the Russians during World War II as part of the Lend-Lease program to bolster the Soviet Union in the war against Germany. Fairbanks remained a key location for the military when the Cold War began, a legacy that continues today with the presence of thousands of troops at Fort Wainwright and at Eielson Air Force Base. The economy today is supported not only by military spending but also by gold

File photo

Mount McKinely stands partially visible in Denali National Park and Preserve.

2013 Summer Visitors Guide

DENALI

IF YOU GO

Continued from Page 5

cold winters and short growing seasons can survive in Denali’s subarctic climate. In addition, Denali is home to 39 species of mammals, 167 species of birds, 10 species of fish and one amphibian, the wood frog. There are no reptiles in Denali National Park. Dinosaur tracks, discovered in 2005, revealed for the first time that prehistoric creatures lived there. Get to the park by train, by car, by bus or by chartering a small airplane. A single, winding, primarily gravel road winds through the mountains and across rivers for about 92 miles to the old mining community of Kantishna, now a visitors’ haven. Private vehicles are not permitted, though anyone can drive the first 15 miles of road

What: Denali National Park and Preserve When: Park bus service begins May 20 each year and runs through the second Thursday after Labor Day. Where: Entrance on Parks Highway, 120 miles south of Fairbanks Cost: $10 per person entry, free for children 15 years and younger. Provides seven-day entrance permit. Two summer/fall fee-free days: Aug. 25, which is the National Park Service’s birthday, and Sept. 28, National Public Lands Day Phone: 683-9532 Online: www.nps.gov/dena

to Savage River. After that, traffic is limited — except for during the few days annually when winners in the Denali road lottery head into the park. The Park Service allows as many as 400 permit winners per day to drive vehicles the entire length of the park road at the end of the tourist season. This year’s road lottery drive is scheduled for Sept. 13-16. Entries will be accepted May 1 through June 30 this year. Limiting traffic is deliberate. This park is managed for the wildlife, not people. Enjoying and appreciating the wilderness of Denali

National Park is easy. Visit the Denali Visitor Center or the Wilderness Access Center to pick up a trail map and check schedules of guided walks and other programs. There are trails in the entrance area that are free for hiking anytime. They range in difficulty from easy to challenging. The park also offers hiking, bicycling and backcountry camping. Experienced park rangers lead special hikes, as well. Photography is encouraged in the park, but take care when photographing wildlife. There are guidelines on how close you should approach bears, eagles, caribou and other animals. There also are guidelines for hiking to help preserve the fragile tundra plants that cling to life during the short season on sunny slopes. Take special measures to enjoy wildlife from afar and to avoid chance encounters with bears. For a closeup view of how the park operates, visit the Denali kennels, where a team of sled dogs lives year round. During the summer, these working dogs welcome visitors, and their handlers provide an informative program. These hard-working dogs patrol Denali during winter months.

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Be sure to visit this educational/research center used year round by students of all ages, researchers and visitors. The center supports research in Alaska’s eight northern national parks by providing funding, logistical support, housing and access to data and park resources. It is made possible through partnership with the National Park Service, Alaska Geographic and others. Explore all the exhibits, including the wolf skeleton, reconstructed by local students and the real-life dinosaur tracks, estimated to be more than 70 million years old. Check out the website at www.murieslc.org. You might want to sign up for one of their field seminars.

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2013 Summer Visitors Guide

Associated Press file photo/Anchorage Daily News

Black and grizzly bears are common in the Denali State Park area, so camp as if you are in bear country and store your food in the food lockers provided at Byers Lake Campground. Bear-resistant containers are recommended at other campgrounds.

The other Denali park: Denali State Park By KRIS CAPPS For the News-Miner

IF YOU GO

Most people driving through Denali State Park don’t even realize they are in a state park. They are too busy looking out the car window. Yes, that really is Mount McKinley peeking out from behind the mountain range. At points along the highway, the mountain can be seen in full glory, and that is worth stopping the car. Sparsely developed, this park is best known for its

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hiking and its views. Denali State Park is 325,240 acres of wild country. So give in to the temptation to stop and admire the grandeur of Mount McKinley and the Alaska Range, at turnouts along the Parks Highway. Telescopes provided at two viewpoints — 135 Mile and 163 Mile. If you are an outdoors person, Denali State Park offers a fabulous playground. Enjoy camping, hiking, backpacking up Kesugi Ridge, berry

picking, floating the Chulitna River, paddling on Byers Lake, fishing and spotting wildlife. A well-staffed visitor center can answer questions, adjacent to the Veterans Memorial nearby at 147.1 Mile Parks Highway. There are three roadaccessible campgrounds. Lower Troublesome Creek has 20 sites. Byers Lake has 68 sites and a hike-in or paddle-in lakeshore campground with six sites, and Denali View North has 23 sites. Camping is rustic but convenient with picnic tables, fire pits, toilets and interpretive displays. Drinking water is available everywhere except the lakeshore campground. Black and grizzly bears Please see STATE, Page 9

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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

A half-day in Denali Center (www.murieslc.org). The lobby is filled with science-related exhibits, includDenali National Park and ing a wolf display. Many Preserve is a place that can years ago, the small school of take years to explore. Cantwell dissected a trapped But if you only have half a wolf, boiled the bones, and day, there are a few things you then rebuilt the wolf skeleton should not miss. under the auspices of a park The 14,000-square-foot expert. Along the way, they Denali Visitor Center provides learned about wolves and a world-class introduction to their own environment. This a world-class park, considered is the premiere exhibit. one of the crown jewels of the There also are real-life national park system. This dinosaur tracks, found several should be your first stop. years ago and the first proof Here, visitors can take in that dinosaurs roamed Denali. an overall summary of 6 milLocal students were among lion acres of wilderness, its those who discovered some of history, and the many types of these tracks. wildlife that call Denali home. The Murie Science and The carpet even simulates Learning Center offers family a flowing river of gray and programs and field seminars brown, leading to an exhibit throughout the summer. area with life-size models of a Check their website. moose, a wolf and other creaThree times per day, rangtures. Don’t forget to look up ers and Denali’s sled dogs and see the eagle nest. offer a demonstration at the A diorama of Denali only working sled dog kennel National Park gives a glimpse in the park system. of the vastness of the park. The dogs get hooked up To get the full flavor of to a sled on wheels and race Denali, watch the 18-minute around a looped trail. orientation film “HeartThis is often the highlight beats of Denali.” Those few of a visit for youngsters. moments will make you want There’s no parking at the to get on a bus and see some kennel, so catch the free shutof the wilderness for yourself. tle at Denali Visitor Center, 40 A short walk away is the minutes before each show. The Murie Science and Learning shows begin at 10 a.m., 2 p.m.

and 4 p.m. If you want to get out and hike and time is short, check out any of the trails in the front country. The 30-minute walk on the Morino Trail will lead you through the site of a former homestead. The McKinley Station Trail can take an hour and reveals more of Denali’s history. If you want to head toward the Nenana River and watch rafts go by, take the bike path. It leads to the pedestrian bridge over the river. If you have time, take the free shuttle to Savage River, 15 miles into the park. If skies are clear, you will see Mount McKinley, about 80 miles away, about 9.5 Mile of the park road. If you have a few hours, you can enjoy hiking the Savage Loop Trail. The deeper you go into the park, the better chance you have of seeing moose, caribou or even grizzly bears. Always stay alert and scan the countryside. If you are more interested in activities outside the park, reserve a few hours for a raft ride down the Nenana River, or drive your own all-terrain vehicle through nearby wilderness, or hop on an airplane for the most memorable flightseeing trip you’ll ever experience.

You can start hiking at Upper Troublesome Creek, 137.6 Mile Parks Highway, Byers Lake at 147 Mile Parks Highway, Ermine Hill at 156.5 Mile Parks Highway, and Little Coal Creek, 163.9 Mile Parks Highway. The primary Kesugi Ridge-

Troublesome Creek Trail is 36 miles and has an elevation gain of 3,500 feet. Be sure you know how to read a map and have some route-finding skills. If you’re just driving through, try hard to keep your eyes on the road.

STATE Continued from Page 8

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are common in this area, so camp as if you are in bear country and store your food in the food lockers provided at Byers Lake Campground. Bear-resistant containers are recommended at other campgrounds. Byers Lake has two public-use cabins that can be rented year-round through the Department of Natural Resources. Reserve ahead of time. Hikers and backpackers can take advantage of a system of popular trails that connect to Kesugi Ridge.

blackbear.denali.com

By KRIS CAPPS For the News-Miner

2013 Summer Visitors Guide

Associated Press file photo/Alaska Journal of Commerce

Busloads of visitors from all over the world photograph the brilliant colors at Denali National Park and Preserve.

How to get around inside Denali National Park row, winding gravel surface. Buses shuttle tourists in and out of the park and drop The 92-mile road into off hikers and campers. Bus Denali National Park and trips range from two to 12 Preserve runs from the Parks hours, and visitors can take Highway to the former mining either a tour bus or a shuttle community of Kantishna. bus. The first 15 miles are paved Shuttle buses are less and open to the public. Past expensive and have fewer amethat point, however, vehicle nities but travel farther into travel is restricted on the nar- the park. Visitors can get off By KRIS CAPPS For the News-Miner

when they want to hike for a while, then get back on another bus if seats are available. Visitors planning to hike, bike, camp, backpack or picnic in the park should take a shuttle bus. The shuttle is available for folks who just want to enjoy the scenery and wildlife viewing. Be sure and bring along food and water. There are no convenience stores along the way. Those who prefer a more deluxe trip can opt for one of the tours. A variety of lengths, prices and options are available. Fees vary and are in addition to the park entrance fee. Reservations for shuttles and tour buses can be made by calling (800) 622-7275 or going online to www.reservedenali. com. You can reserve a spot in person at the Wilderness Access Center reservation desk up to two days in advance. Check the website at www. nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit for schedules and details. Please see EXPLORE, Page 11

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

EXPLORE Continued from Page 10

Courtesy buses

Free courtesy buses take visitors around the entrance area of Denali National Park. Catch these buses at the Denali Visitor Center, Wilderness Access Center, Murie Science and Learning Center, Riley Creek Campground, Denali Park Post Office, Riley Creek Mercantile, Railroad Depot and trailheads that include Mountain Vista Loop and Savage River Loop. A free bus takes visitors to the Denali Dog Kennels for each 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. demonstration. Board the bus at the Denali Visitor Center bus stop only 40 minutes before the demonstration is due to begin. Return 90 minutes later.

Options inside park

News-Miner file photo

A pair of Dall sheep crosses Denali Park Road.

WHAT TO WEAR Weather at Denali can change in an instant. Summer temperatures range from 33 to 75 degrees, and it is not uncommon for snow to fall in July. Park rangers suggest visitors dress in layers and bring a raincoat that can serve as a windbreaker. Mittens and a warm hat are a good precaution. Don’t forget mosquito repellent. Alaska mosquitoes are notorious, especially in certain areas of the park such as Wonder Lake.

science significance of Denali. Tour includes demonstrations, activities and a walk, making it an excellent tour choice for families. A snack and beverages are provided. Morning departures only. Length: Five to six hours.

Backpacking

Permits are required to hike • Shuttle bus: For transinto the backcountry and are portation and wildlife viewavailable at the Backcountry ing. Narration not included, Information Center, adjacent to but quite often, experienced the Wilderness Access Center. drivers provide some informaEstablished campgrounds tion. Depart from Wilderness welcome visitors in the Access Center only. Passengers entrance area and at the end can get off anytime along the of the park road at Wonder park road, except for wildlife Lake. To make camping Mile), a cultural interpreter restricted areas, and reboard and science educator introduce reservations in advance, call whenever a seat is available by (800) 622-7275. visitors to the cultural and flagging down a bus. • Tundra Wilderness Tour: This narrated tour goes to Alaska Resident Toklat River, 53 Mile. Tours depart early morning and Special afternoon. Box lunch and hot beverage provided. Length: seven to eight hours. • Natural History Tour: NarHotel or Premium Cabin rated tour goes to Primrose Ridge at 17 Mile, just past the Call for available dates Savage Check Station. MornRESORT & CAMPGROUND TOLL FREE ing and afternoon departures. ( Box 7-VG) Mile 231.1 George Parks Highway Denali National Park, AK 99755 Snack and beverage provided. 866-583-2696 www.denaligrizzlybear.com Length: four to five hours • Kantishna Experience: One-day, 12-hour round-trip to Kantishna that includes full lunch. A National Park SerAct now for 2014 vice ranger provides narration If your business is interested in placing an ad in the 2014 Visitors Guide, along the way. fill out and return this coupon. • New this year, Windows Name ______________________________________________________________________________________ into the Wilderness: Narrated Business Name______________________________________________________________________________ tour provides a blend of history, Address____________________________________________________________________________________ science, and the opportunity City __________________________State ____________ Zip ___________Phone ______________________ to view wildlife and sweeping landscapes. Goes to the Mail to: Promotions Manager Teklanika River at 30 Mile. At P.O. Box 70710, Fairbanks, AK 99707-0710 the Mountain Vista Trail (12 11409314-5-11-13VG

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2013 Summer Visitors Guide

Denali on a shoestring By KRIS CAPPS For the News-Miner It doesn’t have to cost a fortune to visit Denali National Park. Here’s a way to spend a day at Denali and leave with a few dollars still in your pocketbook. Not much can be done to lessen the fuel prices to get you there, but once you arrive, the savings can begin. • Go camping: Unless you must stay in a resort hotel or other fine accommodation, bring your tent and set it up in the great outdoors. You have a couple options. Riley Creek Campground, inside Denali National Park, offers walk-in tent sites for about $14. If you want to be a little farther inside the park, the Savage River campground is a little pricier, about $22, but the views are better and you can walk some or all of the park’s 6 million acres to your heart’s content. One of the best kept secrets in the area is Denali Outdoor Center’s campground at Otto Lake. Camp for $8 per person per night ($4 per child younger than 13) on beautiful Otto Lake, located just off Otto Lake Road, 10 miles north of the park entrance. The distance from the park is well worth it for the seclusion and fantastic views of the Alaska Range. Showers are available for $5

Associated Press file photo

The sun sets as Mount McKinley casts its reflection on Reflection Pond at the west end of Denali Park Road a few miles east of Camp Denali. with towel, $4 if you bring your own towel. You also can rent a canoe for a small fee and enjoy the views from on the water. • Go to a hostel: If you want a roof over your head at a reasonable price, go to Denali Mountain Morning Hostel, 224.1 Mile Parks Highway, 13 miles south of the park entrance. There, you can rent a bunk in the hostel for $32 per night. Or rent your own wall tent for $32 per night ($55 per night for two people). Cabins are available at a higher rate. See www. denalihostel.com. • Go hiking: There are lots of trails in the entrance area of Denali National Park, from

casual strolls on flat ground to strenuous hikes uphill. Take your pick. The higher you go, the better views you will have. But weaving through the boreal forest offers its own rewards. Hiking options are displayed on interpretive signs or ask a park ranger. • Go farther into the park: If you have time, take a free shuttle bus to Savage River, 15 miles into the park, and hike some more. You can follow the loop trail along both sides of the river or go straight up Savage Rock. Bring along a picnic lunch on any of these daytime excursions, because you won’t pass any convenience stores along the way.

Denali Music Festival in a cabin at Denali last winter. In addition to other offerings, they will perform a short The historic Denali Music piece by a composer who visited Festival, which debuted in 2012 last summer as part of Denali’s as part of Fairbanks Summer first-ever composer class. Arts Festival, returns this sumThis is the second year of mer. the composer class, offered The festival orchestra, led by through Alaska Geographic in music director Robert Franz, partnership with the festival will perform at 4 p.m. Saturday, and led by composer Stephan July 20, at the Denali Visitor Lias. His work, “Denali,” was Center inside Denali National featured at the initial Denali Park. Music Festival performance in Admission is free. 2012. One of the pieces was creThis year, composers will ated by composer Erik DeLuca, once again spend several days who spent a bitterly cold week at the Teklanika field camp in By KRIS CAPPS For the News-Miner

Denali National Park and then will travel to Coal Creek at Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve. They will create compositions from inspiration in those special places. The work of those composers will be heard in the Fairbanks area at a concert Tuesday, July 23, at the Blue Loon. Lias, who leads the composer workshop again this year, has composed music for Denali, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, and Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve.

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Parks Highway offers plenty of quirky stops on way to Denali By KRIS CAPPS For the News-Miner

Nenana

Fairbanks

Anderson

It takes a little more than Parks Highway two hours to drive to Denali National Park and Preserve Healy from Fairbanks. If you take your time, you might discover Kantishna some treasures along the way. Denali National Park Right outside Fairbanks is Cantwell the little town of Ester. You Parks know you are there when you Highway see the big fire station at the intersection. This former mining comTrapper Talkeetna munity, sometimes referred to Creek as “The Republic of Ester,” is a Parks reminder of days gone by. Now Highway it is home to artists, teachers and lots of folks who don’t Big Lake Palmer want to be lumped in with Fairbanks. Anchorage The center of town? The DeeDee Hammond/News-Miner Golden Eagle Saloon, popular the road is a winding highway with both visitors and locals. The Ester Community Association now sponsors the Ester Community Market every week. Here, artisans, craftspeople, farmers, musicians and other vendors sell their wares. Sometimes, owners of classic cars stop by to show off their antique vehicles.

PARKS HIGHWAY Miles: 323.7 Surface: Paved End points: Fairbanks, junction with Glenn Highway 35 miles north of Anchorage

through heaven. Vast views of the Tanana Valley and the Alaska Range are visible at every turn. On a clear day, you can see Mount McKinley, towering over the other mountains. The entrance to the town of Nenana is grand. A towering silver bridge ushers drivers over the confluence of the Tanana and Nenana rivers. Please see PARKS, Page 15

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2013 Summer Visitors Guide

All aboard: The Alaska Railroad By JEFF RICHARDSON jrichardson@newsminer.com The Alaska Railroad is a workhorse in the 49th state, hauling more than 5 million tons of freight during 2012 alone. Beneath that heavy lifting is a unique passenger service, offering visitors a leisurely look at some of the state’s most scenic areas. The railroad stretches from Seward on the Kenai Peninsula to the Fairbanks North Star Borough. With that territory to cover, it offers six separate passenger trains, carrying more than 415,000 passengers in 2012. About 60 percent of the passengers arrive aboard cruise ships, taking the short runs from Whittier and Seward to Anchorage. Aside from those visitors, the most popular passenger train is the Denali Star, a daily summer service between Anchorage and Fairbanks, with stops in between at Talkeetna and Denali. The Aurora train runs from Octo-

ALASKA RAILROAD What: Alaska Railroad Where: Fairbanks depot, 1745 Johansen Expressway Phone: Reservations, (800) 544-0552 Online: www.alaska railroad.com

ber through April, providing a winter weekend service between Anchorage and Fairbanks. Other summer passenger trains include the Coastal Classic (between Anchorage and Seward), the Glacier Discovery (Anchorage to Whittier, with whistle-stops at Spencer Glacier and Grandview) and Hurricane Turn (a first-Thursday service between Anchorage and Hurricane, and Thursday through Sunday between Talkeetna and Hurricane). The railroad has a passenger service fleet of 44 railcars, including 11 passenger

coaches and six dining cars. It also features a variety of cars specifically for enjoying scenery along the route, with six bi-level “ultradomes” with a glass-domed compartment with a viewing platform and reclining seats, and six Vista Dome Coaches, with reclining seats beneath a dome in the middle offering 360-degree views. Six lowlevel dome coaches have seats arranged around tables, a small galley and service bars. The railroad also offers 10 vacation packages, running from two days to 10 days. Offerings include glacier cruises, Alaska’s National Parks by rail, a “Rails and Trails” package featuring backcountry hikes, and a basic tour featuring stops in Anchorage, Talkeetna and Denali. Information about the Alaska Railroad’s various passenger and vacation plans is available online at www. alaskarailroad.com. Contact staff writer Jeff Richardson at 459-7518.

