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Visitors Guide
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Summer 2011
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2011 Summer Visitors Guide
Index
Welcome to Fairbanks
Fairbanks history ..................... 2 Top 10 in the outdoors ............ 4 Fishing ................................... 5 Denali Park .................. 8, 9, 10 Nenana ............................... 11 Anderson ............................. 12 Ester ................................... 13 Creamer’s Field .................... 14 Worshipping in Fairbanks ....... 16 Interior biking ....................... 18 Downtown walking tour ......... 19 Animal research station ......... 20 Pioneer Park ........................ 22 Summer Arts Festival ............ 24 Morris Thompson Center ....... 26 Community museum ............. 28 Summer mushing events ....... 29 Downtown market ................. 30 Fairbanks FAQs ..................... 31 Fairbanks map ...................... 33 Fairbanks fun facts ............... 36 Downtown shopping .............. 37 The northern lights ................ 38 Riverboat Discovery ............... 40 Eating local .......................... 42 WEIO ................................... 44 Summer running events ........ 45 Summer golfing .................... 47 The farmers market .............. 48 Trans-Alaska pipeline ............ 49 Gold panning ........................ 51 Shakespeare Theatre ............ 53 Eldorado Gold Mine, Gold Dredge No 8 ................................... 54 Tanana Chief ........................ 56 Denali Highway ..................... 57 UAF Museum of the North ..... 58 Botanical garden .................. 59 Chena Hot Springs ................ 61 Fox ...................................... 62 The Yukon Quest ................... 63 Golden Days ......................... 63 Steese Highway .................... 64 Delta Junction ...................... 65 Tok ...................................... 66 North Pole ........................... 67 Midnight Sun Game .............. 68 Chena Lake .......................... 69 Midnight Sun Festival ............ 70 Dalton Highway/Arctic ............ 71 Alaska Railroad ..................... 72 Elliott Highway ...................... 73 Antique car museum ............. 76 Eagle ................................... 77 Chicken ............................... 78 Valdez ................................. 79 Wrangell-St. Elias ................. 79
We’ve grown a bit since we started
About the cover: News-Miner Outdoors Editor Tim Mowry snapped this photo of a giant bull moose north of Delta Junction on the Richardson Highway.
By MATT HAYES mhayes@newsminer.com Fairbanks exists on the banks of the lower Chena River because of the irascible nature of one E.T. Barnette. In 1901, Barnette was trying to get a load of mining supplies to the gold fields at Circle City where he could sell to miners at inflated prices. He made a deal with the captain of the steamboat Lavelle Young to take himself, his wife and his supplies as far up the Chena as possible. He didn’t get far. The steamer couldn’t navigate the shallow river and got hung up on sand and gravel bars as Barnette prodded the captain to continue. The captain soon had enough of his exasperating passenger and, near where Golden Heart Plaza in downtown Fairbanks is today, he unceremoniously dumped Barnette, his wife and supplies on the bank of the river and left. As luck would have it, the next year an Italian immigrant named Felix Pedro found gold in them thar hills north of town. Barnette stayed and pulled a few other tricks to fleece money from miners. Barnette wanted to name the fledgling town after himself, but settled for the name honoring Indiana senator and future vice president Charles W. Fairbanks. The city was officially founded in 1903. Eventually Barnette’s shenanigans caught up to him and he slunk out of town, under cover of darkness, with his money, on a dog sled. To make a short story long, gold near Fairbanks was deep underground. To extract it required labor (men) and financing (banks). Men needed recreation (saloons). The work was dangerous and men were injured (hospital). The Alaska Railroad was completed in the 1920s (shipping and transportation). The men were lonely (women, and not just the
Library of Congress
Fairbanks is named for former Indiana senator and vice president Charles W. Fairbanks. The city was officially founded in 1903. women who plied their trade at what was known as “The Line”). Men with women resulted in children (schools, churches). Children like peanut butter and jelly (grocery stores). Children soon become young adults yearning for higher education (University of Alaska Fairbanks). The next thing you know, Fairbanks is a thriving mining town with banks, saloons, a hospital, churches, schools, peanut butter and a university. Events in the 1930s made the federal government realize the geographical importance of Fairbanks. As the world spiraled into global war, Congress and the War Department discovered Fairbanks was “way the heck up north somewhere” and, strategically, it might be a good idea to have a military presence there. Ladd Field, renamed Fort Wainwright in 1960, was created on the eastern edge of town. Ladd became a transfer station for American military aircraft sold to Russia during World War II under President Franklin Roosevelt’s lend-lease program. American pilots flew aircraft from manufacturing centers in the Lower 48 to Fairbanks Please see HISTORY, Page 3
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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
FAIRBANKS • Established: 1903 • Population: 35,352 • Elevation: 436 feet • Motto: Golden Heart City • Temperature: Avg. highs of 50-70 summer; lows -15 to -25 winter
HISTORY
Photo courtesy Candy Waugaman
Continued from Page 2
where Russian pilots would take the planes over the Bering Sea and Siberia to the German front. Near the river walk, behind the First Avenue courthouse is a monument describing Lend-Lease and Fairbanks’ role in it. The military remains a central part of the Interior. Units from Fort Wainwright have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. Eielson Air Force Base, about 35 miles southeast of Fairbanks, hosts international air combat exer-
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This photo shows a booming downtown Fairbanks with parking on both sides of a partially paved Second Avenue. In 1940, Second Avenue was paved from Cushman Street to Lacey Street. The businesses seen in this photograph include Lois McGarvey’s Fur Shop, on the northeast corner of Second Avenue and Lacey Street, across from the Lacey Street Theater which opened in January of 1940; the Tivoli Café; the Daily News-Miner in the Lathrop Building; Montgomery Ward, and many other stores down both sides of Second Avenue. cises and Fort Greely, about 100 miles southeast of town near Delta Junction, is a missile defense post. In the 1970s, Fairbanks became the centerpiece for construction of the trans-Alaska oil pipeline. Thousands of workers flocked to town with the hope of landing a high-
paying job. When the frenzied construction boom ended, many stayed to hunt, fish and raise families. Today, Fairbanks’ economy relies strongly on the military, tourism, the university and mining. It is the regional hub for dozens of villages in Interior Alaska.
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2011 Summer Visitors Guide
Top 10 things to do in Interior Alaska You may not have the time or gumption to climb Mount McKinley or float the Yukon River during your trip to the Last Frontier, but there are plenty of other outdoor adventures you can tackle during your visit to Fairbanks and Interior Alaska. News-Miner outdoors editor Tim Mowry mapped out a checklist of 10 things visitors should do during their trek to 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. Happy trails. 1) Take a hike The best way to get a feel for the country is to walk across it. That’s not always easy to do in Alaska, but fortunately there are several hiking trails in the Interior that lead the way to spectacular, panoramic views of Alaska’s heartland. 2) Catch an arctic grayling They’re not as big and tasty as the salmon and halibut Alaska is famous for, but arctic grayling are the bread and butter of fishing in the Interior. They’re one of the prettiest fish you will ever see and are known for their cooperative nature. The Chena River, which flows through downtown Fairbanks, is one of the best grayling fisheries in the state. Anglers beware, however; it is restricted to catch and release.
3) Visit a musher Dog mushing is the official state sport so you might as well get a sniff of it while you’re here. Whether you take an organized tour of a dog lot or just track down a musher to check out his or her operation, a trip to a genuine Alaska dog mushing kennel is an eye-opening experience. 4) Ride the bus into Denali National Park and Preserve It means a long day on a bus, but the sights that you may see are worth it. In addition to 20,320-foot Mount McKinley, bus riders have a good chance to 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) Drive across the Denali Highway You might not want to mention this if you’re renting a car — most car rental companies don’t allow driving across the Denali Highway — but the 135-mile trip across the mostly unpaved route may be the prettiest, wildest drive in Alaska. 6) Go whitewater rafting in Denali Park You’ll spend almost as much time learning how to get into your dry suit as you will on the water, but once you hit the chilly gray glacial water of the Nenana River you’ll be glad you have it. The
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trip down the Nenana River, which features Class IV rapids, is a wet and wild ride. 7) Drive to the end of a road Isn’t that what 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 130-mile Steese Highway to the Yukon River in Circle. Head up the 160-mile Elliott Highway, which ends in the town of Manley. You can always take a drive out the 55-mile Chena Hot Springs Road and take a soak in the springs. There’s also the 160mile Taylor Highway to Eagle, which offers another chance to see the mighty Yukon. For the really adventurous, take a drive up the 414-mile Dalton Highway to Deadhorse on the North Slope. 8) Climb — or drive — 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. Both 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 also Wickersham Dome Summit (3,806 feet), about 30 miles north of Fairbanks in the White Mountains National Recreation Area, and Donnelly Dome (3,910 feet), located off the Richardson Highway about 120 miles south of Fairbanks. 9) Kill a mosquito Actually, kill as many as you can. 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 until your heart’s content or you run out of blood, whichever comes first. 10) Find a moose Moose are one of the true symbols of Alaska and they’re not all that hard to find if you keep your eyes open as you drive down the road, which is a good idea so you don’t hit one. Remember, though, don’t feed them and don’t approach them. — Tim Mowry
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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Arctic grayling rise to the top By TIM MOWRY tmowry@newsminer.com
Please see FISH, Page 6
• Who needs a fishing licence? To fish in all Alaska fresh and salt waters, an Alaska sport fishing license is required for all nonresident anglers 16 and older, and most residents from 16 to 59. A resident is a person who has lived in Alaska for at least one year. Alaska residents 60 and older are not required to purchase a sport fishing license but must apply for a Permanent Identification Card, which is a lifetime hunting, fishing and trapping license. Anglers under 16 do not need a license. • How much do they cost? A resident sport fishing license costs $24 for a season. Nonresident licenses come in many forms and prices, ranging from a 1-day license for $20 to a season license for $145. There are also 3-, 7- and 14-day licenses that cost $35, $55 and $80, respectively. • What about king salmon stamps? Residents and nonresidents must purchase a king salmon stamp to fish for king salmon. Like licenses, nonresident king salmon stamps come in many forms and prices, ranging from a 1-day stamp for $10 to an annual stamp for $100. A resident king salmon stamp is $10. • Where do I buy a license and king salmon stamp? Licenses are available at Alaska Department of Fish and Game offices, vendors around the state (i.e. sporting goods stores, hardware stores, gas stations, etc.), by mail from the ADF&G Licensing Section, 1255W. 8th St., P.O. Box 115525, Juneau, AK 99811 or online at www.admin.adfg.state.ak.us/ license.
