Jan 7

Jan 7 ALASKA – Spontaneity at Best

December 2020

We flew to Alaska, rented a cheap 2WD Chevy Malibu, drove around, and searched for the aurora borealis. We went to Anchorage and Fairbanks during a season when there was only 4 hours of sunlight. Yes, there was a solid plan made via Google spreadsheet. No, it did not all go according to that plan. But that’s exactly why this was an ADVENTURE! Follow along the journey by reading the rest!

ANCHORAGE – BELUGA POINT

First, we went to Beluga Point which was a spot off the side of the highway. It’s called that because you can sometimes find beluga whales pop out of the water. We didn't find any… but we still thoroughly enjoyed watching the sunset hidden behind the snowy mountains.

GIRDWOOD

Then, we went about an hour away to Girdwood. Here, we learned that our 2WD Chevy Malibu was NO GOOD to take around… We drove up hills and struggled. We also drove through a “road” that was actually a walkway and got stuck on a tree stump. We waited 2 hours for AAA to tow us out. Hilarious!

GIRDWOOD – ALYESKA TRAM

After the car situation, we finally explored. We entered Alyeska Resort, rode the tram to the mountain’s summit, and got our breaths taken away by the view. This area was common for snowboarders and skiers to shred on. It was also ranked as one of the best snowboarding / skiing in the state!

Unfortunately, Alyeska didn’t offer board rentals… so we didn’t get a chance to shred. (That’s okay because this gives us an incentive to come back!)

FAIRBANKS

We downloaded the app, “My Aurora Forecast.” It gave estimates on where the aurora would be. Without hesitation, we followed the app’s estimates. We ended up driving 8 hours to Fairbanks… through a BLIZZARD.

WORTH IT. We saw the aurora appear for a few seconds! However, the sky was cloudy, so the aurora wasn't very bright. (That’s okay because this gives us ANOTHER incentive to come back!)

THE SIDE OF THE ROAD

On the long drive back to Anchorage, we made many spontaneous pit stops to enjoy the scenery. The sunrise began at noon and we definitely made the most if it!

Overall, there were MANY unfortunate, hilarious, and spontaneous things that happened on this trip. A lot of them were “you-had-to-be-there” moments. Therefore, pictures and words simply wouldn’t do justice. Ask me about it sometime!

But here are the biggest things I want you to take away:
WHEN YOU GO TO ALASKA…
– Rent a 4WD car
– Plan to snowboard
– Use the “My Aurora Forecast” app
– HAVE THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE. DON’T LET THE COLD STOP YOU.