Alaska’s only regularly scheduled public rail transportation service

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Ask about ﬂightseeing, hiking, guided walking, or the popular Park Service sled dog kennel tour. Starting at just

$128 pp.

Travel in May or September & save even more! Call (907) 265-2494 or visit AlaskaRailroad.com

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

News-Miner file photo

Rachel Davenport grabs her second potato during the potato race at a Nenana Fourth of July celebration.

PARKS Continued from Page 13

here in the late 1950s. In 1959, the town’s namesake, Art Anderson, divided his 80-acre homestead into quarter-acre lots and sold most of them to civilian workers at the Air Force site. An elementary school was built, and the city was incorporated in 1962. After leaving Anderson, be sure to stop at Clear Sky Lodge on the Parks Highway. Here, you can have the best prime rib sandwich in the area. Drive on. The mountains loom closer and Denali National Park is just a short distance away.

NENANA VISITOR CENTER Open daily Memorial Day to Labor Day

(907) 832-5435 Sponsored by Nenana

Ice Classic

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ALFRED STARR CULTURAL CENTER Preserving Local Athabascan History & Art • Alaska Claims Settlement Act • Historic Displays • Artist Workshops • Talk with Local People & Artists (907) 832-5527 • www.nenana.org Open 7 Days a Week

One of Alaska’s Foremost GIFT SHOPS Featuring Locally Made Athabascan Hand-Crafted Gifts

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This is a little river town with lots going on. It’s the home of the Nenana Ice Classic, a lottery that lets people guess the exact moment a black-and-white tripod will fall when the ice goes out on the Tanana River at the end of winter. It began in 1917 when bored railroad workers tried to guess when the ice would break. Many an Alaska resident has spent hours poring over statistics of ice thickness and hoping to get lucky with every $2.50 ticket. This also is an important staging area for the Yutana Barge Lines. Supplies begin their journey here, down the Tanana River and on to the Yukon River villages. The barges deliver fuel and other important supplies to these remote communities. Here, President Warren Harding drove the golden spike on the Alaska Railroad in 1923. A monument depicting that spike is on display at the depot museum. His rail car is part of Pioneer Park in Fairbanks. The Alfred Starr Nenana Cultural Center includes a small museum and Native crafts shop. Some local artisans sell their wares here. The oldest building in town is a charming 1905 log cabin church on Front Street.

As you continue driving south, you’ll eventually have the opportunity to turn right, to go to the small community of Anderson. It is six miles off the highway, so it doesn’t get a lot of visitors. Make sure you turn right again after a short distance. If you continue straight, you’ll end up at Clear Air Force Station and likely will be stopped there. Anderson is adjacent to Clear. It has a large and lovely riverfront park that offers great camping. Three homesteaders settled

2013 Summer Visitors Guide

Worship in Fairbanks By MARY BETH SMETZER msmetzer@newsminer.com

SERVICE LISTING

In the midst of the early gold stampeders streaming into the Fairbanks gold camp in 1903 were preachers and priests who quickly drew up plans to fulfill the spiritual and physical needs of traders, prospectors and camp followers. According to church records and an account by Judge James Wickersham, the first service in the newly forming town was held in the Fairbanks Saloon, at the corner of First Avenue and Cushman Street, and was led by the Rev. Charles E. Rice, an Episcopal priest, and assisted by Presbyterian minister the Rev. C.F. Ensign on March 29, 1903. By the next year, 1904, churches were built by Catholic, Episcopalian and Presbyterian congregations and opened to the growing populace. Both the Catholic and Episcopalian missionaries also built hospitals from local timber in tandem with their churches to care for the sick and injured. All three historic churches — Immaculate Conception, St. Matthew’s Episcopal and First Presbyterian — continue to serve the community, though the original First Presbyterian building has been relocated to Pioneer Park and now is rented for

Come & Join Us! Journey Christian Church

Sunday worship at 10 a.m.

weddings and interdenominational services. Both Immaculate Conception, referred to locally as “The Little White Church,” and St. Matthew’s are located on the banks of the Chena River and retain their historic flavor. The walls of Immaculate Conception are covered in the original decorative tin pressed in a fleur-de-lis pattern, which serves as a backdrop for exquisite, German made, stained glass windows, installed in 1926. In 2012, two large stained glass panels by Healy artist

Judy Killion were installed in the church foyer. One depicts St. Joseph, St. Anne and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and the other is focused on early Alaska women, nuns, pioneer women and Alaska Native women who worked and worshiped at the parish. Across the river, on First Avenue, the log-hewn St. Matthew’s Church also reflects its early pioneer history in traditional early stained glass windows to others more recently added that detail historic church events. During daylight hours, all fill the church with rich hues. The church altar also glows with richly carved panels etched into native Alaska birch by nurses, clergy and congregation members in 1906. The carved symbols and words are either Latin or Greek, and the vine detail carving is picked up in the altar rail and lectern. Today, Fairbanks is home to followers of a wide variety of religions, including followers of Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam and more, and boasts more than 100 houses of worship. A church directory listing of Fairbanks area churches is published weekly in the Friday edition of the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, adjacent to the weekly Faith page. Church addresses and main service times are included. Contact staff writer Mary Beth Smetzer at 459-7546.

University Community Presbyterian Church Summer Worship 10:30 a.m. 3510 College Rd., Fairbanks

907-479-6728

ucpcfairbanks.org ucpc@acsalaska.net

www.fairhillchurch.com

Worship Services Saturday at 7 p.m. • Sunday at 11 a.m. Affiliated with Church of God from Anderson, IN

907-457-5522 • 907-457-2167 101 City Lights Blvd., Fairbanks, AK 99712

18409478-5-11-13VG

www.journeyalaska.org

News-Miner file photo

Judy Wise, Mary Plutt, and Agnes Govednik of Immaculate Conception Church remove what is left of a summer’s bloom from the flower beds.

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455-4433

11409825 5-11-13VG

Regal Cinemas on Airport Way

Find a weekly listing of religious services in the Daily News-Miner every Friday.

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Worship Directory – Visitors are always welcome! Each Friday, the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner publishes additional local faith news.

FAIRBANKS AREA Bethel Church www.bethelchurchak.org (Conservative Baptist) 479-4380 1310 Farmers Loop Rd. (2 mi east of Golf Course) Worship: Sunday 9:30 a.m. & 11:00 a.m. Sunday School: 11:00 a.m.

Bible Baptist Church 452-1407 32 Adak Ave. 328-1423 Off the Steese Highway at College Road E. Sun 8:30 a.m., 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 6 p.m. & Wed 7 p.m.

Jewish Congregation of Fairbanks 1744 Aurora Drive

456-1002

Fridays 7:30pm • www.mosquitonet.com/~orhatzafon/

Journey Christian Church Regal Cinemas Movie Theater 455-4433 • www.journeyalaska.org Services at 10:00 a.m.

Sacred Heart Cathedral

Bible believing — Old fashioned singing Plenty of parking for RVʼs Free transportation from motels & campgrounds www.BibleBaptistFairbanks.com Doug Duffett, Pastor (907) 388-9815

2501 Airport Way Ph: 474-9032 Fx: 479-3327 Weekend Masses: May 26 - September 1 Sat. 5:00 p.m., Sun. 10:00 a.m. & 6:30 p.m. Weekday Masses: Tue. – Fri. 5:30 p.m. email: shc@mosquitonet.com

Christ Lutheran Church (ELCA)

St. Mark’s University Catholic Church

Farmerʼs Loop & Iniakuk Ave. near UAF 479-4947 Sunday Worship: 9:30 a.m. (Memorial Day - Labor Day) www.clcfairbanks.org • clc@mosquitonet.com “All Are Welcome. No Exceptions”

Due to construction Mass held above Lola Tilly Commons

Church of Christ 645 11th Avenue 456-4921 Sunday 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. & 6:00 p.m. Wednesday 7:00 p.m.

Denali Bible Chapel 1201 Lathrop Street 456-5157 Service: 10:30 a.m. www.DenaliBibleChapel.org

Fairbanks Lutheran Church 1012 Cowles Street (ELCA) 452-3425 Summer Sunday Worship: 8:30 a.m. Heritage 10:00 a.m. Celebration II www.fairbankslutheranchurch.org / fairluth@gci.net

Fairbanks Seventh-day Adventist Church

UAF Campus 474-6776 email: fystmark@uaf.edu Sunday Mass: 10:30 a.m. (May 19 - Sept. 2)

St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church 1029 First Avenue 456-5235 Eucharists: Sunday 8 a.m., 9:15 a.m. & 11:15 a.m. Wed. 9:30 am & 7 pm, Compline at 12 am Sun. - Fri. www.stmatthewschurch.org

St. Paul Church Independent Traditional Methodist Worship Pastor Ben Bohart – 474-9206 Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Worship 11 a.m. 907 Union Dr., by Dog Mushers 479-7998 A Friendly Little Country Church

St. Raphael Catholic Church 1125 Old Steese Hwy. North 457-6603 Mass: Saturday 5:30 p.m. & Sunday 9:30 a.m.

Zion Lutheran Church (LCMS)

1811 Farmerʼs Loop Road 479-6070 9:30 am Saturday, www.fairbanksadventistchurch.org

2982 Davis Road 456-7660 Worship with us Saturday 5:00 p.m. or Sunday 8:30 a.m. & 11:00 a.m. www.zionfairbanks.org

Fairhill Community Church of God

HEALY/DENALI AREA

fairhillchurch.com (See ad on facing page)

Farewell Avenue Christian Church 100 Farewell Ave. facc@farewellave.com 456-6123 Sunday: Worship / Communion & Sunday School

www.farewellave.com

Sunday 7:00 p.m. Healy Church 683-2535 Saturday Night Mass 6:00 p.m. at the Wilderness Access Center Theatre (1mi. on Park Rd)

First Baptist Church of Fairbanks

Valley Chapel - Assembly of God

805 Sixth Avenue - Downtown 456-4923 Sunday Morning: 11:00 a.m. www.firstbaptistfairbanks.com

Mile 249, Parks Hwy. Healy 683-2303 Sun. Sch. 10 a.m., Church 11a.m., Wed. 7 p.m.

Hamilton Acres Baptist Church 138 Farewell Avenue Independent Sunday 9:45 a.m., 11:00 a.m. & 6:00 p.m. Pastor Bruce Hamilton 17395216 5-5-12VG

Holy Mary of Guadalupe Catholic Church

Immaculate Conception Church 115 N. Cushman Street 452-3533 Mass: Sat. 5:30 p.m., Sun. 7:30, 9:30, 11:00 a.m. Weekday Masses (Mon. through Fri.) 12:10 p.m. Church is open weekdays 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

NORTH POLE AREA Northern Lights Free Will Baptist 2365 Richardson Hwy. (11 Mile) 490-0022 Services: 10:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m.

St. Nicholas Catholic Church 707 St. Nicholas Drive, North Pole

488-2595

Mass: Daily 9am, Sat. 5pm, Sun. 9am, Noon & 2pm (Latin)

Reconciliation: Saturday 4 p.m. or by appointment

2013 Summer Visitors Guide

UA Museum of the North By GARY BLACK gblack@newsminer.com The University of Alaska Museum of the North is the premiere scientific and historic museum for the state’s collegiate system, and it’s housed

right here in Fairbanks. The museum is home to 1.4 million artifacts and specimens, which then are divided into 10 collections, or disciplines: archaeology, birds, documentary film, earth sciences, ethnology/history, fine arts, fishes/

marine invertebrates, insects, mammals and plants. The collections form the foundation for the museum’s research and exhibits, from art and sculpture to displays of Please see MUSEUM, Page 19

When visiting UA Museum of the North and Georgeson Botanical Gardens, 13409137-5-11-13VG

College Corner Area

Tuesday–Saturday 11–6

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What Will You Discover at Gulliver’s Books?

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Produce • Crafts • Food

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner tors near the entrance. This summer, the museum is celebrating the 100-year anniversary of the first successful ascent of Denali with the exhibit “Denali Legacy: 100 Years on the Mountain.” The exhibit showcases artifacts from the 1913 voyage, such as the camp stove, a Eucharist set and the climbers’ diaries. Visitors learn how mountain climbing

MUSEUM Continued from Page 18

gold and minerals to animals and insects found all over the state. One of the most stunning attractions is Blue Babe, a 36,000-year-old mummified steppe bison which is permanently on display. Also look for Otto — you can’t miss the giant grizzly, who greets visi-

IF YOU GO What: University of Alaska Museum of the North When: May 15 to Sept. 15, open daily, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Where: 907 Yukon Drive, UAF campus Cost: $12 general admission (15+); $7 youth (1-14); $8 Alaska resident adult with ID (15+); $5 Alaska resident youth (1-14) Phone: 474-7505 Online: www.uaf.edu/museum

Please see MUSEUM, Page 20

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College Rd & University Ave

2013 Summer Visitors Guide

Associated Press file photo/University of Alaska

MUSEUM

Visitors look at exhibits at the University of Alaska Museum of the North in Fairbanks.

Continued from Page 19

has changed from years past. A scale model of the mountain offers insight into the difficulty of the climb. The museum building itself is famed for its modern design, invoking images of glaciers, spring breakup, alpine ridges and the northern lights.

UA68-007-0002

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UAF is an AA/EO employer and educational institution.

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Tanana Valley State Fair Staff Report Alaska is so big it has three state fairs, one in Fairbanks, one in Haines and one in Palmer. Founded in 1924, the Tanana Valley State Fair in Fairbanks is the oldest of the three and continues to be a major attraction for local residents and out-of-towners alike. Whether it’s big cabbages and other super-sized vegetables, an array of food vendors who sell everything from deep-fried Snickers bars to smoked turkey legs, gutwrenching rides or local talent and acts from the Lower 48, the Tanana Valley State Fair has something for everyone. Traditionally held during the first two weeks of August, the dates for this year’s fair are Aug. 2-11. The fair is held at the Tanana Valley State Fairgrounds on College Road. In addition to food and fun, the Fairbanks fair is famous for two other things — a corny theme and rain. Organizers pick a new theme for the fair each year, which usually is related to livestock or agriculture. This year’s theme is “Salmonchanted Evening” and promises to be a little fishy. While rain is almost a certainty each year during the fair — August is the rainiest month of the year in Fairbanks — it doesn’t put a damper on the 10-day event. The fair traditionally attracts about 100,000 visitors each year. Last year’s attendance total was just more than 111,000.

Eric Engman/ News-Miner file photo

The Apollo ride spins in the sunshine as fairgoers enjoy the Midway at the 2012 Tanana Valley State Fair.

Please see FAIR, Page 23

IF YOU GO

Learn about our headliner comedy hypnotist,

the Incredible Boris at http://www.comedywood.com/ Hear the beautiful Mexican Harp of Francisco Gonzalez, a traditional music virtuoso. The hilarious Scotty & Trink comedy juggling duo will be returning to the fair this year, as well as the stupefying magic of Antwan Towner!

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What: Tanana Valley State Fair When: Aug. 2-11 Where: College Road Cost: Daily: Adults (ages 13-59) $10; youths (ages 6-12) $5; seniors (ages 60 and older) $5; children 5 and younger free. Season passes also available. Phone: 452-3750 Online: www.tananavalley statefair.com

Special Fair Entertainment for 2013

2013 Summer Visitors Guide Eric Engman/ News-Miner file photo

An 1898 HayHotchkiss automobile sits on display at Fountainhead Development’s Antique Auto Museum.

Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum By GARY BLACK gblack@newsminer.com It’s not Daytona or Indianapolis, but when it comes to the history of the automobile, Fairbanks offers a great glimpse at the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum. The museum’s collection features more than 80 American-made antique automobiles and showcases the interesting heritage of the automobile during Alaska’s post-gold rush era. The collection includes rare models such as an 1899 Hertel, 1904 Stevens-Duryea, 1917 Owen-Magnetic, 1921 Heine-Velox, 1933 Auburn V12 dual ratio custom speedster and 1938 Elto Midget. Several autos are the only models of their marques known to remain, including an 1898 Hay Motor Vehicle, 1906 Compound

not been restored, while others are gleaming restorations of their original state. What: Fountainhead During summer, especially Antique Auto Museum, 230 during the historic Golden Wedgewood Drive Days celebration, many of the When: Summer hours cars make appearances around start May 26; 11 a.m. to 9 town and in a parade through p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 11 the streets of downtown. a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday-SaturIf cars aren’t your thing, no day worries. Recently, the museum Cost: Ages 13 and older, has started displaying vintage $8; ages 3 to 12, $5; children younger than 2 admitted and Victorian fashions of the free. era from which they were Phone: 450-2100 popular in Alaska. With more Online: www.fountainhead than 100 outfits on display, the museum.com. The museum exhibit offers a look at fashion is also on Facebook. from the 18th to mid-20th centuries. Both men’s and women’s fashions are on display, and 1920 Argonne. On weekends, museum staff from silk bustle dresses and motoring dusters to shimmeroften give guided tours with ing flapper shifts and tuxedos. detailed explanations of the Self-guided tours are availautos, their histories and use in able or you can make a reservaAlaska, and how they arrived tion to tour as a group. in the state. Some autos have

IF YOU GO

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Fairbanks Community Museum By GARY BLACK gblack@newsminer.com Tucked into a nondescript building along Cushman Street you will find one of the best historical collections of information and artifacts cataloging life in Interior Alaska. The Fairbanks Community Museum, 410 Cushman St., is a trove of photos, documents, exhibits and displays all about life in the Far North, from the first indigenous peoples in the region to the Klondike Gold Rush to detailed information on Alaska’s official sport, dog mushing. If you’re not Alaskan, you will think you are after visiting. The museum is housed in an older building, with each room dedicated to Alaska history. Dog mushing and its history from past to present is a prominent theme at the museum, with displays relaying information on the importance of a dog team for the first peoples of Alaska to modern uses in Bush villages. Several displays show historic dog sleds and how they have transitioned into the sleds in use today. A large portion of the museum is devoted to the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race — the 1,000 mile epic adventure between Fairbanks and Whitehorse, Yukon — with details on its creation, its hazards and profiles of early mushers. The Open North American Championship sled dog race, a sprint race of mushing teams through the streets of downtown Fairbanks each March,

FAIR Continued from Page 21

Like most fairs, the Tanana Valley State Fair includes livestock and poultry displays, a robust midway with a variety of rides and games and dozens of vendors selling food and crafts, but it also has a few Alaska twists, such as a contest for the biggest locally grown cabbage (and other vegetables), as well as an antique tractor pull. The fair ends with a fire-

IF YOU GO What: Fairbanks Community Museum, 410 Cushman St. When: Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and by appointment. Where: 410 Cushman St. Cost: Free, but donations are warmly accepted. Phone: 457-3669 Online: www.fairbankshistorymuseum.com; on Facebook, search for “Fairbanks Community/ Dog Mushing Museum”

also occupies lots of space in the museum. The latest addition arrived in April when the museum received a large collection of photographs taken at the inaugural ONAC sled dog race in 1946. They were donated by Sharon Henneke of Yorktown, Ind., and were taken by her father, Tech Sgt. Marion B. Hare, who died in 2004 at age 96. If mushing and mushing history isn’t your thing, the Fairbanks Community Museum boasts many exhibits dedicated to the gold rush era that brought thousands of pioneers to the territory. If you happen to be in Fairbanks on a Friday night, the museum is a regular participant in First Friday art showings in which artists from Fairbanks and Alaska display their works on the first Friday of each month.

adult and $5 per senior and child. Children younger than 5 are free. Season passes are $35 and $20 for seniors and children. Military discounts are offered, and each day the fair features a different special. There is plenty of free parkNews-Miner file photo ing at the College Road site, Karen Gibson-Mount, of but the lot can fill up on popuMcKinleyville, Calif., enjoys lar nights. For more information on the an ear of corn at the 2012 Tanana Valley State Fair, go to Tanana Valley State Fair. www.tananavalleystatefair.com or call 452-3750. works display each year. Contact the newsroom at 4597572. Fair entrance is $10 per

Exhibits Winter in Fairbanks The Great Flood

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2013 Summer Visitors Guide

Large Animal Research Station By SAM FRIEDMAN sfriedman@newsminer.com Stay in the Fairbanks area for a few days, and there’s a good chance you’ll come across a moose. Your chances of seeing a caribou and Dall sheep aren’t bad, either, if you explore the surrounding territory. But if you want to see musk oxen, a fourth species of large herbivore that Alaska is famous for, you’ll either have to venture far north of the Arctic Circle or take a short drive to the Robert E. White Large Animal Research Station (LARS) of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. LARS is located on an old homestead site next to the university campus.