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You won’t hook into the bright, shiny salmon in the Interior that anglers brag about in Southcentral or Southeast Alaska. Neither will you find yourself posing next to one of those barn-door-sized halibut that are famous in the fishing ports of Homer and Valdez. What you will find in the Interior is arctic grayling. Lots of arctic grayling. “That’s what I tell people to focus on when they call me,” Audra Brase, area management sport fish biologist for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in Fairbanks, said. “We’ve got a lot of grayling, they’re a great fish to catch, they’re easy to catch and we’ve got road accessible rivers with grayling in them.” And they are uniquely Alaskan. “You don’t catch grayling in the Lower 48,” Brase said. As the name implies, Arctic grayling survived in unglaciated areas of Alaska in the Yukon River valley and the North Slope. From there, they have spread throughout Alaska but are most common in the Interior. Their tolerance of low dissolved oxygen levels allows grayling to survive long winters in areas where many other salmonids would die. An elegant cousin of the trout, arctic grayling are distinguished by their iridescent, sail-like dorsal fin, which is dotted with green and purple spots. The slate gray fish are famous for their voracious appetites and willingness to attack dry flies, making them a favorite of fly fishermen using lightweight tackle. “They’re beautiful fish, and they’re aggressive feeders,” Fairbanks fly fishing instructor Shann Jones said. “Grayling don’t ever miss an opportunity to take a dry fly.” Grayling range in size
IF YOU GO FISHING
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2011 Summer Visitors Guide
FISH Continued from Page 5
from 8 to 18 inches and can be found in most freshwater streams along the road system in the Interior. The Chena River, which flows through downtown Fairbanks, is a blue-ribbon grayling fishery. The upper Chena River east of Fairbanks parallels Chena Hot Springs Road for several miles in the Chena River State Recreation Area and offers multiple access points to the river, as well as campgrounds to pitch a tent or park an RV. “You can spend the whole day on the upper Chena and not see anybody,” Brase said. “You can have your bonfire on the beach, a picnic and enjoy the day.” The Delta Clearwater River, 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 Clearwater, which serves as a summer feeding ground for grayling before they migrate to other rivers in for the winter. 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.
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Mike Koshmrl displays an arctic grayling caught on a fishing trip in Interior Alaska. 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. As for taste, 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 you can do is bring a frying pan with you and cook any fish you catch on the riverbank next to you. Be careful, though, some grayling fisheries, including the Chena River and Delta Clearwater River, are restricted to catch-andrelease fishing only. There are also restrictions on using bait and treble hooks in some rivers. As always, check the fishing regulations before you wet a line.
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• Description: With its sail-like dorsal fin dotted with large iridescent red or purple spots, the grayling is one of the most unusual and beautiful fish of Alaska. Colored slate gray, they have varying numbers of black spots scattered along both sides. • Size: Usually 8 to 18 inches. • Diet: Grayling aren’t picky eaters, and they feed on all kinds of insects. They are known for their voracious appetites and willingness to take a dry fly or chase a spinner. • Tackle: A lightweight (4- or 5-weight) fly or spinning rod. • Flies/lures: Any number of dry flies — Adams, elk hair caddis, Griffith’s gnat, mosquitoes, black ants, stimulators — or small spinners will attract the attention of grayling. • Where to go: Chatanika River, Chena River, Delta Clearwater River, Salcha River, Tangle Lakes.
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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
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2011 Summer Visitors Guide
Welcome to ‘The Great One’ John Hagen/News-Miner
Denali National Park offers abundant wildlife, stunning scenery
People traveling on the Parks Highway stop to take in the view at the Denali Viewpoint South at Mile 135.
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 massif is the tallest mountain in North America. It is often covered by clouds, but when visible, it is a magnificent sight. The mountain is not the reason Denali National Park and Preserve was created, however. In 1917, the park 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 flowering plants eke out a living here, along with a variety of mosses and lichens. Only plants adapted to long, cold winters and short growing
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managed for the wildlife, not for people. Enjoying and appreciating the pristine 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 a number of 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 at the park, but be careful when photographing wildlife. There are guideline on how close you should approach bears, eagles, caribou and others. There are also guidelines for hiking, to help preserve the fragile tundra plans 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 close-up view of how the park operates, visit the Please see DENALI, Page 10
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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 at Denali National Park. But there are dinosaur tracks, discovered in 2005, showing for the first time that prehistoric creatures lived here. 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. The only way to get there is by taking a park bus. Anyone can drive the first 15 miles of road to Savage River. After that, traffic is limited. This is deliberate. This park is
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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Denali’s outdoor opportunities
Getting in the park All access to the park is restricted past Mile 15 at Savage River to the park’s shuttle buses and tours run by concessionaire Doyon/ ARAMARK. Check the website at www.nps.gov/dena/ planyourvisit for schedules and details. Visitors have five options to make a reservation for a bus. 1. Visit the park website, www.reservedenali.com. 2. Fax the reservation form, available at www. reservedenali.com to 907-2644684. 3. Mail the form to Doyon/ ARAMARK Joint Venture, 241 W. Ship Creek Ave.,
Anchorage, AK 99501. 4. Call (800) 722-7275 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Alaska time. 5. Make a reservation in person at the Wilderness Access Center Reservations Desk, up to two days in advance. Fees depend on length of the trip. Campers can take the bus to their site for a fee. Tour buses are designed to be more comfortable with a more structured program. All fees are in addition to the park entrance fee of $10 per person or $20 per vehicle.
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, like Wonder Lake.
Pick up the Daily News-Miner for information on local community activities.
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The 92-mile road into Denali National Park and Preserve runs from the Parks Highway to the former mining community of Kantishna. The first 15 miles are paved and open to the public. Past that point, however, vehicle travel is restricted on the narrow, winding gravel surface. Buses shuttle tourists in and out of the park and drop off hikers and campers. Bus trips range from two to 12 hours and visitors can take either a tour bus or a shuttle bus. Shuttle buses are less expensive and have fewer amenities, but travel farther into the park and visitors can get off and then back on, if seats are available, whenever they want to go hike for awhile. 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. But 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 in addition to the park entrance fee. Visitors on the Tundra Wilderness Tour can purchase a DVD of their own tour. Recorded footage of the animals and experience from their very own tour will be offered beginning May 20. Reservations for shuttles
and tour buses can be made by calling (800) 622-7275 or www.reservedenali.com. You can also make a reservation in person at the Wilderness Access Center reservation desk, up to two days in advance. The third option is the Kantishna Experience, a one-day, 12-hour roundtrip to Kantishna that includes a full lunch. Cost is $155 plus the entrance fee. This is the only program providing expertise by a National Park Service ranger on the trip. Permits are required to hike into the backcountry and are available at the Backcountry Information Center, adjacent to the Wilderness Access Center. Established campgrounds welcome visitors in the entrance area and at the end of the park road at Wonder Lake. To make camping reservations in advance, call (800) 622-7275.
21380626-5-7-11VG
By KRIS CAPPS For the News-Miner
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2011 Summer Visitors Guide
More park activities
DENALI
By KRIS CAPPS For the News-Miner Riding a bus into Denali National Park is not the only way to enjoy the wilderness and its surrounding area. Check out opportunities outside the park boundaries. About a mile from the park entrance is a strip of hotels, restaurants and gift stores that offer every comfort imaginable. Other restaurants and campgrounds are located a few miles south of the park entrance, where most of the area’s year-round residents live. There are many easy to moderate hiking trails near the park entrance and the park offers ranger-guided hikes. Check for details at the Denali Visitor Center and the Wilderness Access Center. Seven miles south of the park entrance, the Denali Education Center offers community programs
throughout the summer that are worth investigating. See the schedule on post office bulletin boards or at www. denali.org. All programs take place at the Charles Sheldon Center. Before you get to Healy, you’ll reach Otto Lake Road. Turn left. Just a mile or so west is Denali Outdoor Center headquarters. This company offers scenic camping, raft and kayak trips down the Nenana River, bicycle rentals and kayak lessons. See www.denalioutdoorcenter. com or call (888) 303-1925 or (907) 683-1925. Across the lake, the Black Diamond Resort Co. offers a fine restaurant, a nine hole golf course where you can tee off at midnight, a minigolf course, all-terrain vehicle tours and horse-drawn carriage tours. See www. blackdiamondgolf.com or call 907 683-4653.
Continued from Page 8
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 on life with these hard-working dogs, who patrol Denali during winter months.
Murie Science and Learning Center
Be sure to visit the Murie Science and Learning Center, an educational center used year round by students of all ages, researchers, and visitors. During winter months, the MSLC serves as the winter visitor center. The Murie Science and Learning 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 the partnership of the National Please see ACTIVITIES, Page 25 Park Service, Alaska Geographic and many others. The main exhibit here is a wolf skeleton, painstakingly reconstructed by students from Cantwell School. The students butchered a dead wolf and cleaned the bones. Then, under the auspices of a National Park Service expert, they reconstructed the skeleton. Along the way, they learned about wolves. They made a movie about the project too, which is available for viewing at the exhibit. Other exhibits describe the recent exciting discovery of dinosaur tracks at Denali. In the summer of 2005, a dinosaur footprint turned out to be that of a three-toed Cretaceous Therapod, estimated to be more than 70 million years old. Since then, many more tracks have been found. Research at Denali includes projects involving • Memory-Foam Mattresses • 24 TV Channels student scientists. For many • Free Wireless DSL • Coffee Pots years, elementary students • Microwaves • Refrigerators • Fitness Center from Denali Borough School District participate in ALISON 11.5 miles north of Denali Park — Arctic Lake Ice and Snow Mile 248.7 Parks Hwy., Healy, AK 99743 Observatory Network — by www.thetoteminn.com tromping down to Horseshoe totem-in@mtaonline.net (907) 683-6500 Lake all winter to collect scientific data.
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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Nenana, a summer hot spot By REBA LEAN rlean@newsminer.com The village of Nenana is an hour’s drive outside of Fairbanks on the Parks Highway, but it is far more than just another gas station along the road. Nenana is an Athabascan community, with deep roots in history. Many Athabascan generations have used the area for fishing and hunting. Toghotthele Hill towers over the town as a landmark. The name Nenana means “a good place to camp between the rivers.” It is located at the confluence of the Tanana and Nenana rivers, making it a hub for river traffic, including trips to fishing camps and barges to other villages along the river. The Alaska Railroad has run through Nenana since
Denali Lodge
Kenai Lodge
Nora Gruner/News-Miner
Rachel Davenport grabs her second potato during the potato race at the Nenana Fourth of July. 1916, connecting the Interior river system with the Railbelt. In 1923, President Warren J. Harding drove the golden spike at the north end of the Nenana rail bridge. The bridge is the second largest
Fairbanks Lodge
Copper River Lodge
single-span railroad bridge in the U.S., covering the entire 700 feet across the Tanana River. Nenana has a number of Please see NENANA, Page 12
Mt. McKinley Lodge
Rates from $79 and 2 for 1 Rail Tours
NATURAL WONDERS Unexpected Comfort for Your Alaskan Adventure
Awaken your sense of wonder and adventure by booking one of our fi ve luxurious wilderness lodges. Or see some of the most spectacular scenery Alaska has to offer from the comfort of your glass-enclosed rail car on your way to Mt. McKinley or Denali Princess Lodges. Skip the hassle of booking separate travel and lodging and visit princesslodges.com or call 800-426-0500.