Eric Engman/News-Miner file photo

A musk ox grazes at the Robert E. White Large Animal Please see LARS, Page 25 Research Station at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Georgeson Botanical Garden By JEFF RICHARDSON jrichardson@newsminer.com Alaska is known for the enormous vegetables that thrive during the long summer days, but there are plenty of less-publicized plants that make their home in the North. Many of them can be found in the Georgeson Botanical Garden at the University of Alaska Fairbanks

campus. The northernmost public garden in North America is a scenic spot to view flowers, perennials and even some of the state’s famed veggies. Visitors can check it out during a self-guided tour, using brochures and signs for interpretation. The area also includes a gorgeous view of the Tanana Valley and Alaska Range, with Mount McKinley visible on a clear day. A

IF YOU GO What: Georgeson Botanical Garden When: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., May through September Where: 117 West Tanana Drive, UAF Cost: $5 per person, free for children 6 and younger Phone: 474-7222 Online: georgesonbg.org

children’s garden includes a maze, a miniature log cabin and a water garden. Benches, bird baths and sculptures accentuate the scenery. The century-old garden, named after former Alaska Agriculture Experiment Stations director Charles Georgeson, is more than just a spot for a scenic summer walk. It’s a hub for high-latitude plant science, serving Please see GARDEN, Page 25

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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

LARS

IF YOU GO

Continued from Page 24

Musk oxen are large and shaggy animals of the north that were hunted out of existence in Alaska in the 19th century. A population was transported to Alaska from Greenland in 1960, and there are now some 4,000 in Alaska, according to LARS. LARS has a herd of about 30 musk oxen and also is home to a herd of 40 caribou and their domesticated cousins, reindeer. Between June 1 and Aug. 31, a picnic area and gift shop at LARS is open 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday. The gift shop sells qiviut, a fiber made from an inner layer of musk ox hair that’s touted for being softer than cashmere. A naturalist leads guests on an hour-long

GARDEN Continued from Page 24

What: Large Animal Research Station When: 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday from June 1 through Aug. 31; tours offered 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. Where: 2220 Yankovich Road, next to UAF Cost: Tours, $10/person, $9/senior, $6 student. Children 5 and under. Phone: 474-5724 Online: www.lars.uaf.edu

tour of the research station three times per day. A shuttle before and after tours runs from the University of Alaska Museum of the North. Even when the research station is closed, it’s sometimes possible to glimpse the musk oxen from a parking lot outside the main gate. Contact staff writer Sam Friedman at 459-7545.

mer in honor of the couple. Earl, an influential Alaska miner, died in December 2012 at age 96. A rock garden and dredge buckets are at the site in his recognition. A “weather garden” honors longtime National Weather Service meteorologist Ted Fathauer, who died in January. The garden in his honor will feature a sundial and rain gauge, among other weather-related items. The garden is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. May through September. Admission is $5 per person, with free entrance for children ages 6 and younger. Eric Engman/News-Miner file photo Pets aren’t allowed in the Flowers bloom brightly at the garden. Georgeson Botanical Garden For more information on the University of Alaska about the botanical garden, Fairbanks Experiment Farm. go to georgesonbg.org.

as a three-acre laboratory for growing under the midnight sun in Interior Alaska’s short summers. This year’s new beds include two experimental perennial beds in the front garden. A rose mulching trial is being sponsored by the Georgeson Botanical Garden Society in honor of Mike Salzman, a longtime rose aficionado and original member of the society. At 7 p.m. Thursdays, from June 6 through Aug. 15, the garden will host “Music in the Garden,” a free evening concert sponsored by University of Alaska Fairbanks Summer Sessions. Several changes this sumwith delphiniums this summer are dedicated to supporters who passed away in the previous year. The Earl and Dorothy Beistline Garden, named in honor of the late Dorothy and Earl Beistline, will be planted

Contact staff writer Jeff Richardson at 459-7518.

2013 Summer Visitors Guide

Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge Eric Engman/ News-Miner file photo

By TIM MOWRY tmowry@newsminer.com Whether you want to go bird watching, take a relaxing walk in the woods or get a feel for some of Fairbanks’ history, Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge is the place to go. Once the biggest dairy farm in Alaska, Creamer’s Field is now part of a 2,000acre migratory waterfowl refuge that attracts thousands

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A sandhill crane stretches its wings at Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge. of Canada geese, sandhilll cranes, trumpeter swans and assorted other waterfowl in the spring, summer, and fall. Within walking distance — about two miles — of downtown Fairbanks, the refuge is at 1300 College Road and also serves as headquarters for Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s Fairbanks office. The barn and farmhouse from the 1950s era dairy remain and the farmhouse has been transformed into an interpretive visitors center where visitors can learn about the history of Creamer’s Field and the purpose it serves as a waterfowl refuge. The refuge has about five miles of trails that wind in and out of the woods and around the fields, with viewing platforms situated in different spots to look for birds, moose and other wildlife. The trails are flat and parts of them are accessible for people with disabilities. Naturalist Mark Ross, an education specialist for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, said Creamer’s Field is a “microcosm of Interior fields, forest and wetFarmhouse Visitor Center & Giftshop Summer Hours: Daily 9:30am - 5pm

FountainheadMuseum.com Wedgewood Resort

Additional walks can be arranged for groups of six or more with a minimum of one week advance notice.

Tanana Valley Sandhill Crane Festival Fri., Aug. 23 – Sun., Aug. 25 Full schedule and events listing at www.creamersfield.org

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Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum

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IF YOU GO What: Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge Where: 1300 College Road Online: www.creamers field.org

lands.” There are sandhill cranes that frequent the refuge throughout the summer, and the woods around the refuge are filled with an orchestra of songbirds. The refuge hosts the Tanana Valley Sandhill Crane Festival during the third week in August. This year’s festival is scheduled for Aug. 23-25. Friends of Creamer’s Field offers daily guided nature walks Monday through Saturday at 10 a.m. and on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. Participants learn about the plants and animals on the refuge, as well as some of the history behind Creamer’s Field. “It’s a great way to see a wide variety of plants, animals and habitats in a small, concentrated area,” Friends of Creamer’s executive director Christine Huff said. There are guide books available in the farmhouse visitor center, as well as at the trailhead kiosk, for those who want to tour the refuge on their own. Interpretive signs along some of the trails inform visitors about different aspects of the refuge. The Farmhouse Visitors Center is open seven days per week from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. starting June 1.

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center By MARY BETH SMETZER msmetzer@newsminer.com The Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center provides visitors with everything they need to know to navigate Fairbanks and explore Alaska’s Interior. The Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau, Alaska Public Lands Information Center, Tanana Chiefs Conference Cultural Programs, the Alaska Geographic bookstore and Denakkanaaga Native Elders organization all share space in the building at 101 Dunkel St., on the banks of the Chena River, providing a variety of cultural programs, exhibits and events. A bonus feature is “The People and the Land,” an indepth display of the Interior’s history and people. The walk-through exhibit hall greets visitors with everyday sounds of the Interior, beginning with a raven’s call, Athabascan fiddle music, the deep roar of a float plane taking off and the musical honking of migrating geese. The exhibit trail winds

through life-sized dioramas depicting the seasons, flora and fauna of the Interior. A replica fish camp, hunting camp and public use cabin add to the realism. The area’s rich cultural history and highlights of the modern community are included, such as the University of Alaska Fairbanks, artwork, World Eskimo-Indian Olympics, Fairbanks Symphony, the international ice sculpture competition and much more. Alaska lifestyles past and present and the history of the area from its first people, early exploration, gold stampede and oil pipeline are detailed through a wide range of locally donated art and artifacts. The center is adjacent to Griffin Park and is near bike and walk paths. It offers parking, wireless Internet and restrooms. Visitors can stow their gear in lockers while they explore Fairbanks or can watch daily free films about Alaska in the center’s 100-seat theater. A 1905 pioneer cabin on the center’s grounds is in the process of being restored, and glass tile mosaics depicting tra-

ditional Athabascan beadwork designs adorn the sidewalks. The services offered by the center’s organizations are many.

Convention and Visitors Bureau There is much to do and see in the Interior, and the friendly folks at the Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau will help you plan an itinerary of local attractions that fits your schedule. The staff is all local and can answer questions and share personal stories of yearround life in Fairbanks. Staff fluent in German and Japanese are available to assist international travelers. The bureau offers more than 400 brochures for attractions, dining, shopping, camping and outdoor adventures in the Interior and across Alaska. Also available: • Free courtesy phones for local and credit card calls • Public computers for visitors to make travel arrangements and check email • Maps of Alaska and the Please see CENTER, Page 28

2013 Summer Visitors Guide

CENTER Continued from Page 27

Fairbanks area • Daily listings of available accommodations • For more information, call 456-5774 or visit explorefair banks.com.

Alaska Public Lands Information Center For more adventuresome visitors, the Public Lands Information Center is dedicated to promoting knowledge and use of “natural, cultural and historic resources on Alaska’s public lands.” The information center has resources for hiking, camping and fishing and can help with backcountry trip planning The information center’s services include resource education programs, interpretive services and fee collection. The center also has a reference library and sponsors daily films in the theater. The public lands office is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily Memorial Day through Labor Day. For more information, call 459-3730 or visit alaska centers.gov.

Alaska Geographic bookstore

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The Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center also houses the offices of Denakkanaaga Native Elders organization.

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and self-determination. TCC Cultural Programs hosts cultural programs and events Monday through Friday during the summer at the center. For more information, call 459-3741, visit tananachiefs. org or stop by the center.

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IF YOU GO

Denakkanaaga

The Tanana Chiefs Conference, a consortium of 42 villages of Interior Alaska, promotes Alaska Native unity

Lady Lee's Antiques Emporium

SUMMER HOURS: Monday - Saturday 11 a.m. 7 p.m. Sunday 12-4 p.m.

nonprofit bookstore dedicated to “connecting people to Alaska’s parks, forests and refuges.” Browse Alaska reading material — children’s books, wilderness adventure, Alaska history and collections from some of the state’s finest photographers. You’ll also find detailed maps of Alaska’s wild areas, DVDs covering a wide range of Alaska history and culture, and Native arts and crafts. The bookstore will be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily during the summer months. For more information, call 459-3710 or visit alaskageo graphic.org.

TCC Cultural Programs

Alaska Geographic is a

Antiques, Collectibles & Gifts

Eric Engman/News-Miner file photo

The Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center is located at 101 Dunkel St., on the banks of the Chena River.

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

World Eskimo-Indian Olympics By DANNY MARTIN dmartin@newsminer.com The World Eskimo-Indian Olympics is one of the most anticipated and unforgettable summer events in Alaska, and it celebrates its 52nd anniversary this year. The celebration of Native games and culture takes place July 17-20 at the Carlson Center.

IF YOU GO What: World Eskimo-Indian Olympics When: July 17-20 Where: Carlson Center Cost: Free for day events; $10 for adults and $8 for elders and students for evening events. Phone: 452-6646 Online: www.weio.org

sary. The 2011 event included 35 men and 22 women; last year, the event atracted 45

men and 24 women. Please see WEIO, Page 32

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WEIO includes dance groups that are mesmerizing, a best-dressed baby contest that steals your heart and the Miss WEIO pageant that’s charming and culturally uplifting. However, it’s the games that stir WEIO’s popularity, giving it a distinction that extends beyond the 49th state. The games are based on skills used to survive in the arctic. One of WEIO’s most popular games is the ear pull. It’s a tug of war of ears as two people sit facing each other with twine looped from one ear of one opponent to one ear of the other opponent — right ear to right ear or left ear to left ear. The game tests a person’s ability to withstand pain, a trait that is sometimes needed to survive the harsh realities of the North. Another popular event is the four-man carry, which is based on a hunter, after a successful hunt, having to carry his game for a long distance. The event itself involves a participant walking as far as he can while volunteers are draped on his body. The bench reach event has gained popularity since it was reintroduced two years ago during WEIO’s 50th anniver-

News-Miner file photo

Leroy Shangin, of Perryville, grimaces while competing in the men’s ear pull event during the 2009 World EskimoIndian Olympics at the Carlson Center.

2013 Summer Visitors Guide

Pioneer Park By SAM FRIEDMAN sfriedman@newsminer.com Museums, mini golf, gift shops and a cabin that will chill you at 40 degrees below zero combine to give visitors a taste of Fairbanks at Pioneer Park, a historic theme park.

Built for the 1967 centennial of Alaska’s purchase from Russia, Pioneer Park is managed by the Fairbanks North Star Borough and is used by locals and tourists. Visitors will sometimes hear Fairbanks residents refer to the local landmark

by another name. The park’s name was officially changed from Alaskaland in 2002 “in order to remove the persona of a ‘Disneyland’ theme park experience” according to the park’s website. Please see PARK, Page 32

PIONEER PARK Alaska’s Only Historical Theme Park

Airport Way & Peger Rd. • Fairbanks, Alaska • 459-1095 Visitor Information www.fnsb.us/PioneerPark • email: pioneerpark@co.fairbanks.ak.us Park Office: (907)459-1087 • 2300 Airport Way, Fairbanks, AK 99701

• Gold Rush Town (Shops) • Pioneer Aviation Museum • Mini Golf & Carousel • Native Culture Exhibits • Kayak & Bicycle Rentals • Crooked Creek & Whiskey Island Railroad • Square & Round Dance Hall

• Palace Theater Show • Alaska Salmon Bake • Pioneer Museum & Big Stampede Show • Railroad Museum • National Historic Landmarks • Picnic Shelters & Playground • Free WiFi parkwide

June 1 – August 31 • GAZEBO NIGHTS - Live entertainment nightly at 7p.m. - FREE • FINE ARTS GALLERY & GIFT SHOP open Noon. - 8p.m. daily - FREE

• MONTHLY LITERARY READINGS 1st Saturdays at 7p.m. - FREE • TIPS – Totally Impromptu Performance Series

Relive the past and explore the treasures of the Golden Heart.

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All Activities are in the Alaska Centennial Center for the Arts-Bear Gallery, Theater or outside at the Gazebo. For info call Fairbanks Arts Association 456-6485

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

P I ON E E R PARK Visit Real Alaskans Visit one of Fairbanks’ oldest homes

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2013 Summer Visitors Guide

IF YOU GO What: Pioneer Park Where: Main entrance on Airport Way, between Peger Road and Wilbur Street When: Concessions open noon to 8 p.m. Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend Cost: Admission is free, prices for attractions vary Phone: 459-1087 Online: www.co.fairbanks. ak.us/pioneerpark News-Miner file photo

PARK Continued from Page 30

But the park’s old name has plenty of holdouts in Fairbanks. Pioneer Park has a carousel and miniature train that runs on a track encircling the park, and its layout has a Main Street Disneyland feel with pedestrian paths surrounded by small buildings housing shops and museums. Some of

WEIO Continued from Page 29

The bench reach tests a person’s balance, strength, patience and precise touch. The game involves a contes-

Mary Jane Schuster, of Cheboygan, Mich., peers into the Harding Railroad Car at Pioneer Park. the buildings are reconstructions, while others are historic homes that were moved to the park from downtown. The park has seven small museums, which include two historic homes and a sternwheeler riverboat. Most are free or charge admission fees of $4 or less. Other main attractions at Pioneer Park include a canoe and kayak rental and shuttle service that lets customers pad-

tant kneeling on a bench while another person sits on his or her calves as support. The contestant then bends forward to lift a wooden dowl with one hand and place it on the floor as far as possible. The contestant then raises his body to return to the kneeling position

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on the bench. WEIO attracts visitors from around the nation. It has been featured in publications such as People and Cosmopolitan magazines and USA Today, and it’s enjoyed exposure on national television programs such as ABC’s “Good Morning America,” ESPN’s “SportsCenter” and NBC’s “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” In 2009, WEIO was inducted into the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame in Anchorage for the events category. A contingent from Greenland is scheduled to return to WEIO for the third straight year, according to Nicole Johnston, the chairman of the WEIO Board of Governors. “They bring a little international flair,’’ she said during a recent telephone interview. More information about WEIO is available on its website (www.weio.org).

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dle down the Chena River, and the Palace Theater, which hosts “The Golden Heart Revue,” a light-hearted musical look at Fairbanks history. Of special importance to those traveling with young children, two playground areas are stocked with plenty of equipment on which kids can burn off some energy.

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Tour of downtown Fairbanks By SAM FRIEDMAN sfriedman@newsminer.com The architecture of the buildings in downtown Fairbanks tells the young city’s history. As a guide to these buildings, the Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau created a self-guided audio tour, which is available at the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center. It’s also available as a mobile device app on the Downtown Association of Fairbanks website. Be advised that many stops on the tour are private homes, including several early 20th century cabins. Admire them from the outside, but please don’t bother the residents. Please see TOUR, Page 35

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Gillian, left, and Kim Noske, of Mandurah, West Australia, enjoy a stroll through Golden Heart Plaza in downtown Fairbanks in September 2011. Golden Heart Plaza is one of the highlights of a downtown tour created by the Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau.

2013 Summer Visitors Guide

Fishing in the Interior famous for their voracious appetites and willingness to attack dry flies, making them a You won’t hook into the favorite of fly fishermen using bright, shiny salmon in the lightweight tackle. Interior that anglers brag Grayling range in size from about in Southcentral or 8 to 18 inches and can be found Southeast Alaska. in most freshwater streams Neither will you find yourFile photo along the Interior road system. self posing next to one of those Arctic grayling are a uniqueThe Chena River, which barn-door-sized halibut that flows through downtown ly Alaskan fish. are famous in the fishing ports Fairbanks, is a blue-ribbon of Homer and Valdez. Department of Fish and Game grayling fishery. The upper What you will find in the Chena River east of Fairbanks in Fairbanks. Interior is arctic grayling. And they are uniquely Alas- parallels Chena Hot Springs “We’ve got a lot of grayling. kan. Road for several miles in the They’re a great fish to catch: Chena River State Recreation An elegant cousin of the They’re easy to catch and we’ve trout, arctic grayling are disArea and offers multiple access got road accessible rivers with points to the river, as well as tinguished by their iridescent, grayling in them,” said Audra campgrounds to pitch a tent or sail-like dorsal fin, which is Brase, area management sport dotted with green and purple park an RV. fish biologist for the Alaska The Delta Clearwater River, spots. The slate gray fish are located about 100 miles south of Fairbanks and accessible from the Richardson Highway, is another popular place to find big grayling. Fish up to 20 inches are common in the Delta Gourmet Smoked Salmon • Lox Clearwater, which serves as Caviar • Sausage & More a summer feeding ground for 2400 Davis Road Pioneer Park grayling before they migrate to (just off Peger Road) other rivers in for the winter. Wild Ga Fairbanks, AK 99701 By TIM MOWRY tmowry@newsminer.com

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TOUR Continued from Page 33

Here are some highlights of the tour: • Golden Heart Plaza: Walk across the foot bridge behind Immaculate Conception Church to the south side of the Chena River, and you’re at Golden Heart Plaza, a central plaza decorated with flowers in the summertime. It’s also the summer home of the Downtown Market every Monday night. In the winter, the frozen Chena River is used for cross country skiing, sled dog races and snowmachining. • One block south of the river is Second Avenue, the former entertainment hub of Fairbanks. The Mecca bar is one holdover from the string of bars that once lined this street. The Co-Op Plaza, a former movie theater, now holds a diner, coffee shop and several craft shops. Fourth Avenue, two blocks further south, was Fairbanks’ red light district into the 1950s. • Several of Fairbanks’ grandest structures are civic buildings along Cushman

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Fly and spin fishing for arctic grayling is similar to fishing for trout. A four- or five-weight fly rod or light spinning rod is all you need. Favorite flies include elk hair caddis, Adams, mosquitoes and black ants. For spin fishermen, any number of small Mepps or Blue Fox spinners will attract the attention of grayling. If bait is allowed where you’re fishing, grayling will readily take salmon eggs. Grayling have flaky white meat that is best if cooked and eaten as soon as possible. They do not keep well frozen. The best thing to do is to bring a frying pan on your trip. Be careful, though, some grayling fisheries, including the Chena River and Delta Clearwater River, are restricted to catch-and-release fishing only. There are also restrictions on using bait and treble hooks in some rivers. Check the fishing regulations before you wet a line.

21th Annual

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Continued from Page 34

Hall (Fifth and Cushman) now houses the Fairbanks Community Museum. The old courthouse (Second and Cushman) is a commercial building. Audio tour: Pick up a • Clay Street Cemetery: Fairheadset at the Morris Thompbanks’ first cemetery is located son Cultural and Visitors Center just outside downtown on the Mobile app: The Downeastern edge of Fifth Avenue. town Association of Fairbanks More than 2,000 Alaskans were has a self-guided downtown buried there between 1903 and history tour on its website. 1978. The tour features major • The Daily-News Miner (on points of interest as well as north side of the Cushman examples of prominent Street bridge), first founded as architectural styles in the the Daily Miner in 1903, pubFairbanks area. Go to lishes a daily newspaper as well downtownfairbanks.com and select “Downtown Guide.” as this guide. Be sure to smile Not feeling especially for the Arctic Cam, a popular historical? Another tour highwebcam that looks over the lights the 2012 Paint the parking lot toward the Big I bar Pipes project done to beautify and the Chena River. the pipes that vent heat from • Across Cushman Street the downtown power plant. is Immaculate Conception Church, Fairbanks’ first CathoStreet. Several have been repur- lic Church. Originally built in posed throughout the years. 1904, it was moved from the City Hall (at Ninth Avenue and south side of the river in 1911. Cushman Street) is the former Contact staff writer Sam FriedMain School, while the old City man at 459-7545.

DOWNTOWN TOUR

2013 Summer Visitors Guide

Downtown Market By GARY BLACK gblack@newsminer.com You can find the best in arts and crafts as well as an ample supply of food and fresh produce from Fairbanks farmers every summer Monday at the Downtown Market. Vendors set up stands from 4-8 p.m. each Monday from June to September in Golden Heart Plaza on First Avenue. Crafts and handmade items often include woodworking, jewelry, art, pottery, clothing and locally made soaps, lotions and beauty products. When harvesting kicks in during the full swing of summer, Fairbanks’ farming communities converge in the plaza with booths of onions, potatoes, tomatoes, broccoli, cabbage, leeks, zucchini, and every other vegetable or flowering plant that grows well in Alaska’s cool summer climate. At the beginning of summer, expect to see lots of seedlings and starters until harvest starts, usually mid- to late June. In addition to produce and locally grown food, the market has expanded in recent years as a hub of Monday night entertainment with musicians and bands strolling the area performing free concerts. Often,

News-Miner file photo

Clarence and Friends play at the Downtown Market on a Monday evening in June 2011 in Golden Heart Plaza. especially during campaign season, politicians will take advantage of the crowds to give soap box speeches or to reach out to constituents. One of the more popular events at the Downtown Market started last summer with a program called Chef at the Market, in which chefs from Fairbanks restaurants use locally grown produce to prepare a meal right at the market. You even get to sample some of the delights that are whipped up on the spot. The market is sponsored by the Downtown Association of Fairbanks and has grown in size since its inception in 2011. For more information about the market, visit www.

IF YOU GO What: Downtown Market When: 4-8 p.m. Mondays from June to September Where: Golden Heart Plaza, on First Avenue in downtown Cost: The market is free to browse through but bring cash to purchase wares. Online: www.downtown fairbanks.com

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for the sometimes fickle Fairbanks weather. Frank’s Menswear offers you a more upscale clothing choice if you’re looking to go out on the town. For Alaska knick-knacks to bring home to family and friends, downtown Fairbanks has shops on almost every street. The Fudge Pot serves soup, sandwiches and espresso and trinkets. Also, as the name implies, lots of fudge. Two Street Station and Soapy Smith’s are great spots for a latte, lunch or a cold beverage. If Only ... A Fine Store, offers up fine goods, clever gift

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ideas and local art. It’s a great place to find a gift for anyone, from babies to adults. You can’t miss the store’s greeter, Martha, who stands on the sidewalk ushering visitors in regardless of whether it’s raining or shining. Arctic Travelers Gift Shop also offers an equally wide range of products. There are plenty of other shops in downtown. Check out the Downtown Association of Fairbanks’ website at www. downtownfairbanks.com for a more thorough list of downtown businesses.

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Downtown Fairbanks offers more than just a glimpse into the rich gold mining history of Alaska — it also offers ample shopping opportunities. The streets that make up downtown are lined with specialty clothing stores, art galleries, small cafes offering desserts and coffees, and gift shops selling uniquely Alaska products. There really is something for everyone. A cluster of art galleries inhabits the area, including The Alaska House, Gallery 49 and 2 Street Gallery. The Alaska House focuses primarily on Alaska artists. The gallery, located in a small, distinct splitlog cabin that looks like it came out of a Grimm’s Fairy Tale, opened in 2000 and is managed by Ron Veliz and Yolande Fejes, daughter of well-known Fairbanks artist Claire Fejes. Gallery 49 and 2 Street Gallery are both located in the CoOp building, and both feature art from a variety of mediums such as paintings, fiber arts metal works and pottery. Both feature work from Interior Alaska artists. When it comes to clothing, Big Ray’s offers everything you need to make you feel like you actually live here. From Xtratuffs to steel-toed boots, Big Ray’s is the place to go. The shop is full of outdoors gear as well as more fashionable gear and clothing needed

Sally and Carl Corte, right, of Queensland, Australia, get help from Jasmine Brown while shopping at Arctic Travelers Gift Shop downtown.

Fairbanks Airport

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38 2013 Summer Visitors Guide

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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Summer Arts Festival glass fusion at Expressions in Glass, Italian appetizers and arias at Gambardella’s and See Denali Music Festival Fairbanks Summer Arts much more. on Page 12. Festival is reaching out this This year, the festival will summer — literally. integrate arts into the very For more than 30 years, the fabric of the Fairbanks There’s so much to do in annual gathering of artists and Fairbanks these two weeks, community. students has been based at the too. If you are tight with time, It also still will offer the University of Alaska Fairbanks. check out a mini-workshop. traditional and much-loved But university construction Lunch Bites and evening perSign up for pilates at North this season changed that. formances, but keep track of Star Dance Studio, steel pan So the festival is expanding drums for the complete novice the calendar because these will to other venues in the Fairat the Dance Room Downtown, take place all over town. banks community and also is going beyond Fairbanks borders to share talent, instruction and performance with other communities. Once again, workshops are available for a variety of schedules and interests — from classical music to dance and culinary and visual arts. It doesn’t matter whether you are an expert or a novice. You can learn and you can share the stage with experts in whatVisit Our Store For Unique Gifts And Antiques ever field you choose. Register at www.fsaf.org or call 474-8869. 907-457-6700 Classes range from miniworkshops of just a few hours to one or two weeks of intensive study. It all happens July 14-28. Begin with a pre-festival 3206 Airport Way, Fairbanks (July 12-14) at Chena Hot Summer Hours: Mon.–Sat.,11a.m.–6 p.m.; Sun., 12–5 p.m. Springs Resort. There, artists Gayle Weisfield, Craig Buchanan and Sandra Westcott will offer a visual arts intensive “ Bowling Is For All Ages” of watercolor, Zentagle and 24 Lanes • Pro Shop recycled/found art. Stay for the concert on Snack Bar • Cocktail Lounge Saturday night, July 13. It all Full Service Bowling Center takes place at a historic and beautiful resort east of Fair952 Tenth Avenue, Fairbanks, AK 99701 banks. 456-7719 Then it’s time to head Summer Hours: 7 Days A Week south to the new Tonglen Open Noon to Midnight Lake Lodge, bordering Denali Closed: National Park. Sign up for Memorial Day – 4th of July – Labor Day three days of watercolor with Weisfield. Then stick around a few days for a concert with everpopular American Roots musicians Mike Stevens and Raymond McLain on July 21. Those two musical experts will also offer workshops on July 22, so tune up your skills with a harmonica virtuoso and a bluegrass legend. Then join Corner of College Rd. the jam at the Artisan’s Café & Old Steese between afterward. For more details see Safeway Gas & OfficeMax www.tonglenlake.com. By KRIS CAPPS For the News-Miner

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The Riverboat Discovery Staff Report newsroom@newsminer.com Fairbanks has the amenities of a modern city, but a daily

voyage down the Chena River aboard the Riverboat Discovery provides a glimpse of days past. The Binkley family has worked the Chena for five

generations, piloting ships for more than 100 years. Since the 1950s, various versions of the Please see DISCOVERY, Page 41

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

DISCOVERY Continued from Page 40

Riverboat Discovery have led visitors on a uniquely Alaskan river ride. The three-hour ride mean-

ders down the Chena, where passengers will watch a bush pilot take off and land in a small plane. The boat pauses at Trailbreaker Kennels, home of the family of late Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race champion Susan Butcher and stops at a replica Interior Alaska Native village

and fish camp. The trip begins at Steamboat Landing on the Chena River in west Fairbanks near Fairbanks International Airport. The landing is a replica gold rush-era riverport with a dining hall where hearty miners stew is served and Iditarod champion musher Lance Mackey offers a presentation. It also has a gift shop, museum and ice cream parlor. The riverboat tour showcases typical Alaska modes of transportation as it glides downstream. Sled dogs were a vital form of winter transportation between villages, carrying people and freight in the days before snowmachines. Riverboat passengers will learn about modern competitive mushing with a short talk and demonstration at Trailbreaker Kennels. Visitors will see a small plane demonstrating a typical takeoff and landing in rural Alaska. Bush pilots transformed travel in rural Alaska in the early 20th century. The sternwheeler stops for an hour at the Native village, where passengers get a guided tour. Village hosts relate stories about their history, culture and subsistence lifestyle. Passengers will tour a fish camp, complete with a fishwheel, and learn techniques for catching, drying and storing salmon. Those who want to experience a taste of an Interior winter can participate in â&#x20AC;&#x153;Alaska at 40 Below,â&#x20AC;? a specially designed chamber that gives a sample of the frigid conditions of a mid-winter day. Rates at $59.95 for adults, $39.95 for ages 3-12, and free for children younger than 3. Reservations may be made at riverboatdiscovery.com or by calling 907-479-6673.

IF YOU GO What: Riverboat Discovery cruise When: May 15-Sept. 25, 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Where: 1975 Discovery Dr., Fairbanks Cost: $59.95 adults, $39.95 children, free 3 and younger Phone: 479-6673 Online: riverboatdiscovery. com

2013 Summer Visitors Guide

10 things to do outdoors You may not have the time to climb Mount McKinley or float the Yukon River, but there are plenty of other outdoor adventures you can do to make your trip to Alaska a memorable one. To help out, News-Miner outdoors editor Tim Mowry has compiled a list of 10 outdoor things to do in the Interior. You may not be able to accomplish all of them, but try to check one or two off the list before you leave. 1. Take a hike. The best way to get a feel for the country you’re in is to walk across it. That’s not always easy to do in Alaska, but fortunately there are several premium hiking trails in the Interior that lead to spectacular, panoramic views of Alaska’s heartland. Check out the Angel Rocks Trail or

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grayling can be found in most Interior streams. They are distinguished by their slate gray color and a large, iridescent Tim dorsal fin. They are famous for their voracious appetites, which Mowry make them a favorite of dry fly fishermen. There are several road accessible streams where Granite Tors Trail in the Chena grayling can be found, includRiver State Recreation Area ing the Chena, Chatanika, on Chena Hot Springs Road Delta Clearwater and Salcha east of Fairbanks. For the more rivers. Check the regulation adventurous, check out the booklet, though, because some Chena Dome Trail in the Chena streams, such as the Chena River State Rec Area or Pinnell River, are restricted to catchMountain Trail off the Steese and-release fishing only. Highway. 3. Visit a dog musher. Dog 2. Catch an arctic grayling. mushing is the official state They’re not as big and tasty as sport of Alaska, so you should the salmon and halibut that check it while you’re here. Alaska is famous for, but arctic Whether you take an organized grayling are easier to catch and easier to find. A cousin to trout, Please see OUTDOORS, Page 43

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OUTDOORS Continued from Page 42

tour of a dog lot or just track down a local musher to check out his or her operation, a trip to a genuine Alaska dog mushing kennel is an eye-opening experience. Denali National Park and Preserve offers daily tours of its mushing kennel and the folks at the Yukon Quest office in Fairbanks (452-7954) Eric Engman/News-Miner file photo can help lead you to a musher. Clouds nestle in the valleys as seen from Murphy Dome 4. Ride the bus into Denali National Park and Preserve. Riding a bus might not sound like much of a wilderness experience. But when that bus is driving through the heart of Denali National Park and Preserve, it is that and much more. In addition to views of 20,320-foot Mount McKinley, bus riders will more than likely see grizzly bears, wolves, Dall sheep, moose and caribou. There are tourists who see more wildlife on one bus ride into the park than some Alaskans do in their lifetime. 5. Get your picture taken under the Antler Arch. One thing every tourist in Fairbanks should do is check out the world’s farthest north antler arch. Located just a short walk from the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center on the Chena River bike path near downtown, the arch is made up of more than 100 moose and caribou antlers that were collected from all over Interior Alaska. Local artist and cabin builder Sandy Jamieson oversaw installation of the antlers. The arch was completed in 2010 at a cost of $25,000. The arch is monitored 24 hours per day, 365 days per year by a live

facing south toward Denali. webcam so visitors can wave to friends and family back home. 6. Float a river. Whether it’s running Class IV rapids on the Nenana River with one of the rafting companies in Denali Park or renting a canoe for a leisurely float down the Chena River through downtown Fairbanks, there’s nothing like spending a day on the river in the Interior. You might want to check the water temperature before you think about going for a swim, though; the water in Alaska is quite a bit colder than water in the Lower 48. 7. Drive to the end of a road. Isn’t that something Alaska is famous for? Well, the Interior offers the best chance of anywhere to do it. Take your pick of a half dozen roads that come to an end. Drive up the 155-mile Steese Highway to the Yukon River in Circle. Head up the 154-mile Elliott Highway, which ends in the town of Manley. You can take a drive the 55-mile Chena Hot Springs Road and take a soak in the

springs. There’s the 158-mile Taylor Highway, which ends at the Yukon River in the village of Eagle. For the really adventurous, take a drive up the 415.1-mile Dalton Highway to Deadhorse on the North Slope. 8. Climb, drive or pedal to the top of a dome. For Interior flatlanders, domes are the equivalent of mountains elsewhere in the state, and there are any number to choose from. Ester Dome (2,323 feet) and Murphy Dome (2,930 feet) are located just outside Fairbanks and have roads leading to the top. There is Wickersham Dome Summit (3,806 feet), about 30 miles north of Fairbanks in the White Mountains National Recreation Area; Chena Dome (4,421 feet) in the Chena River State Recreation Area east of Fairbanks on Chena Hot Springs Road; and Donnelly Dome (3,910 feet), located off the Richardson Highway about 120 miles south of Fairbanks. Please see OUTDOORS, Page 44

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2013 Summer Visitors Guide

Midnight Sun Festival By LESLIE PEARSON For the News-Miner In the middle of winter, during the midday moon, Fairbanksans and other Alaskans dream of summer and the midnight sun.

Tim Mowry/News-Miner file photo

A large bull moose feeds in a pond just north of Delta Junction along the Richardson Highway.

OUTDOORS Continued from Page 43

9. Get bitten by — and kill — a mosquito. The running joke in Alaska is that mosquitoes are the state bird. The Last Frontier is famous for its hordes of hungry blood suckers, and nowhere is that more true than the Interior. If you leave even the smallest piece of skin exposed, you will get bitten. The good news is there is no bag limit on mosquitoes in Alaska and, unlike moose, caribou and salmon, local residents have no qualms about Outsiders coming in and killing them.

Swat away to your heart’s content or you run out of blood, whichever comes first. 10. Find a moose. Nothing says Alaska like moose. The ungainly ungulates are the true symbols of the northland, and you’ve come to the right place to find one. The Interior has more moose than any other region in the state, and they’re not all that hard to find if you keep your eyes open as you drive down the road — and it’s a good idea so you don’t hit one. Drive out Chena Hot Springs Road or up the Steese Highway and you stand a good chance of seeing one. Remember, though, don’t feed or approach them. They may not look mean, but they pack a whale of a kick.

IF YOU GO What: Midnight Sun Festival When: noon to midnight June 23 Where: Downtown Fairbanks Phone: 452-8671 Online: downtownfair banks.com

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June 21 on the calendar marks the longest day of the year — 22 hours of daylight — in Fairbanks, and visitors and locals alike celebrate with the Midnight Sun Festival. “The event started as a furniture sidewalk sale in the downtown area and has grown to Alaska’s largest single-day event,” said Kara Nash, Downtown Association of Fairbanks events organizer. This year is the 32nd Annual Midnight Sun Festival. It takes place from noon to midnight Sunday, June 23, and will feature three stages of live performances. Some of the bands include the Denali Mountain Band, Dry Cabin and Gary “Alaska” Sloan. Visitors will have the chance to see 33 performers on the three stages. “We are also bringing back Break Fast, a break-dancing competition,” she said. Music, food, vendors, and activities for kids are planned for Golden Heart Plaza on First, Second and Third avenues in downtown Fairbanks. More than 180 booths are expected to line the streets, which will be closed for the event. Please see FESTIVAL, Page 45

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre By SAM FRIEDMAN sfriedman@newsminer.com Baseball is not the only entertainment held under the midnight sun in Fairbanks. For 21 years, Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre has produced a Shakespeare play in an open air venue. This year’s pick is “Romeo and Juliet.” The production this year will include live music and a larger-than-usual cast to depict the colorful street scenes, song and dance, and sword fights the play calls for, director Bruce Rogers said. Casting still was in progress as of mid-April so Rogers had not yet determined whether the costumes and setting will have a specific theme, though he was leaning toward a non-specific setting. “Sometimes we’ll put it in a certain place and time, and sometimes we’ll do it a little bit timeless,” he said. “‘Romeo and Juliet’ is one of those timeless plays, I think. If you don’t do too many conceits, you don’t have to make Please see THEATRE, Page 46

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Break dancers stay loose between rounds by entertaining the crowd at the annual Midnight Sun Festival downtown.