Rail Tours
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2011 Summer Visitors Guide
Anderson’s offerings Staff Report About 55 miles southwest of Fairbanks is a small town with a big taste for bluegrass music. The quaint and quirky town of Anderson sees its 600-plus population nearly double each summer during the Anderson Bluegrass and Country Music festival, which draws crowds that would make a Grateful Dead follower feel at home. A diverse range of bluegrass, Celtic, jazz and country music bands come out for a funfilled three days of music, camping and other festivities, creating one of the largest family gatherings in the Interior. This year’s festival is slated for July 29-31 at Riverside Park.
NENANA
The park offers complete facilities with host campgrounds, restrooms, showers, RV dumping, electrical hookups, telephones, barbecue pits and covered pavilions and shooting ranges. Anderson was created in 1962 with the construction of the Ballistic Missile Early Warning System at Clear Air Force Station. The town is off the six-mile access road running west of the Parks Highway at Mile 283.5. Bring your harmonica, washboard, jugs and kazoos (and don’t forget bug spray) for a live concert along the riverside. Wear whatever you wish: tie-dye, Birkenstocks or your favorite garb — so long as you wear your dancing feet because you’re bound to have a good time.
IF YOU GO
Continued from Page 11
remarkable claims to fame. It is famous for the annual Nenana Ice Classic, in which thousands of people bet on the time a 20-foot tripod on the Tanana River will fall in spring as the ice breaks up. In late February, the fivelegged tripod is planted into the river ice, with a three-day celebration surrounding it. Nenana was the original starting point for the 1925 diphtheria serum run to
• River Daze is held the first weekend in June, and celebrates the beginning of summer. There is a parade along with music, food, contests and a bazaar. • The Yukon 800 Race is an intense river boat race in June. The boats run from Fairbanks to Galena, passing through Nenana along the way. The fastest time the race was completed was about 14 hours. This year, it will be on June 18, 2011. • The July 4 celebration in Nenana features pie-eating contests, music, crafts, food and an evening street dance.
Nome. The serum was rushed by rail to Nenana and, from there, a series of dog mushers relayed the serum all the way
to the west coast of the state. Today, Nenana’s summers are renowned for long days and special events.
Come See Nenana!
Bed & Maybe Breakfast
P.O. Box 470, Nenana, AK 99760
Nenana, AK 7a.m.–11p.m. • 7 days a week Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Snacks, deli sandwiches, Ice ATM 304.5 mi Parks Highway
907 832-5823
13380940 5-7-11VG
Best Wishes, The Coghills of Nenana
GAS & GROCERIES 13380088 5-7-11VG
Home of the original "Serum Run" to Nome and the famous Nenana Ice Classic.
Ulu Shop, Art Lovers Gallery & Hand Crafts Sweets & Treats Shop King & Queen Sizes Bargain Corner (907) 832-5272
A-FRAME
(from $89)
ALFRED STARR CULTURAL CENTER Preserving Local Athabascan History & Art On National Register of Historic Places
Reservations (907) 832-5272 tripodgs@mtaonline.net Your Host: Joanne Hawkins
(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
13380074 5-7-11VG
REASONABLE RATES FEATURING SATELLITE TV & INTERNET AVAILABLE
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Above The Nenana Depot Museum
• Alaska Claims Settlement Act • Historic Displays • Artist Workshops • Talk with Local People & Artists
13
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
The artistry of Ester Gold mining past and quirky attitude offer unique fun for visitors By MOLLY RETTIG mrettig@newsminer.com
park or on the deck of the saloon. You can still see signs of Ester’s gold rush roots. The first claim was staked in 1903 and major dredging lasted until the 1960s. Miners continue to operate today, both in large-scale and backyard mines. The historic Ester Gold Camp was opened in 1930s and now includes a bar, theater, hotel and restaurant. The major tourist attraction closed several years ago and is up for sale. Contact staff writer Molly Rettig at 459-7590.
Visit her shop in historic downtown Ester. Made in Alaska, by Alaskans--distinctive silver, gold and pewter jewelry. With wings as if they are on fire this silver rendition of the world’s largest waterfowl will lift the wearer in inspired flight. Trumpeters embody the spirit of steadfastness and spiritual beauty. M–F 10 a.m.–6 p.m. SAT 12 p.m.–5 p.m. Trumpeter Spirit pin - Silver $109 • Pewter $30
www.judiegumm.com
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If you head west on the Parks Highway toward Denali National Park, you’ll soon come across a fire station and community park swimming with toys, basketballs and locals. This is the gateway to Ester, a liberal outpost of about 2,000 people nestled in the hills about seven miles outside of Fairbanks. Hang a right and you’ll see a rustic log post office; another right brings you to the town square — and the biggest business in town. The Golden Eagle saloon, also called the “living room of Ester,” brings together the village’s eclectic population — a mix of artists, scientists, writers, carpenters, professors, pilots, gold miners and much more. At the Golden Eagle you can grill your own burger, throw back a microbrew and strike up a conversation with friendly locals (Esterites are bona fide residents while Esteroids are newcomers or outliers). The village may be small, but it has a lot of heart. Ester has its own soccer field, ice rink, farmer’s market, community hall and library (and
is fundraising for a new, bigger building). It even has its own monthly paper, called the Ester Republic, published by Deirdre Helfferich. The Annex art gallery is just down the road, which features Alaskan art and installations in a large space. The village is also filled with events, including a famous Fourth of July parade, an epic New Year’s Eve fireworks display, a 5kilometer race, plenty of community potlucks and lots of live music in the summer — either in the community
Judie Gumm Designs • 3600 Main Street, Ester, AK follow the signs once in Ester • (907) 479-4568
FARTH NORTH EST MO THEATR VIE E
20 06
COME JOIN THE FUN!
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3630 Main Street Ester, Alaska 99709 goldeneaglesaloon.com
457-LOON
(5666) www.theblueloon.com 2999 PARKS HWY (MI. 325.5), FAIRBANKS, AK 99709
12348544-5-7-11VG
Dancing Concerts Outdoor Festivals Bands & DJs Feature Films on the Big Screen WILD Parties! Great Food WI-FI Internet
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2011 Summer Visitors Guide
Creamer’s Field fun for nature lovers
Eric Engman/News-Miner
Canada geese gather at Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge. By MOLLY RETTIG mrettig@newsminer.com If you’d like to explore a subarctic forest and see geese, sandhill cranes, trumpeter swans, kestrels, owls and other wildlife,
T H E
A L A S K A
don’t miss Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge. The 2,000 acre state refuge is just down the road from downtown Fairbanks and offers guided nature tours on weekdays. Please see FIELD, Page 15
R A I L ROA D
2 0 1 1
Great Alaska Vacations Begin Here
The Alaska Railroad showcases adventure with a full summer schedule of tours including visits to two National Parks. Denali rail and hotel packages starting at $189. Call 1-800-544-0552, or (907) 265-2494 or visit AlaskaRailroad.com
15
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
FIELD
IF YOU GO
Continued from Page 14
• What: Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge • Where: 1300 College Road, next to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game • Contact: Visitor Center at 450-7307 or www.creamersfield.org
It includes about six miles of trails that wind through fields, forests and wetlands (and 30 miles in the winter). The 1.5-mile Boreal Forest Trail gives you a peek at the geology, plants and animals of Interior. The 1.5-mile Seasonal Wetland Trail has signs and observation platforms where you can spy on woodfrogs, waterfowl, shorebirds and songbirds like the yellow warbler and the northern waterthrush. The trails are mainly flat and contain stretches of boardwalk for easy walking. The site attracts walkers, joggers, nature waters and families, said Alexis Runstadler, executive director of Friends of Creamer’s Field. The group runs the farmhouse and leads tours. It also hosts events like the Tanana Valley Crane Festival on the weekend of August 26. You can find bird viewing platforms scattered around the field and interpretive displays in the Farmhouse Visitor Center. “We also have a bird viewing platform on the forest trail that overlooks the tussock area,” Runstadler said. The farmhouse is a remnant of the Creamer’s Field dairy, once the largest in the Interior, which dates back
Eric Engman/ News-Miner
Canada geese come in for a landing at Creamer’s Field.
to the gold rush of the early 1900s. Belle and Charles Hinckley brought three cows and some horses from Nome by steamboat, paying their way by selling milk to other passengers. They met the Creamers, another pioneer family on its way to Fairbanks, on the boat and became friends.
Welcome t o Fountainhead Hotels
Farmhouse Visitor Center & Giftshop Summer Hours: Daily 9:30am - 5pm
Fairbanks’ Premier Hotel Group 800.528.4916 | 907.456.3642
Guided Nature Walks leave from the Farmhouse Mon - Fri, 10am & Wed. evenings - 7pm
Wedgewood Resort
Tanana Valley Sandhill Crane Festival Fri., Aug. 26th – Sun., Aug. 28th
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Additional walks can be arranged for groups of six or more with a minimum of one week advance notice.
Full schedule and events listing at www.creamersfield.org
Center for Education & Research and Gift Shop
Sophie Station Suites Bridgewater Hotel Unforgettable Service! Affordable Stay! fountainheadhotels.com All Fountainhead Hotel guests are invited to enjoy our activities …
Visitors Welcome! x
www.alaskabird.org (907) 451-7159
The Creamers purchased the dairy from the Hinckleys in 1928 and operated the 250-acre property until 1966. Then the state bought the land, with the help of federal and communityraised funds. Several years later 1,500 acres of state land were added to the parcel.
Nature Trails at Wedgewood Resort
Located at Wedgewood Resort 418 Wedgewood Drive Fairbanks, AK 99701
Joy School
Margaret Ave.
Wedgewood Wildlife Sanctuary Look for ABO signs
Alaskan History at Wedgewood Resort
Wedgewood Dr. Bear Lodge
Fountainhead Antique Auto & Open to Public Daily! Fashion Museum
Wedgewood Visitor Center
College Road
ABO is supported by Yukon Title
12379924-5-7-11VG
The mission of the Alaska Bird Observatory is to advance the appreciation, understanding, and conservation of birds and their habitats through Research and Education.