FESTIVAL Continued from Page 44

People also will be able to enjoy skateboarding, face painting, extreme car racing, a paddlers river slalom race,

break dancing, pony rides, vintage vehicles, a barbecue cookoff, gold panning, and more, according to the Downtown Association’s website. For more info, call the Downtown Association of Fairbanks at 452-8671 or go online to downtownfairbanks.com.

2013 Summer Visitors Guide

Golden Days By LESLIE PEARSON For the News-Miner

that day. Other events include a senior luncheon Thursday and a comedy night Friday. And keep an eye out for the Golden Days Jail as it travels around town picking up people whose friends or co-workers have had “warrants” put out on them for their arrest. There’s plenty more, including the Rubber Duckie Race, in which thousands of numbered rubber ducks are dumped into the Chena River (and collected later). Buy a ticket, or several, before the race to see if you can win one of the dozens of prizes. Other events that usually coincide with the festivities include the Red Green River Regatta and the Governor’s Picnic.

IF YOU GO

Why would anyone live in 40 below zero weather in Fairbanks? What were the settlers of the town thinking when they built a city in a cold hole where inversions keep temperatures in the negative for most of winter? They must have been thinking that the gold coming out of surrounding hills was worth it. Fairbanks still celebrates its gold mining history with Golden Days, July 17-21 this year, commemorating Italian immigrant Felix Pedro’s discovery of gold in 1902. Pedro’s find encouraged other miners to come to Fairbanks, and the Golden Heart City was born. This year’s theme is “Gold

What: Golden Days When: July 17-21 Where: Various places Phone: 452-1105, Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce Online: fairbankschamber. org/goldendays

Fashioned Fun,” and participants and visitors are encouraged to dress up like miners from Fairbanks’s gold rush heyday of the 1900s. Golden Days begins with a re-enactment of Felix Pedro’s first delivery of gold. But the big event is the Grande Parade, which begins at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 20. A street fair runs until 4 p.m.

Please see DAYS, Page 48

IF YOU GO

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When: July 12-28. Where: Jack Townshend Point on University of Alaska Fairbanks Campus Contact: Call 457-7638 or visit the Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre website (fstalaska.org) for more information.

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THEATRE Continued from Page 45

up too much. I like to let the language carry the play.” The performances take place at Jack Townshend Point on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus and are held rain or shine. In 21 years of productions, only two performances have been canceled, Rogers said. He recommends coming prepared for the weather. “It’s odd: People when they get caught in the weather they have a great time,” he said. “But they only want to come on a sunny day. The truth is up here it generally rains for about 20 minutes in the afternoon.” Contact staff writer Sam Friedman at 459-7545.

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Eric Engman/News-Miner file photo

Ted Sponsel picks out kohlrabi from the Rosie Creek Farm stand at the Tanana Valley Farmers Market along College Road.

Tanana Valley Farmers Market By GARY BLACK gblack@newsminer.com The biggest, freshest farmers market in Interior Alaska calls Fairbanks home, and it’s a summer delight of arts, crafts, fresh produce and food — lots of food. The Tanana Valley Farmers Market is the oldest established farmers market in Alaska and the only one located in its own permanent building. It officially opened at its College Road location in 2005 and since then has grown to become the premiere farmers market for Fairbanks

and the surrounding area. Each year, the market continues to grow with more vendors and artisans, some of whom come from smaller communities hours away to sell their wares. When you visit the farmers market, bring your shopping bags — you’ll inevitably buy more than you plan to — and your appetite. The market is a foodie’s paradise, with vendors hawking international delights of Thai and Chinese cuisine and Greek gyros, kabobs, kettle corn, buffalo hot dogs, Russian pastries and locally made jams, jellies and honey.

Artists take full advantage of the market as well. It’s a shopping ground of art and woodwork, pottery, jewelry, fiber arts and homemade lotions, soaps, and bath and body luxuries. If an Alaskan artist can create it, you can find it at the market. When it comes to produce, the market offers everything that can be grown under our midnight sun ... eventually. The season starts off with flowers, seedlings and starter plants when the market opens Please see MARKET, Page 48

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2013 Summer Visitors Guide

Sternwheeler Tanana Chief Staff Report newsroom@newsminer.com In the midst of a hectic vacation, a quiet river cruise can provide a much-needed excuse to sit back, relax and enjoy the scenery. The Sternwheeler Tanana Chief is a replica of a passenger and trade vessel that was built in Unalaska in 1898. The paddle-wheeler travels the Chena River during the summer months, providing an interesting vantage point for visitors and local residents. The Tanana Chief has several different tour packages available, with discounts for children, Alaska residents, seniors and military.

MARKET Continued from Page 47

IF YOU GO What: Sternwheeler Tanana Chief When: Daily dinner, sightseeing cruises; brunch every other Sunday Where: 1020 Hoselton Road, Fairbanks Cost: $24.95-$54.95, with discounts for Alaskans, military and seniors Phone: 450-0768 Online: www.tananachief alaska.com

• For those who would simply like a sightseeing tour aboard the sternwheeler, an approximately two-hour cruise is available to check out nature and neighborhoods along the

IF YOU GO What: Tanana Valley Farmers Market, 2600 College Road When: Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays, May through September. The market opens May 11; the first Wednesday it opens is May 15; the first Sunday is May 26. The market closes for the season on Sept. 22. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays Phone: 456-FARM Online: www.tvfmarket. com. Or check out the market’s Facebook page.

in May as Alaska’s official planting date is June 1. As summer grows into full swing, so does the produce. By midJune, the market usually is seeing an ample supply of vegetables; by July, it’s a wellstocked veggie lover’s delight. Big hauls from area farmers include tables of onions, radishes, tomatoes, potatoes, broccoli, cabbage, zucchini and yellow squash, beans, peas, peppers, lettuce and greens. The end of summer sees the arrival of leeks and Brussels sprouts, and by fall, handpicked cranberries their appearance. It really is and Alaska blueberries make

Chena River. The sightseeing tour is $24.95 per person. • A catered dinner cruise includes a full-course meal for $54.95 and features prime rib, king salmon, vegetables, salads and dessert. A full-service bar is available. • Every other Sunday, a champagne brunch is held for $37.95 and includes ham, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, biscuits and gravy, and more. • A variety of specialty cruises are scheduled throughout the summer, including wine tastings, a pirate cruise and a margarita and salsa cruise. For more information, go to www.tananachiefalaska.com or call 907-450-0768. a bounty of the produce the state produces, something that might come as a surprise to those visiting Interior Alaska. A program growing in popularity at the Tanana Valley Farmers Market is the Chefs at the Market program, in which Fairbanks chefs from local restaurants and venues prepare meals at the market using Alaska produce. Musicians and performers also have started frequenting the market more, making it a day of entertainment in addition to just shopping. If you go, go early. The market gets crowded in the afternoons, and in the height of summer, parking can be difficult to find. Also, the earlier you go, the better chance you have of picking up the best produce available.

DAYS Continued from Page 46

For more information on events and times, call the Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce at 452-1105 or go online to fairbankschamber. org/goldendays. Want to see the point of discovery yourself? Visitors can travel 16 miles north of Fairbanks on the Steese Highway to the Felix Pedro Monument and see where Fairbanks’ gold rush history began.

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Gold Dredge 8 By MARY BETH SMETZER msmetzer@newsminer.com The past and present history and location of Fairbanks’ top cash crops — yellow gold and “black gold” — intersect at Gold Dredge 8, located seven miles north of Fairbanks in the Goldstream Valley. Visitors to Gold Dredge 8 are rewarded with a three-inone tour that encompasses a close-up view and walk under the trans-Alaska oil pipeline, a ride to the dredge site on a replica of the Tanana Valley Railroad that linked mining communities north of Fairbanks in the early gold mining days and a chance to try panning for gold. Learn about the construction and operation of the trans-Alaska oil pipeline while standing in its shadow. Then board a replica of the narrowgauge Tanana Valley Railroad and hear tales of the thousands of miners of yore who swarmed the surrounding val-

Eric Engman/News-Miner file photo

People filter through the dredge during a tour of Gold Dredge 8 off the Old Steese Highway. ley in the early 20th century searching for the big strike. Gold Dredge 8 is a National Historical Site, and the tour focuses on the history of small- and large-scale mining in the Interior. You’ll see firsthand how dredges in Alaska

sifted the gold from the soil, recovering 3.5 million ounces of gold during the time they were in use. Then practice the art of gold panning. You’ll find some Please see DREDGE, Page 50

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2013 Summer Visitors Guide

DREDGE Continued from Page 49

color, guaranteed. The two-hour tour allows visitors time to explore the dredge, the dredge camp and the gift shop to have their gold weighed before boarding the train for the ride back

to the depot. By the end of the visit, you will have gained a wealth of knowledge about gold mining in the Interior and a little poke to prove it. Tours are available daily at 10:30 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. at the train depot near Goldstream Road and the Old Steese Highway.

IF YOU GO What: Gold Dredge 8 When: Mid-May to mid-September; tours 10:30 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. Where: 1803 Old Steese Highway N. Cost: Adults, $39.95; children 312, $24.95. Reservations required. Phone: 479-6673 Online: golddredge8.com

Fairbanks Convention & Visitors Bureau Make the Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitors Center your first stop for visitor information. 101 Dunkel Street in downtown Fairbanks Open 8 am – 9 pm daily in summer (907) 456-5774 • www.explorefairbanks.com

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2013 Summer Visitors Guide

Golf galore, day and night If you want to play golf while you are visiting Interior Alaska, you have four courses to choose from, and they all offer their own character and charm. All of the courses are public and offer club rentals for visitors; however, the three courses in Fairbanks have evening leagues on most weekdays. Later tee times can be arranged so you can actually play golf under the Midnight Sun.

Chena Bend Golf Course Chena Bend Golf Course is on Fort Wainwright and has been rated as one of the top

golf courses in Alaska by Golf Digest. Chena Bend will host the Alaska State Amateur Championships on Aug. 9-11. It features a 6,476, par 72 layout with several holes along the Chena River and most fairways lined with woods. It’s not uncommon to see a fox or marmot while you are looking for your ball. The course was rated by Golf Digest as Alaska’s best for 1999, 2007, 2008 and 2009 and received a four-star rating in the 2008 and 2009 edition of Golf Digest’s “Best Places to Play.” Check in at Fort Wainwright’s front gate to get to the course. If you are driving a vehicle, you will have to have your registration and insurance paperwork with you. With summer months being short, you are encour-

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aged to make advance tee times. Active duty, retired military and Department of Defense authorized civilians can call five days in advance. Civilians can call three days in advance. The course is open 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday. There is a pro shop a snack bar as well. To make tee times, call 353-6223.

North Star Golf Club Located in the hills above Fairbanks, North Star Golf Club is on Golf Course Lane off the Old Steese Highway, a short distance past Chena Please see GOLF, Page 55

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Employment • Airport • Hotels • RV Parks • Recreation • Pioneer Park

See Fairbanks –

• Medical Centers • Education • Riverboat Landing • Entertainment •

By BOB ELEY beley@newsminer.com

• University of Alaska • Shopping Malls • Library • Fairgrounds

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Eric Engman/News-Miner file photo

Fall foliage is a backdrop for a runner in the hills around Fairbanks.

RUN: Competition or fun (or both) Continued from Page 51

Contact sports editor Bob Eley at 459-7581. News-Miner file photo

Runners head out on the course of the Labor Day 5K race.

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The first race in the series — the 5-kilometer Chena River Run — is held on the first Saturday in May, and the final race — the Equinox Marathon, Marathon Relay and Ultramarathon — on the Saturday closest to the autumnal equinox in September. In between are six more races that each have their own character. The biggest race is the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner Midnight Sun Run. It’s a 10K race that starts at 10 p.m. at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and finishes at Pioneer Park. Runners are encouraged to dress in costumes. The course winds its way through several subdivisions where thousands of spectators line the streets and numerous parties are going as you traverse your way to the finish line. There is a giant costume parade near the starting line about an hour before the race You’re pretty much guaranteed to get hosed down by a child with a squirt gun or run through sprinklers to cool off during the event. The race attracts about 4,000 runners. This year’s race is scheduled for June 22. Other races in the Flint Hills Series include the June 27 Flint Hills Mile, the July 13 Run of the Valkyries (8K), the July 21 Gold Discovery Run (16.5 miles), the Aug. 3 Santa Claus Half Marathon

(13.2 miles), the Aug. 24 Golden Heart Trail Run (5K), organized in conjunction with the Interior Invitational High School cross-country race. The 51st running of the Equinox Marathon will be held Sept. 21. The race starts at 8 a.m. at the University of Alaska Fairbanks athletic field and follows trails and roads to the top of Ester Dome and back, an elevation gain of more the 2,600 feet. In addition to the Flint Hills Cup, there’s a Northern

Trails Series for the more adventurous runners. The best way to find out all the details about races in the Interior is to visit. www. runningclubnorth.org. The bike path system stretches from near the entrance to Fort Wainwright all the way to the University of Alaska Fairbanks, mostly along the Chena River. Good trail running areas can be found at UAF, Birch Hill Recreation Area, Chena Lakes Recreation Area and Salcha Elementary School.

2013 Summer Visitors Guide News-Miner file photo

Alaska Goldpanners pitcher Sean Timmons delivers a ninth-inning pitch against the Lake Erie Monarchs in the 104th annual Midnight Sun Baseball Classic in June 2009. The 108-year-old event is played without artificial lights on summer solstice, the longest day of the year.

Baseball under the Midnight Sun goldpanners.com. The tickets are $15 each and will also IF YOU GO be available at the Growden Several years ago, the Memorial Park box office on What: Midnight Sun Game National Baseball Hall of game day. When: First pitch, 10:30 p.m. Friday, June 21 Fame and Museum in CooThe Goldpanners are a Where: Growden Memoperstown, N.Y., declared the summer-league team of colrial Park, Second Avenue and Midnight Sun Game a mustlege baseball players, and Wilbur Street see event for any true fan of more than 200 players in the Cost: $15. Available online baseball. team’s history have gone to at www.goldpanners.com and The reputation remains for the professional ranks. box office on game day. the 108-year-old event that is Among them are Baseball played without artificial lights Hall of Famers Tom Seaver try of collegiate and ex-profes- and Dave Winfield, as well as on summer solstice, the lonsional players. gest day of the year. Barry Bonds, Dave Kingman The Midnight Sun Game, Growden Memorial Park is and Jason Giambi. also known as the “High usually packed with 4,000 to As of April 12, there were Noon at Midnight Classic,” 5,000 fans, several of whom at least four former Goldwas inspired by a bet between panners on active rosters come from other states and local bars in Fairbanks. The a few from other countries. of Major League Baseball first game was played in 1906 teams this season — Atlanta The game has been featured and attracted local teams in national publications such Braves pitcher Kris Medlen, until the Goldpanners took as The Sporting News and a Goldpanner in 2005; Miami over the tradition during their Marlins third baseman Greg has been shown on ESPN’s inaugural season in 1960. SportsCenter. Dobbs, a 2000 Goldpanners One of the game’s tradiThe first pitch of this alum; Philadelphia Phillies tions is the break that comes year’s game takes place at infielder Michael Young, the 10:30 p.m. Friday, June 21, at in the half-inning closest to Goldpanners’ Most Valuable midnight, when the crowd can Player in 1996; and Seattle Growden Memorial Park. If join in a rousing rendition of the weather cooperates, the Mariners infielder Brendan the Alaska Flag Song. sun will be shining for much Ryan, who played with the The Midnight Sun Game of the game since sunset is Goldpanners in 2002. was inducted into the Alaska just before 1 a.m. The Goldpanners’ season Sports Hall of Fame in The 2013 contest features runs from early June through Anchorage in 2010 in the the Alaska Goldpanners of early August. events category. the Alaska Baseball League They open against the Tickets for the game can be against Catholics in Action, a Please see BASEBALL, Page 55 San Diego-based sports minis- purchased online now at www. By DANNY MARTIN dmartin@newsminer.com

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GOLF: Region’s four courses Continued from Page 52

Hot Springs Road. It is in a picturesque valley surrounded by hills and known for its many wildlife sightings. This link-style course provides an 18 hole, 6,342 yard championship tee, par 72 course with four par 3s, 10 par 4s, and four par 5s. An animal sighting checklist is included on your scorecard. The course offers visitors specials that include nine or 18 holes of golf, golf cart, clubs, a logo ball, featured logo item and certificate of play. There’s a viewing deck that overlooks the challenging course and a cafe offering locally brewed beers. You can make tee times online at www.northstargolf. com or by calling 457-5653.

BASEBALL

Contact staff writer Danny Martin at 459-7586.

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Oceanside Waves in Escondido, Calif., on June 7. Their first Alaska League game is against the Chugiak Chinooks in Chugiak on June 11, and their first home games are against the Fairbanks Brewers of the Fairbanks Adult Amateur Baseball League on June 16 and against the San Francisco Seals on June 17 for the start of a three-game series. The complete Goldpanners season schedule is available at www.goldpanners.com.

Black Diamond is a rustic course located at 1 Mile Otto Road in Healy where you can play in the shadow of Mount McKinley. It offers picturesque views, and there’s a

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Continued from Page 54

Black Diamond

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Fairbanks Golf Course is at the intersection of Farmers Loop and Ballaine Road near the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus. It is a picturesque nine-hole course with a challenging finish hole — a par 3 across the water. There are different tee boxes if you want to play 18 holes. The course features three par 3s, three par 4s and three par 5s. In addition to the lake on No. 9, several holes are lined by woods that make things a little more than

challenging. Fairbanks Golf Course is the oldest course in the Interior, having originated in 1946. The Double Eagle restaurant offers fine dining and has a wide-range of menu items and adult beverages. To make tee times, call 479-6555.

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Fairbanks Golf Course

good chance you’ll see some wildlife on the course. The views are among the best golf has to offer. Hazards include such things as moose hoofprints and a local fox who steals your ball off green No. 2. There are golf specials for visitors, and you can be picked up and dropped off from hotels in the Denali National Park area. It also offers fine dining at the Black Diamond Grill, with full lunch and dinner menus. To make reservations, visit www.blackdiamondgolf.com or call 683-4653.

2013 Summer Visitors Guide

Hit the bike paths By SAM FRIEDMAN sfriedman@newsminer.com Fairbanks is well-suited for bicyclists because it has little elevation change, is spread over a large area and is graced with a network of bike paths. For visitors, it’s a good town to explore on two wheels, although finding a bike and the best places to ride takes a little research. If you did not bring a bike to Fairbanks, there are a couple of places from which to rent one: Outdoor Adventures, part of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, can be reached at 474-6027 and Alaska Outdoor Rental and Guides can be contacted at 457-2453. Both also rent canoes and kayaks. Another option is Fairbanks Pedal and Paddle, which does guided bike and paddle trips. They are located downtown and can be contacted at 3884480. For riding in town, consider picking up a copy of the Department of Transportation’s bikeways map — available online at http://dot.alaska. gov/nreg/planning/fmats/files/ bikeways.pdf or at the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center. Most of Fairbanks can be accessed by some combination of bike paths and

Sam Harrel/News-Miner file photo

A bicyclist leads a group of riders along Farmers Loop in July 2011. Fairbanks is well-suited for bicyclists because it has little elevation change, is spread over a large area and is graced with a network of bike paths. Ridden counter-clockwise the route involves a short, moderate uphill ride, followed by a long, gradual downhill. Other excursions from downtown Fairbanks include to the town of Ester, about 20 miles round trip, or Fox, about 25 miles round trip. For an organized ride, check the website of the Fairbanks Cycling Club (www.fairbankA good morning or afternoon ride is a bike path around scycleclub.org). The group Farmers Loop, the 16-mile path holds multiple events each week. Visitors can join the club (if you start and finish downfor a day for $5. town) circles Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge. sidewalks, which are open to bicyclists where marked. A few of the major thoroughfares are closed to bicycles, although one of the largest, the Johansen Expressway, has one of the best bike paths along its route.

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For those who enjoy mountain biking, there are a few options in the hills surrounding Fairbanks. One of the closest to town is Birch Hill. Located north of town and next to Fort Wainwright, Birch Hill is a ski area that is open to bikers in the summer. Another system of skiing trails open to bikers can be found on the other side of town at the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus. Skiers prefer if bikers stay away from the lower elevation trails, which tend to get muddy and can be wrecked by bike tires. A bit farther out of town, a system of single track mountain bike trails can be found on Ester Dome Road. Contact staff writer Sam Friedman at 459-7545.

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Eric Engman/News-Miner file photo

Egil Ellis drives his team on the Chena River during a running of the GCI Open North American Championship sled dog race.

Home to sled dog race headquarters By DANNY MARTIN dmartin@newsminer.com

IF YOU GO What: Yukon Quest Headquarters When: Open daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day Where: 550 First Ave. Cost: Free Phone: 452-7954 Online: www.yukon quest.com

contact the headquarters at 452-7954 or go to its website (www.yukonquest.com). The Fairbanks area is Contact staff writer Danny Marhome to several sprint and tin at 459-7586. distance mushers, and it’s also the site of one of the top sprint races on the planet — the Open North American Championships — conducted annually during the third Act now for 2014 weekend of March. If your business is interested in placing The ONAC features three an ad in the 2014 Visitors Guide, fill out and return this coupon. heats that start and finish each day downtown on Second Name ____________________________________ Avenue between Cushman Business Name ___________________________

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Mail to: Promotions Manager P.O. Box 70710, Fairbanks, AK 99707-0710

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There’s no ice and snow on the Chena River in downtown Fairbanks during the summer, where the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race starts some years and finishes in other years. However, the Yukon Quest headquarters on First Avenue will be open for summer visitors who want to learn more about the 1,000-mile race that runs each February between Fairbanks and Whitehorse, Yukon, in Canada. The headquarters is located in a log cabin that overlooks the Fairbanks start/finish portion of the race. The cabin, at 550 First Avenue next to Golden Heart Plaza, offers visitors race information, memorabilia for purchase and documentaries of past Quests to view. Sometimes, a musher and his or her dogs will be at the cabin to share stories about the race. “We’re hoping to have dogs and mushers as often as we can so people can learn more about the sport,” Marti Steury, Yukon Quest executive director, said of a plan for this summer. There is a pen in the backyard of the headquarters and guest mushers and their dogs have appeared there during past summers. Allen Moore, of nearby Two Rivers, won this year’s Yukon Quest, which ran from Whitehorse to Fairbanks. His wife, Aily Zirkle, won the race in 2000. This summer’s hours for the Yukon Quest headquarters had not been determined as of press time. Visitors can

and Lacey streets. The first two heats are 20 miles apiece and the last heat is 27.6 miles. Arleigh Reynolds, a veterinarian in nearby Salcha, was the winner of this year’s ONAC, and the Fur Rendezvous World Championship in Anchorage. Information about the history of mushing in Fairbanks is available with an exhibit in the Fairbanks Community Museum, downtown at the intersection of Cushman Street and Fifth Avenue.

2013 Summer Visitors Guide

Tours give glimpse into mushing lifestyle Staff Report newsroom@newsminer.com Contrary to popular opinion, there are quite a few months of the year when Alaska isn’t covered in snow. That doesn’t mean visitors can’t get a taste of dog mushing, the official state sport. There are several summer options for those interested in the sport and the lifestyle it entails. There are a few opportunities to ride a wheeled cart pulled by dogs during the warm summer days, and there are plenty more mushers who take visitors on kennel tours for a fee. • Four-time Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race champion Jeff King offers three daily excursions at his Husky Homestead Tours near the Denali National Park entrance. Visitors meet the dogs, learn how the animals are trained and watch a training run. He doesn’t offer rides in summer. The tour costs $59 for adults, $39 for children younger than 12. The tour is not recommended for children younger than 3. For more information, visit huskyhomestead.com or call 683-2904. • Just Short of Magic provides educational tours, including summer visits to the Chena Hot Springs Road kennel outside Fairbanks. Visitors will get a chance to harness a dog, handle mushing equipment, witness a feeding or help to hook up a team with

News-Miner file photo

Musher Marvin Kokrine’s appropriately named dog Blue waits to run in the 19-mile mid-distance heat of the Alaska Dog Mushing Association Challenge Series Race in January 2009 at the Jeff Studdert Racegrounds. kennel owner Eleanor Wirts. Transportation to the kennel is available. Information may be found at www.justshort ofmagic.com or at 750-0208. • While you’re at Denali National Park, check with park rangers about visiting their sled dog kennel. Rangers use sled dogs for winter transportation and offer daily demonstrations. Check in at the park visitors center or visit www.nps.gov/dena/planyour visit/kennels.htm. • Mary Shields was the first woman to finish the Iditarod. She lives in Fairbanks and offers folks an intimate look into the dog mushing

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lifestyle. Visitors will get hands-on time with the dogs in an informal setting and learn about training methods and mushing gear. Shields invites visitors into her home for refreshments and a discussion about her experiences on the Iditarod and Yukon Quest trails and a trip to Siberia. The visit takes two hours and is by reservation only. If you want to learn about and experience a snippet of the life of a musher, visit www. maryshields.com or call her at 455-6469. She can arrange for transportation. • Sun Dog Express Sled Dog Tours gives visitors a glimpse into their dog yard, with a dog sledding demonstration that includes “history, equipment and stories from the trail.” The price is $150 for a group of less than eight, $200 for more than eight. For more information visit www. mosquitonet.com~sleddog or call 479-6983. • Sirius Sled Dogs, atop Murphy Dome, 25 miles northwest of Fairbanks, offers a summer tour from 10 a.m. to noon, with pickup available from Pioneer Park in Fairbanks. The tour of the kennel includes a quarter-mile ride through a black spruce forest in a summer dog cart. Tours are $125 per person, with an additional $20 fee for transportation. For more information, call 687-6656, or go to www.siriussleddogs.net. • If you are going to Chena Hot Springs Resort, you can enjoy a soak in the pool and a kennel tour, among other activities, or ride in a cart pulled by dogs. Visit www. chenahotsprings.com of call 451-8104. Stop by the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center at 101 Dunkel St. for more information about dog mushing and kennel tours. Information is also available at the office of the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race, at 550 First Ave.

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Relax at Chena Hot Springs Resort Leave the city for a day trip or stay overnight By GARY BLACK gblack@newsminer.com

What: Chena Hot Springs Resort When: • Pool House, 7 a.m. to midnight, daily • Restaurant, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., daily • Aurora Cafe, 9 a.m. to 2 a.m., daily • Lounge, 10 a.m. to midnight, Sunday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday • Activity center desk, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., daily • Activity center, 24 hours, daily Where: End of Chena Hot Springs Road Cost: For more information on hotel, pool and hot springs rates, call Chena Hot Springs Resort at 907-451-8104 or visit its website at www.chenahotsprings.com Phone: 451-8104 Online: www.chenahotsprings.com

yurts. Be sure to check the resort’s webpage, as it often offers Web-only based special deals. On the food side of things, Chena Hot Springs Restaurant uses locally grown produce from the resort’s own greenhouse, which is heated year-round with geothermal energy from the hot springs. The year-round greenhouse is part of the resort’s sustainability plan, of which proprietors Bernie Karl and Connie Parks-Karl are big proponents. In late summer, the Karls host a renewable energy fair at Chena Hot Springs resort that showcases the latest in green energy developments in Alaska. It often draws huge crowds as well as politicians looking to keep up with the Karls’ latest developments.

Surrounding activities As far as activities, the resort houses a kennel with more than 100 huskies to give visitors the Alaska mushing experience, be it winter or summer. The Chena Hot Springs Kennel is a touring, non-competitive kennel, using mostly rescued dogs. The ice museum is another big draw at the resort that Please see SPRINGS Page 60

Two Rivers Lodge Chena Hot Springs Road 16 Scenic Miles

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At the end of Chena Hot Springs Road lies the highway’s namesake — an Alaska oasis, Chena Hot Springs Resort. About 60 miles from Fairbanks, the hot springs now plays home to a resort, restaurant and cafe, greenhouse, ice museum, cabins and hotel, even a salon. It’s a little bit of high-end relaxation in the middle of the Chena State Recreation Area, perfect for a weekend getaway or just a day trip. The hot springs have become a top attraction for Alaska residents and visitors in the past 100 years, whether it’s summer or winter. The hot springs are naturally spring fed, taking advantage of the Earth’s geothermal heating system to keep the water a pleasant, warm temperature year-round, even when it’s 40 below zero in winter. Don’t be alarmed by the odd smell of the water; after all, it’s a natural spring-fed well rich in sulfur but perfectly safe to relax in. The springs also have a high mineral content, which many users claim offers health benefits. For accommodations, the resort offers an assortment: rooms in a lodge setting, family suites, cabins, RV and camping spots and even

IF YOU GO TO CHENA HOT SPRINGS

2013 Summer Visitors Guide News-Miner file photo

Chena Hot Spring Resort is about 60 miles from Fairbanks. For accommodations, the resort offers rooms in a lodge setting, family suites, cabins, RV and camping spots and even yurts. Be sure to check the resort’s webpage, as it often offers Web-only special deals.

SPRINGS: Check out kennels, ice museum Continued from Page 59

features winter creations even when Alaska summers reach way above the freezing mark. Bring a coat if you go to it — the inside is kept at a frosty 25 degrees Fahrenheit.

And if you’re thirsty, grab a martini in the Aurora Ice Bar, served in an ice-carved martini glass. The museum even offers ice carving classes for those so inclined to try their hand at sculpting.

Contact info Check out the resort’s website at www.chenahotsprings. com, as it is updated often. For more information about rates or entry fees, it’s best to call the resort.

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

It’s always Christmas in North Pole By LESLIE PEARSON For the News-Miner Ever since North Pole evolved from a homestead into the city “Where the Spirit of Christmas Lives Year Round,” the holiday season has reigned 365 days per year.

WHERE TO STAY • Hotel North Pole; 449 Santa Claus Lane, North Pole; 488-4801; standard rooms start at $150 • Visit the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center for campgrounds and other accommodations in the North Pole area.

News-Miner file photo

The Santa Claus House in North Pole is a popular place for locals and visitors.

floats will be given out and visitors can enjoy live music in the afternoon. The idea for a Christmas“People can expect a good themed town began when the family time,” North Pole MayDahl and Gaske Development “People can or Bryce Ward said. Co. bought several acres of a For more information, call subdivided homestead from expect a good 488-8583. Bon and Bernice Davis with • Support the Arthritis the vision of attracting toy family time.” Foundation of Alaska and have manufacturers to the area, fun with Jingle in July (Jingle according to the city of North — North Pole Mayor Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis), Pole website. After all, what Bryce Ward a 5K run and 1K Children’s child wouldn’t want a toy Run with the Elves on July 6. “Made in North Pole?” BusiRunners gather at Santa Claus nesses from the Lower 48 House at 8:30 a.m. and the never materialized, so commurace starts at 10 a.m. nity entrepreneurs took it on “What’s really great about themselves to make Christmas cars, vendors and live enterthis event is that everyone the focal point. tainment and takes place at wears Christmas-themed cosThis summer, the North Santa Claus House. For more tumes,” said Nicole Blizinski, Pole Community Chamber information, call 488-2200. Santa Clause House marketing of Commerce and commu• The city of North Pole nity supporters such as Santa celebrates two holidays in one coordinator. For more information, go online to jingleinjuly. Claus House will continue to with its Christmas-themed com. bring Christmas cheer to Alas- Fourth of July parade. The • Christmas in July, a new kans and Alaska’s visitors with parade begins at 11 a.m. on these events: Fifth Avenue and travels down event from the North Pole Community Chamber of Com• The seventh annual Santa Claus Lane and St. merce, takes place July 26-28. Cruis’n with Santa car show Nicholas Drive. Enjoy a free Events include live music and and street fair takes place May picnic at Terry Miller Memo18, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The event rial Park on Fifth Avenue. Please see HO HO HO, Page 63 features muscle and antique Awards for the best parade

488-3014 6565 Richardson Hwy., Salcha, AK 99714 www.alaskaknottyshop.com

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An Alaskan Gift Shop And Mounted Wildlife Display Alaskan size ice cream cones at a small Texas price. Unusual Burl Construction 32 Miles South of Fairbanks on Richardson Highway

2013 Summer Visitors Guide

Recreate at Chena Lake By GARY BLACK gblack@newsminer.com

News-Miner file photo

Kids play in the sand at the Chena Lake Recreation Area.

We welcome all to visit our community...featuring SOD-ROOFED LOG CABINS in the TRUE ALASKA MOTIF visit our website - www.mosquitonet.com/~KJNP

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Right in the middle of a seemingly huge wilderness is one of the most popular attractions in the Interior — Chena Lake Recreation Area. The 2,100-acre park offers an illusion that you’re right on the edge of North Pole but seemingly hundreds of miles away from a city. It’s that image of utter wilderness that draws visitors yearround. In the summer, it’s a popular camping, swimming and hiking spot. In the winter, it offers trails for mushing, skiing and more hiking. It’s one of the most popular spots in Interior Alaska. Chena Lake Recreation Area has two camping areas: the lake park and the river park, along the Chena River. The two parks offer more than 80 campsites, and each park has water and restroom facilities for use in the summer and fall. If you really want to get away from it all, an island accessible by boat offers six campsites. During the hot days of summer — yes, it can reach up to 90 degrees Fahrenheit or even higher in the summer — the beachfront of the lake can be packed with swimmers. The lake is a popular spot for boaters and features volleyball and horseshoe pits and a covered pavilion, which makes it a prime spot for families. Boats — from row to paddle — are available for rent. During the winter, Chena Lake offers groomed crosscountry ski trails for snowmachining, skijoring, and dog mushing. It also offers three ice-fishing houses. For the fishermen, Chena Lake is stocked by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game with rainbow trout, silver salmon and arctic char. The Chena River has arctic grayling, northern pike, whitefish, burbot and an annual run of king salmon. Be sure to check state fishing regulations. Fees vary for use at the Please see LAKE, Page 64

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

News-Miner file photo

With Dog Mushers Hall in the foreground, the aurora lights up the sky over Fairbanks.

The northern lights in Alaska Staff Report newsroom@newsminer.com

ONLINE

Aurora information from the Geophysical The aurora borealis, or the northern lights Institute: as they are commonly called, are a sight to www.gedds.alaska.edu/auroraforecast behold. Of course, it helps if you’re here in the View aurora photos submitted by Daily darkness of winter. The lights aren’t visible in News-Miner readers: the summer months, so you’ll have to come on www.newsminer.com/features/our_town back. But that doesn’t mean you can’t learn about them while you’re here during our peri- alaska.edu/auroraforecast. od of extended daylight. Here are answers to common questions about The University of Alaska Geophysical Instithe aurora: tute provides a wealth of information about the aurora, including providing an aurora Q: What is the aurora? forecast and a place to sign up for aurora alerts. Visit www.gedds. Please see AURORA, Page 67

Continued from Page 61

Visitor Welcome!s

101 East 5th Avenue • North Pole, AK 99705 www.santaseniors.com • 907-488-4663 Breakfast Place Hours • M-F 8:30 - 10:30 am Gift Shop/Office Hours • M-F 11 am - 3 pm Join us for the Jingle Bell 5K Run July 6

North Pole July 4th Parade Join us for a Pancake Feed! 8:30–10:30 a.m.

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street dancing, a Santa Claus costume contest, the 5K Candy Cane race and Ice Carving in July. Events will take place at the Santa Claus House, the temporary summer home of the North Pole Visitors Center. Proceeds from Christmas in July will fund the construction of a new visitors center in North Pole. For more information, call 488-2242. Can’t be in North Pole for these events? You can still

can enjoy a cup of coffee and a piece of fudge from the café while perusing Christmas ornaments or photographing the kids with the reindeer.

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HO HO HO

enjoy the spirit of Christmas at Santa Claus House, which is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days per week from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Visitors

2013 Summer Visitors Guide

The Richardson and Alaska highways By LESLIE PEARSON For the News-Miner Gaining access to Alaska’s Interior was difficult for gold miners, trappers and other settlers during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Creating modern highways from old trails and paths is an Alaska tradition. The Richardson Highway and the Alaska Highway were created to access Interior Alaska but for different reasons. The Richardson — marked Alaska Route 4 on maps — was stitched together from pieces of the old EagleValdez Trail to access gold in Fairbanks though its original destination was Eagle on the Yukon River. The Alaska Highway — marked Alaska Route 2 on maps — was punched through Canada and eastern Interior Alaska to deliver supplies to military installations such as Ladd Field, now Fort Wainwright, during World War II. Travelers sometimes get confused about where the

LAKE Continued from Page 62

lake, so check with the entrance station or online at co.fairbanks.ak.us/ParksandRecreation. Camping sites are on a first-come, firstserved basis. No reservations are taken.

ROADS TO THE INTERIOR Richardson Highway Miles: 365.4 Surface: Paved

Alaska Highway really ends. It terminates in Delta Junction, not in Fairbanks, which is the end of the Richardson Highway. Today, travelers to Alaska can experience the scenic drives of the state and explore the towns that dot both highways.