907.450.2100 212 Wedgewood Dr. Fairbanks Wedgewood Resort
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2011 Summer Visitors Guide
Worshipping in Fairbanks a snow-drifted trail, and the 200-mile journey took 12 days. Four days after their March Christian missionaries fol25 arrival, Rice was purported lowed closely on the heels of to have hosted the first service gold seekers heading into the on March 29, 1903, at the Fairnew Fairbanks gold camp at banks Saloon, located at First the beginning of the 20th cenAvenue and Cushman Street. tury. It is said that the saloon proEvangelists, preachers and prietor respectfully covered the priests joined the stream of glasses and decanters with a miners, prospectors and tradwhite sheet. ers stampeding into Fairbanks James Wickersham’s in early 1903 after rumors of a account of the first service in rich gold strike spread through- his book “Old Yukon: Talesout Alaska and the Yukon. Trails and Trials,” said the Among the first to arrive entire population of the new was an Episcopal priest, the town turned out and that the Rev. Charles E. Rice, who service was conducted by Rice was accompanied by a young along with a Presbyterian minAthabascan, Esias Joseph, who ister, the Rev. C.F. Ensign. guided Rice from Circle to the Under the direction of Fairbanks camp. Archdeacon Hudson Stuck, the According to Episcopal Episcopalians built the first church records, Rice and church in town and opened it Joseph left Circle City on the for worship on Sunday, Oct. 16, Yukon River on March 13, well- 1904. prepared for the journey. The Presbyterians and Roman pair encountered a blizzard and Catholic missionaries followed, and by the close of the year, services were held by all three denominations. Both the Episcopalians and Catholics built hospitals in tandem with their churches. S. Hall Young arrived in Fairbanks in July 1904, finding it a town of approximately 500 inhabitants living in tents and cabins, and quickly put up a Presbyterian church at Seventh Avenue and Cushman Street. By MARY BETH SMETZER msmetzer@newsminer.com
Come & Join Us!
Journey Christian Church
The original church was moved to Pioneer Park in 1966, and it can be rented for weddings and interdenominational services. The Rev. Francis Monroe, a Jesuit priest, arrived in Fairbanks the same year and built Immaculate Conception Church on the corner of First Avenue and Dunkel Street. In 1911, the priest decided to move the church across the river, next to St. Joseph’s Hospital. After the Chena River froze, a crew of men and horses skidded the building to the opposite bank where it stands today and is known as “the little white church.” Also in 1903, a Christian Science Reading Room was opened near Seventh Avenue and Barnette Street. The active community opened its first public church on Thanksgiving Day in 1906, and the church history states that two congregation members walked 12 miles in 50 below zero temperatures to attend. Today, the First Church of Christ, Scientist is located at 811 First Ave., on the vacated homesite of Fairbanks’ founder, E.T. Barnette. World War II and the building of the Alaska Highway dramatically opened up Interior Alaska, and with the new pioneers came a new influx of religious denominations. Today, Fairbanks is home to followers of a wide variety of religions, including Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam and more.
Sunday worship at 10 a.m. Regal Cinemas on Airport Way 11380402-5-7-11VG
College Rd.
Hot Licks Ice Cream
University Ave.
907-457-5522 • 907-457-2167 101 City Lights Blvd., Fairbanks, AK 99712
University Community Presbyterian Church Summer Worship 10:30 a.m. Childcare Provided
Rev. Sandy Faison
www.ucpcfairbanks.org
Fairbanks, AK 99709 907-479-6728
ucpc@acsalaska.net
Sunday School......................9:45 a.m. Worship............................11:00 a.m. Wednesday Bible Study/Prayer. .6:30 p.m. "Where we want to be your family."
(907) 456-4923 805 6th Ave., Fairbanks, AK 99701 www.firstbaptistfairbanks.com Pastor Mark Howdeshell
10379979-5-7-11-VG
3510 College Rd.
Schedule
12379927-5-7-11VG
www.journeyalaska.org
Worship Services Saturday at 7 p.m. • Sunday at 9 & 11 a.m.
18380215 5-7-11VG
455-4433
UCPC X
ptist Chur st Ba ch r i F
www.fairhillchurch.com
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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 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.
Bible believing — Old fashioned singing Plenty of parking for RVʼs Free transportation from motels & campgrounds www.BibleBaptistFairbanks.com Doug Duffett, Pastor (907) 388-9815
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.
The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints For meeting times and locations in Interior and Northern Alaska, please call 1-888-744-4748
Community Covenant Church 2136 McCullam • 456-6553 • www.c3fairbanks.com Sunday Worship and Kidz World at 10:30 a.m.
Denali Bible Chapel
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 2501 Airport Way Ph: 474-9032 Fx: 479-3327 Weekend Masses: May 29 - September 4 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
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 Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Worship 11 a.m. 907 Union Dr., by Dog Mushers 479-7998 The 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)
1201 Lathrop Street 456-5157 Service: 10:30 a.m. www.DenaliBibleChapel.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
Fairbanks Lutheran Church
DELTA JUNCTION AREA
1012 Cowles Street (ELCA) 452-3425 Sunday Worship: 8:30 a.m. Heritage 10:00 a.m. Celebration II www.fairbankslutheranchurch.org / fairluth@gci.net
Fairbanks Seventh-day Adventist Church 1811 Farmerʼs Loop Road 479-6070 9:30 am Saturday, www.fairbanksadventistchurch.org
Farewell Avenue Christian Church 100 Farewell Ave. farewellave@gmail.com 456-6123 Sunday: Worship / Communion & Sunday School
www.farewellave.com
First Baptist Church of Fairbanks 805 Sixth Avenue - Downtown 456-4923 Sunday Morning: 11:00 a.m. www.firstbaptistfairbanks.com
Hamilton Acres Baptist Church 138 Farewell Avenue Independent Sunday 9:45 a.m., 11:00 a.m. & 6:00 p.m. Pastor Bruce Hamilton 17381332 5-7-11 VG
Jewish Congregation of Fairbanks
Immaculate Conception Church 115 N. Cushman Street 452-3533 Mass: Sat. 5:30 p.m., Sun. 7:30, 9:15, 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.
Delta Presbyterian & Faith Lutheran Mile 266.5 Richardson Hwy. 895-4322 Sunday Worship Service (all year) 11:00 a.m.
HEALY/DENALI AREA Holy Mary of Guadalupe Catholic Church 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)
Valley Chapel - Assembly of God Mile 249, Parks Hwy. Healy 683-2303 Sun. Sch. 9:45am,Church 11am & 6pm, Midweek-call
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
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2011 Summer Visitors Guide
Biking bonanza See Fairbanks up-close and on two wheels
Sam Harrel/News-Miner
Cyclists are seen leaving the starting line of the Ester Dome Hill Climb. 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 to rent one: Go North Travel Center (479-7272) and Alaska Outdoor Rental and Guides (457-2453). Both also rent canoes and kayaks. Another option is Fairbanks Pedal and Paddle downtown (388-4480) which does guided bike and paddle trips. 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. Most of Fairbanks can be accessed by some combination of bike paths and 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.
Rides A good morning or afternoon ride is a bike path around Farmers Loop, the 16-mile path (if you start and finish downtown) circles Creamers Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge. Ridden counter-clockwise the route involves a short, moderate uphill ride, followed by a long, gradual downhill. Other excursions from the downtown Fairbanks include the town of Ester (about 20 miles round trip, see page 14) or Fox (about 25 miles both ways, see page 62).
For an organized ride, check the website for the Fairbanks Cycling Club. The group holds multiple events each week. Visitors can join the club for a day for $5.
Mountain biking 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.
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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Downtown Fairbanks walking tour Old meets new in city center By REBA LEAN rlean@newsminer.com Tired of being bused around? Why don’t you take a walk? At a slow pace, visitors will be able to get an upclose and personal look at some of Fairbanks’ earliest attractions during a selfguided walking tour. There are more than 40 sights in about three miles along the Downtown Walking Tour. Maps can be picked up at the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center, along with digital recordings that have information for each stop along the way. Walkers will follow stretches along the Chena River, the historic housing district and downtown shops. Visitors begin at the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race Headquarters
and end at the Centennial Walking Bridge. Here are some of the stops along the way:
Old Main Old Main School Building now the town’s City Hall. Built in 1933, the building was among the most modern in the state, with the largest gym. After many years of use and additions, the school closed in 1976, and it became the offices for the school district administration. The administration moved out in 1993, and the building transformed into City Hall.
Clay Street Cemetery Clay Street Cemetery is the first cemetery established in Fairbanks in 1903. Many pioneers’ remains lie at rest there, including the wife of Felix Pedro, the prospector who found gold in the Fairbanks area.
Thomas Library The George C. Thomas Library was the first library in Fairbanks and operated as one until 1977. It was built in 1909 with funds donated from George Thomas, who lived in Philadelphia. He was encouraged by members of St. Matthew’s Church downtown, who had established a reading room inside the church. Today, the building is owned by John and Ramona Reeves.
Masonic Temple The Masonic Temple is a beautiful waterfront building built in 1906. President Warren G. Harding stood on its steps in 1923 and addressed the town after the completion of the Alaska Railroad. Today, its fate is in limbo because of expensive building codes.
THE GILLAM PLANE CRASH Impossible Odds Sheer Alaska Heroism 19.95 at Bookstores, Amazon & $
40378309-5-7-11-VG
johntippets@live.com
12383115-5-7-11-VG
11380449-5-7-11VG
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2011 Summer Visitors Guide
Large Animal Research Station Staff Report The Arctic is a difficult place to live, but several species of animals have made it their home for thousands of years. Today, researchers are studying those animals to see how they not only survived, but thrived in the far north. Located on the University
of Alaska Fairbanks, the Robert G. White Large Animal Research Station on Yankovich Road is home to herds of musk oxen, caribou and domestic reindeer. Thousands of tourists visit every year to see the animals, which are used for research in nutrition, metabolic, physiological and behavioral studies.
No reservations are needed unless you are part of a group larger than 20. A gift shop also is located at research center that sells qiviut, (musk ox wool), hand-knit scarves and hats, T-shirts, coffee mugs, jewelry and books. For more information, call (907) 474-7207 or email fylars@uaf.edu.
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.
17365597-5-1-10VG
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
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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
P I ON E E R PARK Visit Real Alaskans
Visit one of Fairbanks’ most historical homes
In Business Since 1972 Bring in this coupon & receive a
Located in the Pioneer Park
Open Daily 12 n – 8 pm
FREE SOFT DRINK
Operated by the TananaYukon Historical Society
Memorial Day to Labor Day Admission FREE, but donations are welcome. For additional information, please call
with any food purchase
Listed on the National Register of Historical Places
TOURS WELCOME
455-8947
Get a taste of real Fairbanks history. This is a must see! 11378401-5-7-11VGPP
Open Daily 11 a.m.– 8 p.m. PIONEER PARK CABIN #25
Email: tyhs@alaska.net www.fairbankshistory.org
456-3672
11378641VG11
Souvlaki • Spinach Pies Stuffed Grape Leaves Greek Salads Baklava & much more
Step into the Gold Dome & You’re In A Special Place!
Native American Folk Art Inc. Presents
BUSH BABIES & COMPANY “Unique Gifts from the Alaskan Bush”
PROPRIETORS KEN AND CAROL DELOVITCH
Noon–8 p.m. • 7 Days A Week May 15 thru September 15 Admission $4.00 Single, $6.00 Family Children Under 12 FREE but must be accompanied by an adult
Call (907) 451-0037 for information. http://www.akpub.com/akttt/aviat.html
11378642-5-7-11VG
In Pioneer Park
(907) 388-6402
Interior & Arctic Alaska’s Aeronautical History. 16 Aircraft, 31 Engines, Memorabilia, Artifacts, Photos, Stories & More.
11378268-5-7-11VGPP
• Gold & Ivory Jewelry • Native Masks • Totem Poles • Slippers • Native Artifacts • Eskimo Dolls
PIONEER MUSEUM GOLD RUSH TOWN • PIONEER PARK
PIONEER MUSEUM
BIG STAMPEDE SHOW
Take a trip through HISTORY
Gold Rush Saga
DVD showings daily in Pioneer Museum Lobby
info@fairbankspioneermuseum.com
11378269-5-7-11VGPP
456-8579
CLOSED FOR MAINTENANCE 11380406-5-1-11VG
Artifacts, photos, and other displays of Fairbanks’ golden past. OPEN DAILY 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
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2011 Summer Visitors Guide
Old-fashioned Fun Pioneer Park holds Fairbanks’ historic heart By GLENN BURNSILVER gburnsilver@newsminer.com Fun and history meet at Pioneer Park, a 44-acre entertainment zone located at Airport Way and Peger Road. Formerly called Alaskaland, the park offers a variety of activities relating to the history of the Interior. The park is home to the area’s largest Fourth of July celebration. The park is open yearround, with shops and attractions open daily from noon to 8 p.m. from May 28 through Labor Day. Entry to the park is free, though some attractions charge admission. For more information, call 4591087 or visit www.fnsb.us/pioneerpark.
John Hagen/News-Miner
Mary Jane Schuster of Cheboygan, Mich., peers into the Harding Railroad Car at Pioneer Park. The car was the one President Warren G. Harding rode in on his trip to Alaska.
Museums • Bear Gallery — Located on the third floor of the Pioneer Park Centennial Center for the Arts. The museum includes exhibits from local artists and a gift shop. Free. • Native Village — An out-
door museum representing Alaska Native architecture and artifacts. Free. • Pioneer Air Museum — A collection of aircraft memorabilia managed by the Interior and Arctic Alaska Aeronautical Foundation. $2 adults, free for children under 12 accompanied by an adult, $5 family. • Pioneer Museum — A collection of pioneer artifacts. Free, but donations are welcome. • S.S. Nenana Riverboat — Active for 21 years, the boat now hosts a diorama of the
Tanana and Yukon rivers. The boat is a national landmark. • Tanana Valley Railroad Museum — Features Tanana Valley Engine No. 1, the oldest operating steam locomotive in Alaska and the Yukon Territory, initially put into service in 1899. The train runs a halfdozen times during the year. Visit www.fairnet.org/agencies/ tvrr/tvrr.html for more information. Free. • Wickersham House — Dedicated to Judge James Wickersham, the first territoPlease see PARK, Page 23
• Self Service • Vacuums • Trucks & Motorhomes Welcome
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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner — An old-time carousel with painted horses and carnival music. Open from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Continued from Page 22
rial representative for Alaska, the house is furnished the way it would have looked in the early 1900s. Free.
Family activities • Crooked Creek and Whisky Island Railroad — Trips around the park are available several times a day. $2 adults, $1 children. Multi-ride discounted punch cards also are available. • Gold Rush Town — A dramatized gold rush town consisting of 35 pioneer cabins relocated to Pioneer Park from their original locations. Now renovated, some offer a variety of items including souvenirs, sweets and snacks. • Miniature golf — Play 18 or 36 holes at the outdoor mini golf course. Call 452-7888 for more information. • Red and Roela’s Carousel
• Santa Claus House •
Entertainment • Gazebo Nights — An hour of live music at the white gazebo near the park entrance. Starts at 7 p.m. every evening, June through August. Free. • Golden Heart Revue — A musical comedy about pioneer life in early Fairbanks. Shows are offered at 6:45 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. from May 17 to Sept. 10 at the Palace Theatre in Gold Rush Town. $18 adults, $9 children. Reservations required by calling 452-7274. • The Big Stampede Show — A 45-minute presentation located at the Pioneer Museum. Presented several times a day. $4 adults; $2 children, under 4 free. Call 456-8579 for more information.
Salmon Bake Alaska Salmon Bake sets
itself apart from other buffets by offering all-you-can-eat Alaska halibut, salmon, Bering Sea cod or slow-roasted prime rib. In addition to the main course, the Salmon Bake experience includes a salad bar, side dishes and deserts. But the Salmon Bake isn’t quantity over quality. The salmon sauce, beer batter and prime rib are perfected homemade recipes, and all the fish is wild Alaska caught. The restaurant is open from 5-9 p.m. daily from mid-May to mid-September in Pioneer Park. Started in 1979, the Salmon Bake has beautiful gardens with Alaska Native carvings for diners who wish to eat al fresco. Be sure to visit the Pick ‘N Poke Gift Shop located next door. The all-you-can-eat dinner is $31 for adults and $15 for children and includes unlimited nonalcoholic beverages. For more information, call 452-7274.
• Farmer’s Loop • North Pole
RIDE THE BUS! MACS – Metropolitan Area Commuter System
Arrives & Departs from the Transit Center • 501 Cushman St. Info Hotline: 459-1011 VanTran Scheduling: 459-1010 Check out our maps & schedules online: www.fnsb.us/transportation
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Employment • Airport • Hotels • RV Parks • Recreation • Pioneer Park
See Fairbanks –
• Medical Centers • Education • Riverboat Landing • Entertainment •
PARK
• University of Alaska • Shopping Malls • Library • Fairgrounds
24
2011 Summer Visitors Guide
Summer Arts Festival By GLENN BURNSILVER gburnsilver@newsminer.com The Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival began in 1980 as a one-week jazz celebration. Thirty years later, approximately 1,000 adults register and participate with nearly 100 guest artists in 125 workshops in music, visual arts, dance, literary arts and healing arts. This year’s festival runs from July 17-31, and offers live performances almost every night — more than 45 spread over those two weeks — at the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus. These performances showcase a wide range of musical genres, including classical, Celtic, blues, folk, Motown and cabaret, plus African and Latin dance. It’s like summer camp for adults. Prior to the 2010 festival, most courses were a couple weeks long and required a “serious time commitment” for those taking them, said festival Executive Director Terese Kaptur. Mini-workshops were
John Wagner/News-Miner
Music lovers enjoy the sounds of an ensemble during the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival Lunch Bites. who wants to stop by on their lunch hour. Following last year’s success, the number of mini sessions has increased for 2011 and includes steel drumming techniques, glass fusion (jewelry), wood folkcrafts, experimental painting, acting for the camera and more. Another option for those who can’t commit to the traditional two-week courses are one-week classes in oil painting, photography, Latin dance, fiddle, bluegrass banjo, songwriting and guitar, among others. Most classes are held at UAF campus, except for a few that take place at local studios, such as glass blowing and dance. Everything is available online. Attendees can register, buy tickets and make donations online at www.fsaf.org. “It’s much more user friendly,” Kaptur said. A list of performances and times is available online. Times and prices vary.
IF YOU GO • What: Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival • When: July 17 through 31 • Tickets: Prices vary for classes and performances • Information: www. fsaf.org
introduced as a way for someone to try something once and see if they like it, she said. Each mini-workshop is 1 day long and lasts 1-3 hours, making them ideal for anyone
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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
ACTIVITIES: Adventure outside Denali Park Continued from Page 10
Other activities • Denali ATV Adventures offers excursions into the Bush with single, two-person or side-by-side ATVs for those with kids or for a spouse who doesn’t want to drive. Each helmet has an intercom so the guide can provide live, narrated tours. Call 907-683-4288 or e-mail info@DenaliATV.com. • Horseback tours at Denali Saddle Safaris, (907) 683-1200 at Mile 3.9 Stampede Road, just north of Healy. Rides last from one hour to half-days. See www. denalisaddlesafaris.com. • Earth-Song Lodge and Denali Dog Sled Expeditions also on Stampede Trail, offers tours lodging on the tundra of the Alaska Range and tours of its dog sled kennel. The proprietors provide slide shows of sled dog expeditions and offer a coffee house as well. See www. earthsonglodge.com or call 907 683-2863. • Husky Homestead Tours. Another activity worth doing is visiting the champion dog sled kennel of four-time Iditarod Sled Dog Race champion Jeff King on Goose Lake, just south
of the entrance to Denali National Park. The 1 1/2 hour narrated tour takes visitors on the Iditarod Trail and shares stories from the race. See www.huskyhomestead.com or call 907 6832904. The Nenana River runs through the valley and several operators offer trips ranging from calm and scenic Class II with just a few ripples to exciting Class IV hold-on-to-your-hat waves. All companies provide drysuits to put on over your clothes. Options include: • Nenana Raft Adventures — whitewater rafting trips through the Nenana River gorge, excursions on the calmer upper section of river, and multi-day backcountry options. Call (888) 789-7238 or (907) 683-7238 or see www.alaskaraft.com. • Denali Raft Adventures — two-hour, four-hour and all-day excursions on the Nenana River. Call (888)6832234 or (907) 683-2234 or
see www.denaliraft.com. • ERA Helicopters offers flightseeing tours, some of which include glacier landings. See www.flightseeingtours.com or call 907 6832574 or (800) 843-1947. Denali Air takes passengers up in fixed-wing airplanes that take off from a private airstrip, 8 miles south of the park entrance. See www.denaliair.com or call 907 683-2261.