Delta Junction Bordered by the Tanana and Delta rivers, the town of Delta Junction sits in the agricultural seat of the Interior. It is also where the Alaska Highway meets the Richardson Highway. The history of Delta Junction can be experienced through its roadhouse museums and events: • Friendly Frontier Days

End points: Fairbanks, Valdez Alaska Highway Miles: 198 (Alaska portion) Surface: Paved End points: Alaska-Canada border, Delta Junction

is June 1. The event features a public barbecue, hay rides and a hay maze, a petting zoo and is the first day the Farmers Market opens. Frontier Days takes place at the junction of the Alaska and Richardson highways. For more information, call the Delta Junction Chamber of Commerce at 907-895-5068. • Deltana Fair is July 2729 and features live music, games, food and contests and is at the Deltana Fairgrounds on Nistler Road in Delta Junction. For more information, call the Delta Junction Chamber of Commerce at 907-895-5068. • Big Delta State Historical Park. Rika’s Roadhouse is Please see ROUTES, Page 65

IF YOU GO What: Chena Lake Recreation Area Where: 3780 Laurance Road When: Park open 24 hours, seven days in summer Swim beach and Lake Park day use areas closed from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Cost: Tent camping, $10 per night; RV or camper, $15 per night. Entry per vehicle, $5; military per vehicle, $1; pavilion is $35 up to four hours, $55 more than four hours Phone: 488-1655 Online: co.fairbanks.ak.us/ParksandRecreation

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Hopper, said Marsha Panfil, the lodge’s manager. In addition to building a new lodge on the bluff above the roadContinued from Page 64 house — the Lodge at Black the main attraction at this Rapids — the Hoppers have Alaska state park. The park been restoring the roadhouse, tells the story of its former which is one of the last of its owner, Rika Wallen, a Swedish kind still standing. immigrant, and the role her Travelers to this stretch roadhouse played during the of the Richardson are awed development of the Interior. by the views of the Alaska Sitting on the bank of the Range, the bison that migrate Tanana River and of what through the Delta River Valused to be the Valdez-to-Fair- ley and the opportunities for banks Trail from the 1900s to hiking, fishing or flightseeing the 1940s, Rika’s Roadhouse tours of the Alaska Range, provided travelers with a Panfil said. home off the trail. Alaska The Hoppers plan on openState Parks, the state’s parks ing the roadhouse as a musedepartment, will provide free um that will feature informaguided tours this summer. tion on its former owner and The agency will host Kids’ Alaska legend, Frank Glasser, Day at Rika’s in August that known as the Wolf Man. will feature tours, games, “We also have some interarts and crafts, and a picnic. pretive hiking trails behind For more information on the lodge planned that will Kid’s Day, call Park Specialist be named after mountaineers Maureen Gardner at 907-895- who were so instrumental 2113. in exploring this area and Glasser was one of them,” Panfil said. For great views of the The Lodge at Black RapGranite Mountains and the ids features guest speakers, Alaska Range, travelers can musicians and guided outdoor head south on the Richardson recreational events throughHighway about 15 miles from out the summer. For more Delta Junction. Sticking out information on these events of Donnelly Flats is a 3,910 and room rates, call (877) foot solitary mound that looks 825-9413 like a mini-volcano. Rich Taylor of the Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys Tok is a paradise for said the dome is caused by travelers coming to explore uplift from surrounding fault Alaska by RV. After the long lines along the northern edge drive through Canada on the of the Alaska Range. Alaska Highway, visitors are That uplift creates a popu- greeted by several RV parks, lar hike for local residents hotels and a visitors center. and travelers. Hikers should The small town of Tok, with plan for a half day and bring a population of about 1,400, a jacket for the summit as it is usually windy. To access the trail, turn onto the access road at 248 Mile. Follow it up to the turnout, where you will see a footpath.

ROUTES

Donnelly Dome

Tok

is the hub for the villages of Dot Lake, Northway, Tetlin, Tanacross and Mentasta. The town was built as a construction camp when work began for the Alaska Highway in the early 1940s. There are three Alaska State Parks campgrounds near Tok that offer hiking, fishing and boating opportunities. Eagle Trail State Recreation Site is 16 miles south of Tok at 109.5 Mile Tok Cutoff Highway and offers hiking trails that are leftovers from the original Eagle-Valdez Trail. Moon Lake State Recreation Site is near 1,332 Mile Alaska Highway, 15 miles northwest of Tok, and is popular with boaters. Tok River State Recreation Site is popular with highway travelers just entering Alaska from Canada. Tok’s biggest event is its Fourth of July parade and fair. The parade begins at 11 a.m. at Fast Eddy’s Restaurant at 1,313 Mile Alaska Highway. The parade heads north to the Tok Cutoff and turns left to the fairgrounds across the street from the Department of Transportation. Games for kids and adults are planned along with an awards ceremony for the best parade floats. Entertainment is planned for the fair, and musicians and storytellers will perform that evening at the Sourdough Campground and the Tok RV Center. All Fourth of July events are free to the public. For more information, call Tok Chamber of Commerce President John Rusyniak at 907-883-5775.

Black Rapids

9 MILES EAST OF DELTA JUNCTION Mile 1413 Alaska Highway, beside the large Grain Elevators

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The Black Rapids Roadhouse sits across the Richardson Highway from the Delta River at 227 Mile. High water after breakup creates the Black Rapids, so named because of the silt in the glacier water that turns them dark. The roadhouse is in the middle of a restoration begun by Lodge at Black Rapids owners, Michael and Annie

2013 Summer Visitors Guide

Steese Highway offers adventure supplies and gas are available at the Fox General Store. The Steese also offers A traveler can find a little road access to the vast White bit of everything Interior Mountains National RecreAlaska has to offer along the ation Area, where you can pan Steese Highway. for gold at Nome Creek at 57 Mile and hike, fish and camp. Much of the area was burned by a massive wildfire IF YOU GO in 2004. Hillsides are still strewn with charred trees. Steese Highway The Steese Highway winds Miles: 155.4 through the scenic Chatanika Surface: Paved, then gravel River Valley. The town of End points: Fairbanks, Chatanika, created by minCircle City ing activity, was once 10,000 people strong. Chatanika Gold Camp is the site of the old The 160-mile highway Fairbanks Exploration Co. starts by skirting the eastern Camp, built between 1923 and edge of Fairbanks before even- 1925 as the original bunktually turning into a gravel house and dining hall for the road that concludes in the men who worked on ChatanYukon River community of ika’s Gold Dredge No. 3. The Circle, retracing a century of camp is on the National Regishistoric gold mining along the ter of Historic Places. way. Just down the road at 28.5 Upon leaving Fairbanks, Mile is a large rustic lodge, the first notable stop might across the street from Gold be in Fox, about 10 miles to Dredge No. 3. The Chatanika the north. Fox began as a Lodge was established in the mining camp in 1905, but has 1930s as a trading post. since become a destination The lodge’s Alaska decor for restaurants and nightlife showcases its hearty fare, with for those willing to make the a full kitchen serving breakshort drive. fast, lunch and dinner. The Turtle Club restaurant Stop at Long Creek Trading is well known for its heaping Post at 45 Mile for an espresso plates of prime rib, and Silver or ice cream. The trading post Gulch Brewing and Bottling offers canoe rentals, grocerCo. combines the northernies, camping, liquor and local most brewery in the U.S. advice on good fishing and with a gastropub. From May gold panning spots. to October, the Howling Dog A 2.5-mile loop offers access Saloon features live music in a to the Davidson Ditch. The colorful atmosphere. Road-trip ditch is an 83-mile series of Staff Report newsroom@newsminer.com

ditches, siphons and pipes once used to carry water from a small dam on the Chatanika River to the gold dredges of Fox and Chatanika. It was one of the largest engineering projects in the world when it was built in 1925. The road climbs well above the tree line at Twelve-Mile Summit and Eagle Summit, two popular places to watch the sun skirt the northern horizon on summer solstice. After coasting down Eagle Summit to the town of Central, about 128 miles north of Fairbanks, travelers enter the Circle Mining District, which features many active mines. Central has a post office, a restaurant, a museum, a landing strip for small planes and lodging. Service stations are scarce, so be sure to bring enough gas. Turning right at Central will point you in the direction of Circle Hot Springs (the springs and associated resort, about 8 miles farther, have been closed for years); heading straight ahead will put you at Circle City. The road ends 34 bumpy, winding miles later on the banks of the Yukon River in Circle. The river is two miles wide at this point. Circle, founded in 1893, was the largest gold mining town on the river, at least until gold was discovered in Canada’s Dawson City. More than 1,000 people lived in Circle, which was named in the mistaken belief that it was located on the Arctic Circle, which is really 40 miles north.

Fox General Store in Beautiful Downtown Fox Junction of Hwys 2 & 6 Groceries • Propane • ATM Liquor • Beer • Wine Hunting/Fishing Licenses

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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

News-Miner file photo

The aurora borealis hangs in the sky over west Fairbanks.

AURORA Continued from Page 63

A: The glow in the sky, called aurora, is the result of energetic particles entering the upper atmosphere. This specific glow is different than other forms of

Ron & Shirley Franklin

CHATANIKA LODGE Across highway from Alaska’s 2nd Largest Gold Dredge!

Rustic Alaskan Atmosphere Saloon•Country Cooking•Lodging (Call for Hours)

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Q: What makes the color in the aurora? A: The composition and density of the atmosphere and the altitude of the aurora determine the possible light emissions. The atmosphere is made up of varying levels of oxygen and nitrogen. Sometimes the photons emitted by the energetic electrons, creating aurora energy, are strong enough to split the molecules of the air around them into oxygen and nitrogen molecules and atoms. This process gives them the

signature colors of nitrogen and oxygen atoms. Oxygen atoms typically emit green and red colors. The overall impression is a greenish-whitish glow. An intense aurora can get a purple edge at the bottom, which is a mixture of blue and red emissions from nitrogen molecules. Q: What is the altitude of the aurora? A: The bottom edge is typically at 60 miles altitude, but it extends over a large altitude range. An intense aurora from high energy electrons can be as low as 50 miles. The top of the visible aurora peters out about 120200 miles but sometimes highaltitude aurora can be seen as high as 350 miles. Q: How often is there aurora? A: There is always some aurora at some place on Earth. You just can’t always see it. When the solar wind is calm, the aurora might be too high and faint to see. To see the aurora, the sky must be dark and clear, which means in the land of the midnight sun, the aurora cannot be seen during the bright summer months.

Cafe • Saloon • Store Gas • Motel • Cabins WiFi • Showers • Laundry CentralCorner@hotmail.com In the heart of the Circle Mining District 128 Mile Steese Highway

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brightness in the sky, such as scattered sunlight or lightning. Magnetism within the Earth’s atmosphere guide the energetic particles, most often electrons, along field lines to the high-latitude atmosphere. As they penetrate the upper atmosphere, the chance of colliding with an atom or molecule increases the deeper they go. When a collision occurs, the atom or molecule takes some of the energy of the energetic particle and stores it as internal energy while the electron continues on its path at a reduced speed. The release of that stored energy by an atom or molecule, achieved by sending off a photon, produces light.

2013 Summer Visitors Guide

68 Associated Press file photo

The transAlaska oil pipeline is seen paralleling the Dalton Highway north of Fairbanks near the Arctic Circle.

The trans-Alaska oil pipeline By SAM FRIEDMAN sfriedman@newsminer.com

IF YOU GO

The trans-Alaska oil pipeline will be a frequent companion near the road if you drive the Richardson, Elliott or Dalton highways. It runs 800-miles from Alaska’s North Slope to the ice-free port of Valdez on the Prince William Sound. It crosses 800 streams and rivers along the way including the mighty Yukon River. A good place to get a close look at it near Fairbanks is at 8.4 Mile Steese Highway near Fox. Tankers carry the oil to refineries on the West Coast, but less and less oil has been flowing down the line in recent years. The amount of North Slope oil flowing through the line — referred to as through-

What: trans-Alaska oil pipeline When: Anytime Where: viewing pullout at 8.4 Mile Steese Highway Cost: Free Online: www.alyeska-pipe. com

put — averaged a high of 2.03 million barrels daily in 1988 but has steadily fallen, averaging 547,866 barrels daily in 2012. Here are answers to some common questions about the pipeline: Q: Why isn’t it below ground: A: About half of the 800-

mile line is underground. But in northern latitudes the warm oil running through it would melt the permafrost. Q: Does all the oil really travel through that? A: Yes. Nearly 17 billion — yes, billion — barrels have been pumped through it since it opened. The pipeline is 48 inches in diameter. Q: Shouldn’t there be more security? A: 800 miles is a lot of territory to patrol. There have only been a few instances of the pipeline ruptured by vandalism. The worst disaster in the history of the pipeline system was the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil Please see PIPE, Page 69

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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Associated Press file photo

The trans-Alaska oil pipeline snakes across the tundra near the Brooks Range, about 150 miles from Prudhoe Bay carrying North Slope crude oil about 800 miles to Valdez.

Associated Press file photo

The trans-Alaska oil pipeline is seen north of Fairbanks.

PIPE Continued from Page 68

tanker spill. Q: Can I climb on the pipeline? A: No. Q: When was it built:

A: From 1974 to 1977. The construction job was the largest privately funded construction project in the world at the time it was built and employed more than 28,000 people at the peak of construction.

the North Slope. The big three are BP Alaska, ConocoPhillips and Exxon Mobil.

Q: Wasn’t there also going to be a natural gas pipeline in Alaska in addition to an oil pipeline? A: That’s a long story. The Q: Who owns it? A: The Alyeska Pipeline Ser- short answer, as it has been for several decades, is that it’s just vices Co., a consortium of the around the corner. companies that produce oil on

2013 Summer Visitors Guide

Answers to questions about Fairbanks Q: Do people still mine gold in Fairbanks? A: Yes, especially with gold prices being what they are. The largest open-pit gold mine in Alaska, Fort Knox Gold Mine, is 26 miles north of Fairbanks and an even bigger gold mine is being developed in Livengood, about 65 miles north of town. The Fort Knox mine has produced more than 5 million ounces of gold since it opened in 1996 and an estimated 3 million more ounces remain to be mined. The Pogo Gold Mine, an underground mine 85 miles southeast of Fairbanks, began operation in 2007 and produces about 340,000 ounces of gold per year. It has an estimated reserve of 5.6 million ounces.

cold temperatures in Fairbanks during the winter, most vehicles are equipped with several electric “heating” devices that facilitate start up during. The standard set up consists of a engine block heater that warms fluids in the cooling system, an oil pan heater that warms the oil and a battery blanket that warms the battery. It usually takes an hour or two after a vehicle is plugged in to warm it enough to start. Most employers provide “plugins” for its employees.

veys conducted by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. That area encompasses everything from Ester to North Pole to Fox. The number of moose in game management unit 20B, which encompasses most of the road system surrounding Fairbanks from Salcha to Chena Hot Springs to Chatanika to Manley to Nenana, is estimated at approximately 20,000.

Q: How many moose get hit by cars around Fairbanks? A: On average, about 150 moose are killed on Fairbanks Q: How long does the Chena area roads each year, most during the winter months when River stay frozen? A: The Chena River usually it is dark. The dead moose are freezes sometime in mid to late salvaged by local charities so the meat does not go to waste. October and remains frozen until late April or early May. Q: How do people drive in Q: Can you see the northern One part of the river, about the winter? a mile-long stretch from the lights in the summer? A: Carefully. Most people use Aurora Energy power plant A: No. The aurora borealis studded snow tires or special on First Avenue to Pioneer is visible in Fairbanks from Park, remains open year-round winter tires for extra traction about late August to midon the snow and ice. Studded April. Northern lights are pres- because of the warm water tires can be used from Sept. being discharged from the ent year round but the long 15 to May 1 in Fairbanks and power plant. daylight hours in summer in other areas north of 60 degrees northern latitudes prevents latitude and Sept. 30 to April Q: How many moose live in them from being visible. 15 in areas south of 60 degrees Fairbanks? latitude. A: In the Fairbanks ManQ: Why are there electrical agement Area, which basically outlets in all the parking lots Q: Is it dark all day long in and why do people have exten- covers Fairbanks’ urban envithe winter? ronment — if you can call it sion cords sticking out the A: Not really. The shortest that — there are an estimated front of their vehicles? day of the year is Dec. 21, the 500 moose, according to surA: Because of the extreme winter solstice, when there is 3 hours, 43 minutes, of official daylight. But there are long periods of twilight before sunrise and after sunset that translates to about 4 or 5 hours of light during the darkest days, from about 11 a.m. to 4 Granted, it’s not bright 24 Hour Gas • Diesel p.m. light, but we’ll take what we can get. After Dec. 21, we start ATM • Showers gaining six to seven minutes of Full-Service Restaurant daylight each day.

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Q: Is it light all day long in the summer? A: Look out the window at midnight and you tell us. The longest day of the year is June 21, the summer solstice, when there is 21 hours, 49 minutes of official daylight. At that point, in the last half of June and first half of July, it pretty much is light all day long. After June 21, we start losing six to seven minutes of daylight each day.

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Road to the top of the world By SAM FRIEDMAN sfriedman@newsminer.com

Elliott Highway

Miles: 153.8. Junction with Dalton Highway at 84 Mile. Surface: First half paved, then gravel. End points: Fox, Manley Hot Springs

Manley Hot Springs greenhouse: Carolyn Dart at 672-3231 Joe Redington Jr. kennels and subsistence tour near Manley Hot Springs: 672-3412 Deadhorse Camp shuttles to the Arctic Ocean: (877) 474-3565

DALTON HIGHWAY Miles: 415.1 Surface: Mostly gravel End points: Junction with Elliott Highway, Deadhorse

ues west to the community of Manley Hot Springs. A junction at 109 Mile Elliott Highway leads south to the Athabascan village of Minto. The hot springs the community of Manley Hot

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The Elliott Highway moves through rolling hills covered in birch trees as it passes the town of Fox, where the highway splits from the Steese Highway. Trees along the highway gradually get smaller and thin out as you drive north toward treeless tundra landscape. Last stop for gas for a hundred miles is the Hilltop Truckstop, a diner that’s often featured on the Alaskabased reality show “Ice Road Truckers.” At 73 Mile, the Dalton Highway splits from the Elliott. The Elliott contin-

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No highway will take you farther north in Alaska than the Dalton Highway. The gravel road built to service construction of the transAlaska oil pipeline and supply the North Slope oil fields is still often referred to as the “haul road.” The Dalton and the Elliott Highway, which leads to the Dalton on its way to Manley Hot Springs, may be what you’re looking for if you’re interested in adventure, hot springs and getting a taste of life above the Arctic Circle. They’re both long, remote roads so plan ahead. Fill up on gas at the few stations along the 498 highway miles between Fairbanks and Deadhorse. Bring one or more spare tires. Watch out for big trucks. A good resource on this and other Alaska roadtrips is “The Milepost,” a mileby-mile guide to Alaska’s highways updated every year and available at most grocery stores. The Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center is a good place to plan for traveling these roads. The center has specific information on the Dalton Highway and receives road condition updates from the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities.

ELLIOTT HIGHWAY

2013 Summer Visitors Guide

ROAD: Dalton runs through Arctic Circle mountain range, the Brooks Range, before ending at a security fence just short of the per hour. Use of the greenArctic Ocean. There are few house is restricted to one populated places along the party at a time, so she asks way. A few landmarks include: visitors to call in advance. • Yukon River Bridge: 56 Manley Hot Springs is home to musher Joe Redington Jr., Mile (from Elliott Highway junction). The only vehicle son of Iditarod founder Joe Redington Sr. He introduces crossing in Alaska over the region’s largest river. Fuel, visitors to the subsistence lifestyle with a two-hour tour food and lodging are available of his home and kennel for a in the summer here. • Arctic Circle sign: 115. fee of $25 per person. Mile. The sun does not rise on Check with the rental the winter solstice or set on car company you are renting from before heading out. the summer solstice north of the Arctic circle. Many make customers sign • Coldfoot: 175 Mile. A agreements not to drive on former pipeline construction gravel roads. camp. Gas, lodging and the Arctic Interagency Visitor Center (open only in the summer), the visitor center for The Dalton Highway cross- Arctic federal lands including es the Yukon River and climbs Gates of the Arctic National the continent’s northernmost Park. Continued from Page 71

Dalton Highway

• Wiseman: 189 Mile. Turnoff for Wiseman, a historic mining community three miles off the highway. • Atigun Pass: 244 Mile. At 4,800 feet, this Brooks Range pass is the highest highway pass in Alaska. • Deadhorse: 414 Mile. There is fuel and lodging at this community of Prudhoe Bay oilfield workers. Security fences block access to the Arctic Ocean, but Deadhorse Camp, which offers lodging for both oilfield workers and visitors, offers shuttles to the ocean. Shuttles leave twice per day in the summer and cost $49 per person. Reservations can be made at (877) 474-3565. Again, remember to check with the rental car company before leaving. Contact staff writer Sam Friedman at 459-7545.