19th Annual
See our Concert Schedule in Friday's Latitude
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 also 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, like Wonder Lake.
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2011 Summer Visitors Guide
Morris Thompson center By MATT HAYES mhayes@newsminer.com The Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center is located at 101 Dunkel St. on the banks of the Chena River adjacent to Griffin Park and bike and walking paths. MTCVC offers ample parking, wireless Internet, restrooms, a 100-seat theater with free films daily on Alaska history and culture, a historic pioneer cabin restored to its original 1905 period and a 9,000-square-foot exhibit hall featuring the people and land of Interior Alaska. Inside you will find:
Convention and Visitors Bureau There is much to do and
see in Interior Alaska, and the 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 locals 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 FCVB offers more than 400 brochures for attractions, dining, shopping, camping and outdoor adventures in the Interior and across Alaska. Also available from FCVB are: • Free courtesy phones for local and credit card calls • Public computers for visitors to make travel arrangements and check e-mail • Maps of Alaska and the
Saturday
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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
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Fairbanks area • Daily listings of available accommodations • Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily in winter, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily in summer • For more information, call 456-5774 or visit explorefairbanks.com.
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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Sam Harrel/News-Miner
The Tanana Traditional Dancers open the dedication and blessing of the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center in 2008.
THOMPSON Continued from Page 26
center also has a reference library and sponsors daily films in the theater. The center is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily Memorial Day through Labor Day. For more information call 459-3730 or visit alaskacenters.gov. The Fairbanks Alaska Public Lands Information Center is affiliated with:
Alaska Geographic bookstore Alaska Geographic is a nonprofit bookstore dedicated to “connecting people to Alaska’s parks, forests and refuges.” Browse Alaska reading material from children’s books to wilderness adventure, Alaska history to 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 alaskageographic.org.
Tanana Chiefs Conference Cultural Programs The Tanana Chiefs Conference, a consortium of 42 villages of Interior Alaska, promotes Native unity and self-determination. TCC Cultural Programs hosts cultural programs and events Monday through Friday during the summer at the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center. For more information, call 459-3741, visit tananachiefs.org or stop by the visitors center.
Denakkanaaga The Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center also houses the offices of Denakkanaaga Native Elders organization.
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2011 Summer Visitors Guide
Fairbanks Community Museum BY JOSHUA STRAUB News-Miner intern For anyone interested in the rich history of Fairbanks and its culture, visit the Fairbanks Community Museum located in the heart of the Golden Heart City at 410 Cushman St. Occupying the historic City Hall, this museum provides visitors with a glimpse of the events, attractions and developments that have placed Fairbanks on the map. From the start of the Klondike Gold Rush at the turn of the 19th century, to the dawn of the sport of dog mushing, to the epic flood of 1967, the museum has five rooms filled with iconic photographs, artifacts and
knick-knacks that captivate the attention of the viewer, provide them with a few laughs and give the visitor insight on early Alaska life. The first room you enter is dedicated to life in the Alaska Interior Photographs adorn the walls portraying sub-zero temperatures and how locals cope with such an environment. Two cases display beautiful, traditional garb such as mukluks and parkas made by in Galena. A yellow T-shirt bears satiric witness to one of the coldest winters in Alaskan history. And a 1962 Bombardier Skidoo rests in the center of the room. Passing into the second room, visitors are con-
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fronted with the tragic flood of 1967. Photographs provide documentation of city submerged after the Chena River rose 6 feet above the normal flood level. A video montage plays in a loop next to a wall dedicated the building of the Chena River Lakes Project. Passing through another threshold, you can learn about the tens of thousands of gold prospectors who stampeded from the West Coast to Skagway to Dawson City, Yukon. Some of them eventually helped found the gold rush town of Fairbanks. In a side room, visitors can walk around a mock-up of a typical gold rush campsite. The fourth room will host a new exhibit this summer. A monthly rotation of local artists’ work will be displayed. Coming into the fifth room, visitors can see the evolution of Alaska’s official sport — dog mushing. It is this exhibit that has earned the museum the title of Alaska’s official Dog Mushing Museum. The exhibit originated at the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Museum of the North, found its way to the Empress Theater and eventually made its permanent home at the museum. Here you can find five examples of dog sleds, one dating back to about 1920. An original Yukon Quest trophy on display is complemented by artwork of mushing competitions and competitors, including a painting of Leonhard Seppala, one of the mushers to deliver serum to Nome in 1925 during a diphtheria outbreak. The museum has extended its hours this year. It will be open Monday to Friday 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. and most Sundays from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Admission is free and donations are welcomed. For more information call 457-3669.
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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Summer mushing time Staff Report newsroom@newsminer.com
PHOTOGRAPHIC USED CAMERAS & LENSES Digital and Film Repairs
Please see MUSH, Page 30
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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 (907) 455-6469. She can arrange for transportation. • The Miller family are
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demonstrations. Check in at the park visitors center or visit www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/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 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
M ANLEY L ODGE
ALASKAN
Downtown Fairbanks 551 2nd Ave., Suite 221 Lavery Bldg. (upstairs)
Photo courtesy Mary Shields
Mary Shields sings with one of her huskies at her Goldstream Valley home
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A lot of people who visit Fairbanks want to ride on a dog sled and are convinced we have only three seasons — last winter, this winter and next winter. Most of Alaska, of course, doesn’t have snow in the summer. But since dog mushing is the unofficial state sport, there are summer options for those interested in the sport and the lifestyle it entails. While chances are slim of even riding in a wheeled cart pulled by dogs during the warm summer days, there are 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 $49 for adults, $29 for children younger than 12. The tour is not recommended for children younger than 3. For more information, visit huskyhomestead.com or call (907) 683-2904. • 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
152 Scenic Miles from Fairbanks on the Elliot Hwy
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2011 Summer Visitors Guide
Downtown market to debut Staff Report newsroom@newsminer.com Downtown Fairbanks is launching a weekly public market this summer, providing a regular outdoor spot for a variety of vendors for the first time. The downtown market will be held from 4-8 p.m. Mondays at Golden Heart Plaza, located along the Chena River near Cushman Street. Planners envision it as a farmer’s market style event, providing everything from fresh produce to local crafts.
MUSHING: Summer Continued from Page 29
lifelong Alaskans and have been running sled dogs at their Sun Dog Express kennel for two decades. They have been featured on the BBC and offer demonstrations and talks about mushing “history, equipment and stories from the trail.” The price is $75 for up to three people and $25 for each additional person. For more information visit www.mosquitonet. com~sleddog/ or call (907) 479-6983. • If you are going to Chena Hot Springs Resort, you can enjoy a soak in the pool and a kennel tour, among other activities. This is one place where you can ride in a cart pulled by dogs. Visit www.chenahotsprings.com of call (907) 451-8104. Go see the folks at the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center at 101 Dunkel St. for more information about dog mushing and kennel tours.
“I think we’re going to make every effort to have a mix of retailers,” said Amy Nordrum, the communications coordinator for the Downtown Association of Fairbanks. Nordrum said the weekly event could also include live music and art demonstrations, along with 20-30 local booths. It will also cater to visitors, including some Alaska-made art and other items. The downtown market will be held in June through August — rain or shine — except for the Independence Day holiday. Contact the newsroom at 459-7572.
John Wagner/ News-Miner
Winter is the heart of mushing season, but even in the summer, visitors can take in Alaska’s No. 1 extreme sport.
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Fairbanks FAQs When was Fairbanks founded? It was incorporated in 1903 but it was actually founded in 1901 when E.T. Barnette set out to establish a trading post at Tanacross on the Tanana River. Low water in the Tanana River forced Barnette to put in a few miles up one of its tributaries, the Chena River. Finding more miners than he expected in the area, Barnette decided to open his trading post here and move to Tanacross the following summer. However, he wound up staying when Felix Pedro discovered gold in the area north of Fairbanks and the city sprouted around Barnette’s trading post. Barnette became the first mayor of the city when it was incorporated in 1903. How did Fairbanks get its name? Fairbanks was named by city founder E.T. Barnette in honor of Sen. Charles W. Fairbanks of Indiana, who would go on to serve at Theodore Roosevelt’s vice president. Do people still mine gold in Fairbanks? Yes. The largest open-pit gold mine in Alaska, Fort Knox Gold Mine, is located 26 miles north of Fairbanks. Operating since 1996, the mine poured its 5 millionth ounce of gold in early 2011, with another 3 million still to be mined. The Pogo Gold Mine, an underground gold mine located 85 miles southeast of Fairbanks, began operation in 2007 and produces about 340,000 ounces of gold a year. It has an estimated reserve of 5.6 million ounces.
warm it enough to start. Most employers provide “plug-ins” for its employees. How long does the Chena River stay frozen? The Chena River usually freezes sometime in mid to late October and remains frozen until late April or early May. One part of the river, about a mile-long stretch from the Aurora Energy power plant on First Avenue to Pioneer Park, remains open year-round because of the warm water Please see FAQs, Page 32
Tanana Valley 20 1 1 State Fair
Tanana Valley State Fair August 5–13, 2011
1800 College Road • Fairbanks, Alaska www.tananavalleyfair.org
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Can you see the northern lights in the summer? No. The aurora borealis is visible in Fairbanks for approximately 200 days a year, roughly from mid-September to April. The best viewing is usually December through March when it is clearest and coldest. Northern lights are present year round but the daylight prevents them from being visible during the summer.
Why are there electrical outlets in all the parking lots? Due to the extreme cold temperatures in Fairbanks during the winter, most vehicles are equipped with several electric “heating” devices that facilitate starting during the coldest time. The standard set up consists of a engine block heater that circulates warm water through the cooling system, an oil pan heater that warms the oil, and a battery blanket/ pad that warms the battery. It usually takes an hour or two after a vehicle is plugged in to
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2011 Summer Visitors Guide
FAQs: What would you like to know Continued from Page 31
being discharged from the power plant. How many moose live in Fairbanks? In the Fairbanks Management Area, which basically covers Fairbanks’ urban environment — if you can call it that — there are an estimated 500 moose, according to surveys 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. That population has nearly doubled in the past decade. As a result, the Department of Fish and Game has been issuing more hunting permits for cow moose in both the Fairbanks Management Area and other areas along the road system in the past few years. “The goal is to keep a nice balance of moose numbers so
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people have the opportunity to see moose but not to have a lot of nuisance complaints and conflicts and to keep road kill to a minimum,” Fairbanks area biologist Don Young with the Department of Fish and Game said.
start gaining 6-7 minutes of daylight each day.
How many moose get hit by cars around Fairbanks? On average, approximately 150 moose are killed on Fairbanks area roads each year. The dead moose are salvaged by local charities so the meat does not go to waste. How do people drive in the winter? Most Alaskan drivers in the Interior use studded snow tires or special winter tires for extra traction on the snow and ice. Studded tires can be used from Sept. 15 to May 1 in Fairbanks and other areas north of 60 degrees latitude and Sept. 30 to April 15 in areas south of 60 degrees. Is it dark all day long in the winter? Not really. The shortest day of the year is on Dec. 21, the winter solstice, when there is 3 hours, 43 minutes, of official daylight. But there is usually a halfhour or so of twilight on each side of sunrise and sunset that translates to about 4 or 5 hours of light during the darkest days, from about 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Granted, it’s not bright light, but we’ll take all we can get. After Dec. 21, we
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Why do people drive around with big, plastic water tanks in the back of their pickup trucks? Many people in Fairbanks do not have wells because of the high iron and/or arsenic content and instead use holding tanks that are buried beneath the ground and plumbed into the house. Holding tanks for residential homes are usually 1,000 to 1,500 gallons. People with holding tanks have two options: Pay 8 to 10 cents a gallon to get water delivered by one of several water delivery companies in town or haul their own water at 1 to 2 cents per gallon.
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How do you sleep in the summer with all the light? You close your eyes and count moose. Kidding aside, most people who have spent much time in Fairbanks during the summer either are used to the extended daylight or they get a good set of curtains to keep the light out at night. Beyond that, you can use a mask to cover your eyes or move to the Lower 48.
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456-7719 Summer Hours – 7 Days A Week Open Noon to Midnight
Is it light all day long in the summer? Look out the window. Seriously, though, the longest day of the year is on 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 6-7 minutes of daylight each day.
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Farmers Loop
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
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Cushm an St
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2011 Summer Visitors Guide
Barrow
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Prudhoe Bay
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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
FAQs: What would you like to know FAIRBANKS FACTS
What do people do outdoors in Fairbanks during the winter? You’d be amazed at how many people you see doing things outdoors in the winter in Fairbanks, even when it’s 20 or 30 degrees below zero. Cross-country skiing, skijoring, dog mushing, snowshoeing, snowmachining and ice fishing are all popular wintertime activities. What do dog mushers do with their sled dogs in the summer? For the most part, sled dogs get a chance to catch their breath and shed their fur during the summer months. While most mushers typically stop running their sled dogs at the end of April when the snow melts, some mushers do exercise their dogs during the summer months using bicycles and ATVs instead of sleds. Competitive racers usually start regularly training their dogs again in August when the weather cools by hitching them to the front of an ATV and having the dogs pull it or running the machine at a 10-12 mph pace behind the dogs. Mushers will use ATVs to train their dogs until there is enough snow to use a sled, usually sometime in mid- to late November.
• City population: 35,252* • Borough population: 97,970* • Military personnel: Approximately 16,500 • Driving miles to Anchorage: 358 on the Parks Highway. • Driving miles to Arctic Circle: 200 on the Elliott and Dalton highways. • Daily newspapers: 1 • Television stations: 8 • Radio stations: 16 • Median household income: $40,577 • Biggest private employer: Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, 1,302 workers in 2007. • Political makeup: 58 percent Republican; 39.3 percent Democrat** • Hottest temperature ever recorded in summer: 99 degrees on July 28, 1919
• Coldest temperature ever recorded in winter: 66 degrees below zero on Jan. 14, 1934 • Average winter snowfall: 67.4 inches (over last 30 years) • Record winter snowfall: 147.3 inches —1990-91 • Average date of first snow: Sept. 21 • Snowiest month: November, 13.8 inches • Wettest month: August, 1.74 inches • Driest month: April, 0.21 inches • Windiest month: May. Average wind speed of 6.7 mph • Average annual precipitation: 10.34 inches • Record annual precipitation: 18.52 inches 1990 • Longest day of year: 21 hours, 49 minutes • Shortest day of year: 3 hours, 43 minutes * According to 2009 Census Bureau estimates. ** Based on 2008 presidential election results
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2011 Summer Visitors Guide
Fairbanks fun facts Sun spots It might seem hard to believe, but Fairbanks experiences sunrise and sunset during the summer months. While it doesn’t get completely dark, the sun dips below the horizon, but not more than 6 degrees during the weeks surrounding the June 21 solstice. During that time, sunset is about 12:45 a.m. with sunrise about 3 a.m. You can still read a book at midnight without artificial light. The main problem with more hours of daylight is we don’t know when to go home.
Mosquito bites Don’t believe all the horror stories you have heard about Alaska’s mosquitoes. They are
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Moose sights We hear the story often. You been all across Alaska and haven’t seen a moose. You’re starting to doubt the very existence of the ambling ungulates. Your best chance to see moose in the Fairbanks area is along Chena Hot Springs Road just north of town. The road runs 55 miles east to Chena Hot Springs. Past about Mile 15 there are swampy areas and many creeks and sloughs. Moose love to feed in swamps and sloughs. At Mile 26 is the Chena River State Recreation Area. It’s also a good place to keep an eye peeled. To increase your chances, go early in the morning or later in the evening as moose are somewhat nocturnal. But remember, they are wild animals and can move fast when they want to.
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do this in late summer. Somehow these eggs survive the cold winters through a chemical process that includes the words “glycerol” and “supercooling.” We thought supercooling involves nuclear power plants and it scares us that the term is bandied about when talking mosquitoes. When spring rolls around, the wrigglers become tumblers, which become large, biting grown-up mosquitoes. The best mosquito repellent is called DEET. Bathe in it.
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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Go shopping in downtown Sam Harrel /News-Miner
By SUZANNA CALDWELL scaldwell@newsminer.com Downtown Fairbanks may not be flush with huge malls and major retail chains, but there’s plenty of shopping to go around for even the most avid shopaholics. The shops may be small but they are full of local flavor and fun. On the first Friday of the month, downtown is always bustling, as local businesses stay open late to show off the latest art Fairbanks has to offer. There are two true galleries, The Alaska House and Co-Op Arts. The Alaska House focuses primarily on Alaska artists. The gallery, located in a small, distinct split-log cabin that looks like it came out of a Grimm’s Fairy Tale, has been open since 2000 and is managed by Ron Veliz and Yolande Fejes, daughter of well-known Fairbanks artist Claire Fejes. The Co-Op Arts, located in the Co-Op building, is a collective of several Fairbanks artists. The art is mixed mediums, a variety of paintings, fiber arts and pottery. All are based in the Fairbanks area. Chartreuse and Big Ray’s offer clothing and other goods, on opposite ends of
Chartreuse, a vintage clothing store on First Avenue in downtown Fairbanks, carries a little bit of everything, from art to clothing.
the spectrum. Chartreuse is a vintage clothing store that offers up retro and modern clothing and jewelry. Need some Xtratuffs or 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 for the sometimes fickle Fairbanks weather. For Alaska knick-knacks to bring home to family and friends, downtown Fairbanks has shops on almost every street. The Fudge Pot serves up soup, sandwiches and espresso, and lots of trinkets. Also, as the name implies, lots of fudge.
If Only... A Fine Store, offers up fine goods, clever gift 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. There are plenty of another shops in Downtown, including more Alaska gifts, antique stores and more. Just grab a soda or cup of coffee and wander around. Downtown Fairbanks has something to offer everyone.
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2011 Summer Visitors Guide
The northern lights By ERICA FRANICH For the News-Miner The brilliant, vibrant and lively colors that dance across the northern skies inspire wonder in the hearts and minds of even the most hardened longtime Alaskans. The aurora borealis, or the northern lights as they are also commonly called, are a sight to behold, and one of the many wonders of the Arctic. A reliable local source of information regarding the phenomenon is the University of Alaska Geophysical Institute, which provides a wealth of information, an aurora forecast and a place to sign up for aurora alerts. Visit www.gedds.alaska. edu/auroraforecast. The Geophysical Institute provided answers to some common aurora questions: Q: What is the aurora? A: The luminous 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 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
John Hagen/News-Miner
With the Dog Mushers Hall in the foreground, the aurora lights up the winter sky over Fairbanks. 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. 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 photos 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 colors we often see
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are a mixture of all auroral emissions. Just as the white sunlight is a mixture of the colors of the rainbow, the aurora is a mixture of colors. The overall impression is a greenish-whitish glow. Very 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? The bottom edge is typically at 60 miles altitude, but it extends over a large altitude range. Very intense aurora from high energy electrons can be as low as 50 miles. The top of the visible aurora peters out around 120-200 miles but sometimes highaltitude aurora can be seen as high as 350 miles. Please see AURORA, Page 39
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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
AURORA
SUMMER AURORA
Continued from Page 38
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. In order to see aurora, the sky must be dark and clear, which means in the land of the midnight sun, the phenomenon is invisible during the bright summer months. Summer visitors should not despair: Local photographer LeRoy Zimmerman spent much of his career documenting the aurora at its best from desirable locations throughout the state.
THE T SHIR
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He has created the world’s only panoramic wide screen aurora performance, all set it to symphonic music. He has offered the auroral experience to audiences since 1984. “It’s the only award winning, and the longest running, original aurora show in Alaska,” Zimmerman said of the spectacle, which he calls a photosymphony. He displayed his show
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at the Ester Gold Camp for more than 20 years, took a one-year hiatus when the camp closed, and restarted the show, in digital form, at the Lacey Street Theatre in 2009. Zimmerman said Photosymphony does more than offer the visual beauty of the aurora in the pictoral slideshow; the classical symphony music helps create an emotional response, Zimmerman said. “You can see the aurora (in many pictures) but what I am trying to do is to help you feel it. That is what you can’t put into words or capture with a picture alone,” he said. Photosymphony runs every day at 8 p.m. in the Lacey Street Theatre. Information is available at www.photosymphony.com.
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40
The Riverboat Discovery
2011 Summer Visitors Guide By MATT HAYES mhayes@newsminer.com To say life is different off the road system in Interior Alaska is an understatement. Many villages are located on the banks of rivers such as the Tanana and Yukon for the simple reason of transportation.
Villagers rely on barges to deliver food, fuel and other necessities in summer when the rivers are free of ice as much today as they did 100 years ago. The Binkley family has been introducing visitors to sternwheeler river travel on the Riverboat Discovery since
41
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner Sam Harrel/News-Miner
The Riverboat Discovery I, left, leads the Riverboat Discovery II, right, and Riverboat Discovery III travel down the Chena River.