Denali Highway: a scenic adventure By KRIS CAPPS For the News-Miner The Denali Highway offers one of the most scenic drives in Alaska. More and more visitors discover it every year. Even when clouds move in, the mountains of the Alaska Range, which run along both sides of the road, offer majestic views. The primarily gravel road runs between Cantwell on the Parks Highway and Paxson on the Richardson Highway. Cantwell is 27 miles south of the entrance to Denali National Park. The land along this highway is not under the authority of the National Park Service. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management oversees it, so it’s open to almost any recreational activity. That’s why you’ll see all-terrain vehicles, hikers, and bicyclists. It’s a popular hunting area in the fall. Most of the highway passes through high, alpine terrain. Views are vast and you’ll have a good chance of spotting caribou, moose

DENALI HIGHWAY Miles: 134.6 Surface: Gravel End points: Cantwell, Paxson

and bear. Check out tundra ponds to see nesting swans and other waterfowl. McLaren Pass is the highest point on the drive, at 4,086 feet. On a clear day, you can see the McLaren Glacier. Tangle Lakes, close to Paxson, offers canoeing and a look at an extraordinary variety of waterfowl. It is also an archeological site. Native peoples have lived in this area for more than 10,000 years, and archeologists continually find traces of their prehistoric life here. Just driving the road can be an adventure. Be sure you pack along a spare tire. Maybe two. Some years the road is in great shape and visitors can make the 135-mile drive in about four hours. When rain and heavy use take its toll

and potholes form, the trip takes much longer. That’s OK, though. You don’t want to drive this road at 65 mph. The best speed is a leisurely 30 mph. Be forewarned: Most rental car companies do not allow their vehicles to be driven on this highway. It’s becoming more common for bicyclists to venture through the mountain range this way. Those who live in Alaska often have vehicle support, but it’s also common for bicyclists to go on their own, carrying their own gear. Be careful about dusting them with gravel when driving past. The BLM maintains campgrounds at Brushkana Creek and at Tangle Lakes, but you can pull over anywhere along the road and make camp. A few small roadhouses offer lodging, including the MacLaren River Lodge. See www.maclarenlodge.com. Drivers are always happy to see the gas pumps at Paxson Lodge, at the intersection of the Richardson Highway and Denali Highway.

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Paxson and Cantwell: communities that anchor the Denali Highway By KRIS CAPPS For the News-Miner Two tiny Alaska communities anchor one of the most beautiful drives in Alaska — the Denali Highway. Both Cantwell and Paxson are situated in beautiful spots, 135 miles apart. Both provide services and housing for visitors year round.

Paxson Paxson is the launching point for driving west on the scenic Denali Highway, to Cantwell, 135 miles away. It sits at the junction of the Denali Highway and the Richardson Highway. Only about 40 people live here, and most of them are highway maintenance workers. The area has several lodges that offer housing during the summer season. There are also restaurants, gift shops and some tours. Most drivers are pretty happy to see Paxson Lodge and its gasoline pumps. Just down the Denali Highway is Tangle Lakes Archaeological District, managed by the state and federal governments. More than 600 archeological sites show that early humans lived here in the area more than 10,000 years ago. Alvin Paxson established the Timberline Roadhouse at 192 Mile Richardson Highway in 1906. Paxson eventually added another roadhouse a mile away, a barn that included a drying room, pump and sleeping quarters, two rooms and a bath. A post office, store, wood house and small ice room followed. The Denali Highway was built in 1950. For many years, it provided the only access to Denali National Park — before construction of the Parks Highway. Now a variety of lodges in the nearby area help tourists enjoy the natural beauty of this remote wilderness. Check out Denali Highway Cabins and Tangle River Inn, too.

News-Miner file photo

It’s not uncommon to see wildlife such as caribou, bears or moose on the Denali Highway. nearby rivers and camping. Cantwell Lodge offers reaA former mayor of the sonably priced housing and a Denali Borough counted himcafé in “old” Cantwell. Turn self lucky that he lived close west at the Parks Highway/ to what he considered the Denali Highway intersection most beautiful place in Alaska to get there. — Cantwell. This longtime business has This tight-knit community announced it will be the new of 200 to 300 people is in a pichome of Cantwell Bluegrass turesque spot at the junction Festival on July 26-28. Call of the Parks Highway and the 388-2709 for more information. Denali Highway. Denali Fly Fishing Guides Turn 360 degrees and see is a longtime guiding operation towering mountains of the that knows all the best local Alaska Range in every direcfishing holes. See www.denaly tion. flyfishing.com. The town, primarily an Wolf’s Den Kennel offers a Athabascan Indian village, is new tour of a racing sled dog named after Jim Cantwell, a kennel. See www.dog worker on the Alaska Railgoneittours.com. There are road. Cantwell was once a railway flag stop. Oley Nicklie, tours three times per day. You an Alaska Native, sought work can even sign up for a walk with new puppies. with the railroad after fur When it’s time to leave, prices dropped. He and his two turn north and you will head brothers founded the settledeeper into the mountains ment. Claim to fame? This is toward Denali National Park; where the 2007 movie “Into go south and you’ll hit the vast The Wild” was filmed. openness of Broad Pass and Now it is a haven for snow- Denali State Park; turn east machiners in the winter and for the Denali Highway, one of a photographers’ paradise in the prettiest drives in Alaska. the summertime. There are If you head west, you outdoor opportunities in every should probably be wearing a direction — hiking, rafting on backpack.

Cantwell

2013 Summer Visitors Guide

Tim Mowry/News-Miner file photo

The historic Kennecott Copper Mine is one of the main attractions for visitors to the town of McCarthy in the heart of the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Once the world’s largest copper mine in the early 1900s, the abandoned mine is now a national historic landmark managed by the National Park Service.

Wrangell-St. Elias: a giant hidden gem By TIM MOWRY tmowry@newsminer.com If you came to Alaska looking for wilderness, then Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve is a must see.

At 13,175,901 acres, Wrangell-St. Elias is the largest national park in the United States. It is more than twice the size of its more famous Alaska cousin, Denali National Park and Preserve, yet has only about one-quarter the number

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of visitors. Only about 87,000 people per year visit the park and preserve, which is about 250 miles south of Fairbanks and can be accessed from the Richardson Highway. Wrangell-St. Elias is bigger than a lot of states and even some countries — it’s more than 25 percent larger than Switzerland. In addition, the park and preserve has more than 9 million acres of designated wilderness, the largest single wilderness in the U.S. Still not impressed? Check out these statistics about Wrangell-St. Elias: • The park and preserve contains nine of the country’s 16 tallest peaks, including the second-tallest mountain in North America, 18,008-foot Mount St. Elias. • Wrangell-St. Elias includes parts of four different mountain ranges — the Alaska Range, the Chugach Range, the Wrangell Range and the St. Elias Range. • It has the greatest concentration of glaciers in North America — about 25 percent of the park and preserve is covered by glacial ice. At 75 miles in length, the Nabesna Glacier is one of the longest valley glaciers in the world, while the Hubbard Glacier, which is 76 miles long, is the longest tidewater glacier in Alaska. The Malaspina Glacier, meanwhile, Please see GEM, Page 75

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

trips onto the glacier as well as extended backcountry hiking trips farther into the park. In addition to flight charters, seasonal shuttles are available to take visitors from Glennallen and other towns on the edge of the park into McCarthy. Private vehicles are not allowed in McCarthy and must park at a footbridge about a mile from the small town. The Wrangell-St. Elias Visitor Center is at 106.8 Mile Richardson Highway, about 15 miles south of Glennallen at the junction of the Glenn and Richardson highways.

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recommended Gaia Marrs, coowner and guide for St. Elias Alpine Guides, one of the local Continued from Page 74 guiding companies that operis the largest piedmont glacier ates out of McCarthy. “It’s the only way to begin to get a scale in North America at 1,500 (of the park).” square miles. Air taxis for flightseeing Unlike much of Denali, trips or backcountry drop-offs vehicles are allowed to drive into Wrangell-St. Elias via the operate from Glennallen, ChiMcCarthy and Nabesna roads, tina, McCarthy and Yakutat. A trip down the 59-mile a pair of rough dirt roads. The best way to capture the McCarthy Road to the town enormity of Wrangell-St. Elias of McCarthy and the old, abandoned Kennecott copis from a plane. “Get up in a plane, and stay per mine is also a great way for as long as you can afford,” to see the park and preserve, assuming your vehicle is up to the task. The copper mine, IF YOU GO once the largest in the world, shut down in 1938 and is now What: Wrangell-St. Elias a National Historic LandNational Park and Preserve mark District managed by the Where: About 250 miles National Park Service. Many south of Fairbanks. Visitor of the buildings have been center is at 106.8 Mile Richrestored; others remain as ardson Highway. When: Best from mid-May they were left. to mid-September. The town of McCarthy, How: You can drive into which is about five miles from the park and preserve via the Kennecott, remains much the McCarthy or Nabesna roads; same as it was when the mine take one of several daily shutwas in operation, with a lodge tles that transport visitors to and saloon, general store and the park from the communihandful of private cabins. ties of Chitina, Copper Center, Glennallen and Kenny Lake; The McCarthy and Kenor fly into the park on one of necott areas feature several several air taxis. hiking trails, including one Phone: 822-7250, that takes you to the face of visitors center the Root Glacier. Online: www.nps.gov/wrst Tour companies offer day

GEM

2013 Summer Visitors Guide

The Taylor Highway: road to gold

News-Miner file photo

Chicken’s old-time feel makes for a fun and unique stop on the Taylor Highway. Yu k

Eagle

Taylor Highway

ALASKA

Tok

Ala

ska

Hig

CANADA

Top of the World Highway

Chicken

DeeDee Hammond/News-Miner

TAYLOR HIGHWAY Miles: 157.6 Surface: paved, gravel End points: Tetlin Junction, Eagle

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for travelers who want to see how the gold mines of the late 19th and early 20th cenLike the Richardson tury operated in Alaska. Highway that runs between Mike and Lou Busby, Valdez and Fairbanks, the owners of the Chicken Gold 105-mile Taylor Highway Camp and Outpost at 68 also started out as a series Mile Taylor Highway, run an of trails. It was born from RV park, dredge tours, an the route between Eagle on espresso bar and restaurant, the Yukon River and several and a gift bar that sells Alasmining camps that dotted the kan- and Yukon-made gifts. Fortymile River area. Accord- The Outpost opens by May ing to the U.S. Bureau of 15 and closes around Sept. Land Management, the trails 20, weather permitting. It became wagon roads, and is open 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., the roads eventually became Monday through Sunday, parts of the Taylor Highway. throughout the summer. Construction on the highway, “We’ve added a lot more which is only paved from new artists, a new dining Tetlin Junction to Chicken, room and will be adding to began in 1945 and was comthe Felix Pedro Dredge No. pleted in 1951. 4 tour,” Mike Busby said. The state Department of “We’ve acquired more mining Transportation warns that relics.” the Taylor is “mostly gravel Guided tours of the Felix with several steep, narrow Pedro Dredge No. 4 cost $10 grades and long distances per adult or $7.50 per person between services.” for groups of 10 or more. The highway is not mainChildren under 12 get in for tained in the winter. $5. Recreational mining, at a cost of $15 for a 24-hour day under the midnight sun, is a The town of Chicken keeps Please see TAYLOR, Page 77 the gold mining spirit alive By LESLIE PEARSON For the News-Miner

Riv

Visit Chicken

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

TAYLOR: Don’t miss Eagle’s July 4th parade Continued from Page 76

“big draw,” Mike said. “It’s always interesting to see what people will find.” A gold pan and a stand-up slough are provided for those who want to try their luck at finding a gold nugget. Panners get to keep whatever they find. Chicken’s largest event is its summer folk music festival, which takes place June 14-15. A ticket also buys music-lovers a spot to camp. Mike expects a dozen bands this year, he said. “It’s really popular,” he said. “People will be camping all over the place.” For more information, call 235-6396 or visit Chicken Gold Camp on Facebook for regular updates. Reservation information can be found at chickengold.com.

float stand for the public. For more information, call As travelers drive through 547-2325. Alaska on their way to Eagle, To really explore the history they may hear locals say, of Eagle, Westphal suggests “Don’t be Chicken on your a guided tour of Eagle’s hisway to Eagle!” The Taylor toric buildings and museums, Highway twists and turns and including Fort Egbert. Tours then turns to gravel after leav- run 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday ing Chicken. Drivers should through Saturday and look out for animals and Hol9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Sunland America tour buses. day between Memorial Day But once you descend into and Labor Day. Participants the small town of Eagle — the pay $7 per person and meet at first Interior community to the Wickersham Courthouse. incorporate as a city, in 1901 — Alaska’s history and the Yukon River wait there to be WHERE TO STAY explored. Donna Westphal, director • Falcon Inn B&B: 220 Front St., 547-2254, rooms of the Eagle Historical Society, with a private bath for two said the city’s Fourth of July people starting at $145 parade is its biggest draw. The • Bureau of Land Manparade begins at the historic agement Eagle CampWickersham Courthouse at ground: $10 per night, 47411 a.m. After the parade, there 2200 is a carnival and a root beer

The end at Eagle

News-Miner file photo

While driving, you may hear locals yell “Don’t be a Chicken on your way to Eagle!”

2013 Summer Visitors Guide

News-Miner file photos

Before the Alaska Highway punched through Canada and into Interior Alaska in the 1940s, the harbor town of Valdez was the gateway to Alaska.

Valdez: the harbor gateway to Alaska Slope to Valdez in the 1970s, visitors have used Valdez as a gateway to the state. Before the Alaska HighThe city of Valdez and the way punched through CanaValdez Convention and Visida and into Interior Alaska tors Bureau has many attracin the 1940s, the harbor tions and events planned for town of Valdez was the gate- this summer that should not way to Alaska. be passed over: Whether it has been min• Fourth of July Festival. ers searching for passage to Parade runs from 9-11 a.m. the Interior via the Eagleand is followed by the FairValdez trail of the 1890s, banks Street Rock Party, or the Washington-Alaska which will feature live bands Military Cable and Telegraph and vendors from 12:30-3 System (WAMCATS) conp.m. Festivities continue necting the military instalthroughout the day with a lations in Alaska with Wash- community picnic at 5 p.m. ington, D.C., in the 1940s, or and live bands starting at 6 the trans-Alaska oil pipeline p.m. Fireworks and a bonfire bringing oil from the North are planned for the evening. Call the city of Valdez for more information on times Gilpatrick's and locations at 835-4313. • Enjoy Alaska’s seafood at the Pink Salmon Festival at 11:45 a.m. July 6. The Historic hotel event is free to the public Full Service restaurant & BAR and will be held at the Civic All rooms with private bath Center, 110 Clifton Drive. The Gateway To Wrangell For more information, call St. Elias Nat'l Park 835-4636. Hotel • Gold Rush Days. “The (907) 823-2244 whole town comes out and Winter celebrates,” said Selah (907) 835-5542 Prather, business, member33 Edgerton Hwy, ship and events coordinator Chitina AK 99566 for the visitors bureau. “Our www.hotelchitina.com • info@hotelchitina.com By LESLIE PEARSON For the News-Miner

Hotel Chitina

WHERE TO STAY • Best Western Valdez Harbor Inn: 100 Harbor Drive; 835-3434; standard rooms start at $169 • Totem Inn: 144 East Egan Drive; 835-4443; standard rooms start at $159 • Eagle’s Rest RV Park and Cabins: 139 East Pioneer Drive; 835-2373; RV sites start at $27 per night; cabins start at $135 per night

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town was founded because of a gold rush.” The event takes place Aug. 1-4. For more information, visit www. valdezgoldrush days.org. • New to the Valdez events calendar this year is the Octoberfest Homebrew Competition scheduled for Oct. 11-12. “The homebrew competition came about so people would have another good reason to come to Valdez,” Prather said. Homebrewers and Alaska breweries can submit their brews to certified judges in order to find out who has the best ales, beers or spirits. For more information, visit www. valdezalaska.org/events.

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

From fish to glaciers, Valdez has it

Valdez Halibut Charter with Mike McDaneld aboard the Dawn Treader

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(907)351-8853 or www.sharktoothcharters.com dave@sharktoothcharters.com

where you will be treated to incredible, up-close views of towering waterfalls. Be sure to sample Valdez’s rich history by visiting one or all three of the local museums in town. For more information on Valdez, go the Valdez Convention and Visitors Bureau at www.valdezalaska.org.

VALDEZ FISH DERBIES Halibut Derby: May 19 to Sept. 1 Silver Salmon Derby: July 20 to Sept. 1 Kid’s Pink Salmon Derby: July 20 Women’s Silver Salmon Derby: Aug. 10 Online: Valdez Convention and Visitors Bureau, www. valdezalaska.org

e! Welcom

Free Wi f

“Feel at home in Valdez”

Glen & Sharron Mills For Reservations Call: P.O. Box 184 1-800-478-2791 113 Galena Dr. or (907) 835-2791 Valdez, AK 99686 Fax (907) 835-5406 www.valdezdowntowninn.com or Email: 1n2rs@gci.net

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lar destinations for tourists. There are several tour operators in Valdez who offer halfIf you discount the 1989 day and full-day glacier tours Exxon oil spill, Valdez is by boat, kayak or helicopter, famous for two things: specas well as extended guided or tacular scenery and big fish. unguided kayak tours of Prince The oil that soiled the William Sound. Along the way, beaches along Prince William chances are good you will see Sound has been cleaned up, whales, sea otters, seals, pufand the scenery and fishing fins, sea lions, bald eagles and remains as spectacular as ever. more. Located 360 miles south of Another reason to visit ValFairbanks at the start of the dez is the fishing. The port city Richardson Highway, Valdez is is famous for its halibut, silver situated on the shore of Prince salmon and pink salmon fishWilliam Sound with the snow- ing. Valdez hosts halibut and covered Chugach Mountains silver salmon derbies each year, serving as a picturesque back- with the angler who catches drop. The city has earned the the biggest fish in each derby nickname “Little Switzerland” netting a check for $15,000. for good and obvious reasons. There are several charter boat operators in Valdez who offer their services to anglers hoping to land a derby winner ... chances are or just enjoy a day of fishing on the Sound. good you will see Last year, the winning halibut in at 264 pounds whales, sea otters, whileweighed a 17.88-pound silver took top honors in the seals, puffins, sea salmon silver salmon derby. The winners in both derbies often top lions bald eagles 300 pounds and 20 pounds, respectively. The city also holds and more. a one-day women’s-only silver salmon derby, as well as a oneday Kids Pink Salmon Derby. Some companies offer a mix The Chugach Mountains of all of the above — kayaking, are the most heavily glaciated fishing and sightseeing — in mountains in the Northwest one trip, so it’s important to and the coast of Prince William know what you are looking for Sound provides unparalleled when booking a tour. viewing of tidewater glaciers There are also companies such as the Columbia and that offer guided raft trips Shoup, both of which are popu- through Keystone Canyon, Staff Report newsroom@newsminer.com

2013 Summer Visitors Guide