IF YOU GO • Open: May 17--Sept. 23 • Sailings: 8:45 a.m., 2 p.m. • Time: 3 1/2 hours • Cost: Adults $54.95; children $37.95; younger than 3, free
the buck stopped at President Harry Truman’s desk. The riverboat travels the Chena River to the Tanana River twice daily and offers a glimpse into the past and of modern life along the rivers. The 3 1/2 hour ride meanders down the Chena where passengers will see a bush pilot take off and land. The boat pauses at the late Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race champion Susan Butcher’s Trail Breaker dog kennel and stops at a replica Interior Native village and fish camp. On the way, passengers will see modern and historic homes and cabins. The trip begins at Steamboat Landing, a replica gold rush town with a gift shop, museum and ice cream parlor, on the banks of the Chena near Fairbanks International Airport. Bush pilots transformed travel in rural Alaska during the first half of the 20th century. These hardy, pioneering airmen delivered mail, food and medical supplies to the most remote areas in any season. Sled dogs were a vital form of winter transportation between villages in the days before snowmachines. Passengers will learn about competitive mushing with a short talk and demonstration at Trail Breaker Kennels. The sternwheeler stops for an hour and visitors get a guided tour of the Native village. Village hosts relate stories about their history, culture and subsistence lifestyle. Salmon were, and still are crucial for surviving long, bitter winters. Passengers will tour a fish camp, complete with a fishwheel, and learn techniques for catching, drying and storing salmon. At the confluence of the Chena and Tanana rivers, passengers will see the demarcation line where the clear, spring-fed waters of the Chena meet the silty glacier-fed Tanana River water.
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2011 Summer Visitors Guide
Eat fresh and local You’ve made it all this way to Alaska, and you’re hungry. Next stop: Food. Sure, we’ve got the usual brands of fast food and chain restaurants, but you want something that tastes like Alaska. You’re on the hunt for moose burger or bear roast or a nice caribou steak. Good luck with that. State regulations prohibit businesses from selling wild-caught game, so you can’t saunter into the nearest restaurant and order a moose burger rare, hold the mayo. The reason is the safety factor. “You can’t harvest wild animals for sale,” said Ron Klein, a food safety and sanitation program manager with the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation. “A restaurant can’t serve it unless it’s from an approved source. For meat, that’s a USDA or state-inspected slaughterhouse.” And while you’re perusing the dinner menu, don’t let the
Alaska reindeer and bison or occasional yak take you by surprise. Those come from state-sanctioned farms that have been given the OK, both health wise and commercial-producing wise.
Try the fish Alaska seaEric Engman/News-Miner food, though, Home Grown Market owner Jeff Johnson is what you displays a tray of fresh reindeer steaks at should really his business. sink your teeth into. In Fairbanks, almost wrong with ordering the every restaurant serves king salmon or beer-battered Alaska-caught seafood, which Alaska halibut. If you’re includes salmon, cod, halibut unsure if your salmon steak is and crab. That dinner choice local, just ask your server. has been commercially caught and prepared, and is a big Buy it local boost to the state’s economy Don’t fret because bear and the “eating local” concept. sausage is not on the menu. Almost every restaurant in There are still plenty of ways town proudly serves Alaskato taste the bounty of the Last caught fish, so you can’t go Frontier. Our daylight-filled summers are a gardener’s dream, and many restaurants in Fairbanks take advantage of locally grown or Alaska-grown produce. “At our restaurants, we buy a lot of lettuce, tomatoes,
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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
LOCAL Continued from Page 42
herbs and vegetables. We also buy a lot of Alaska fish,” said Darryl Allan, who writes a monthly food column for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner and is food and beverage director for Fountainhead hotels. “We try to buy fresh year-round.” Like many foodies in Fairbanks, Allan’s staff at Fountainhead takes advantage of the Tanana Valley Farmers Market, 2600 College Road. The farmers market is open on Wednesdays and weekends and offers only Alaska-grown food. “We try to make it out there every week, sometimes twice,” he said. The advantage of restaurants buying local is the fresh factor — produce picked in Southern California or Mexico can spend weeks on a barge getting to Alaska. “Locally grown or Alaska grown is really fresh,” Allan said. “And it is also nice to get to know the farmers personally.” Most restaurants proudly serve Alaska-grown produce and usually sport that information on their menus. Again, if you’re unsure if your salad came from a local source, ask before you order.
Several meat processors in Fairbanks and the Interior offer Alaska-caught or raised meat the public can purchase. Jeff Johnson opened Homegrown Market in Fairbanks in 2010 with the idea of providing only Alaska-grown products. So far it’s been a success. “Eating local is better for you,” Johnson said. “It’s sustainable, it’s local and it helps the local economy.” Plus, Johnson said, locally raised meats and produce taste better than something that’s been shipped up from the Lower 48, spending weeks to get to Fairbanks. His shop, located at 3568 Geraghty Ave., offers only local products, such as grassfed beef from Snow Clover Farm in Two Rivers, pork from farms in North Pole, Copper River seafood from Cordova and dairy products from Matanuska Creamery in
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If you truly want to taste Alaska for yourself, go catch it or pick it. Berry-picking is an art for some folks, and Alaska is rich in blueberries and cranberries. Ask any local for his or her favorite berry-picking spot, but don’t be surprised if you don’t get an answer. Berry-pickers are notorious for keeping their prized picking grounds to themselves. Fishing it out of our rivers is another great way to taste Alaska, but be sure to know the laws and regulations about fishing. Many rivers are catch-andrelease only, and the state is strict about visitors having the proper licenses.
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2011 Summer Visitors Guide
Ear pull, high kick and more at WEIO By RENEE THONY rthony@newsminer.com Only in Alaska will you find a festival like the World Eskimo-Indian Olympics, or WEIO (pronounced “wee-oh”) for short. With 23 competitions testing everything from balance and strength to pain tolerance and athleticism, WEIO is a unique event that will be held July 20-23 this year at the Carlson Center. The competitions were developed as ways to train for the rigors of life in remote Alaska. The scissor broad jump, for example, is designed to teach agility when hopping along ice floes. Other games include the high kick, in which competitors must leap to kick a ball dangling from a string; whale blubber eating; the greased pole walk,
Visit One of Our
• What: World EskimoIndian Olympics • When: July 20-23 • Where: Carlson Center • Tickets: Daytime session, free; nighttime session, $10 for adults, $8 for elders and students
which was originally created to teach agility when crossing rivers on logs. Although the majority of events aren’t grimace-inducing, there are a few that are for those who can stomach tests of pain and endurance. The most infamous competition that falls into this category is the ear pull. Two competitors each loop a string
9
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around an ear, face one another and lean backward. Bags of ice to dull the pain and swelling and the occasional cloth to wipe up blood are nearby during this event. There are two sessions per day: one free of charge in the daytime and one that costs an admission fee in the nighttime. The nighttime session includes finals for the most popular events, like the blanket toss, for example. An arts and crafts bazaar is a prominent part of WEIO. Traditional dance competitions, fashion shows and music are also part of the games, keeping the Eskimo and Indian value at the forefront of the four-day festival. A complete list of competitions, a schedule of activities, price information and more can be found at www.weio.org.
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
45
Running fever
John Wagner/News-Miner
Dressed as Apple iPhones, Brianna Vogel, left, Elizabeth Brazie, second from left, Jennifer Hannah, third from left, and Jane Hannah participate in the costume contest of the 28th Annual Fairbanks Daily News-Miner Midnight Sun Run. By MOLLY RETTIG mrettig@newsminer.com I hope you brought your running shoes. Fairbanks offers an array of trail running, road running, long bike paths, grueling climbs, 5Ks, 10Ks and a marathon. The terrain varies from easygoing Chena River Bike Trail downtown, the hilly trails of Ester Dome and the dirt paths that snake through the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Runners who live here are a hardy bunch who run not just in summer sun but also in minus-40 temperatures on ice and snow. If you’re looking for running buddies, Running Club North holds separate women’s and men’s training sessions on Tuesday nights starting in May. Fairbanks features a blizzard of events throughout the summer and fall and even snowshoe races in the winter. The most famous runs are the Midnight Sun Run, a 10K near summer solstice, and the Equinox Marathon in the fall. The Midnight Sun Run draws runners and is the impetus for a 10K street party by fans. The flat, fun course is run the weekend before Please see RUNNING, Page 46
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2011 Summer Visitors Guide
RUNNING
SAVE THE DATE
Continued from Page 45
the longest day of the year. It starts at 10 p.m. and brings 4,000 runners and walkers, some wearing elaborate costumes, from The Incredibles to human iPods to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The course is almost a solid line of fans grilling, playing music and spraying runners with hoses and water guns. The Equinox Marathon in September is more vigorous but just as popular. The 26.2 mile run, or 30-mile run or three-person relay, includes 4,000 feet of elevation change and a 2,000 foot climb up Ester Dome in the middle. The Mosquito Meander is another fun 5K in June that starts at Pioneer Park and loops along residential streets and the Chena River bike path.
• Mosquito Meander When: June 11, 10 a.m. Where: Pioneer Park - East Gate Contact: Carol Mattison (907) 456-4729 • Midnight Sun Run When: June 18, 10 p.m. Where: UAF Patty Center Contact: Karen Lindquist (907) 452-7211 ext. 22 or Bev Fantazzi (907) 452-7211 ext. 23 • Equinox Marathon, Relay, Ultramarathon When: Sept. 17, 8 a.m. Where: UAF Patty Center Contact: John Estle: 347-1061 Susan Kramer: 590-5086 • Running Club North Women’s Training When: Tuesdays starting May 3, 6 p.m. Where: West Valley High School track • Running Club North Men’s Training When: Tuesdays starting May 3, 6:30 p.m. Where: West Valley High School track For more information on running and a calendar of events, visit http://www.runningclubnorth.org.
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47
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Golfing under the midnight sun By JOSHUA STRAUB News-Miner intern For golf enthusiasts, Fairbanks offers several full courses to choose from. While the golf season in Alaska tends to be short, the long summer days provide more than enough time to play a few leisurely rounds. The local golf courses usually open the first week of May, but are subject to delay in accordance with weather conditions. Because weather dictates when the course opens, it is wise to call the pro shop or club house in case they decide to allow an early or late tee off this season.
Chena Bend Golf Course
Fairbanks Golf and Country Club The Fairbanks Golf and Country Club can be found at 1735 Farmers Loop. The course’s hours of operation start at 8 a.m. and close at
10 p.m., however, the hours increase with the available daylight as the summer solstice nears. From June 1 to June 20, the greens are open 24 hours. The clubhouse offers a revamped menu for a fine dining experience, as well as a full bar for avid golfers lookPlease see GOLF, Page 49
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Noel Wien Library 459-1020 1215 Cowles Street - Fairbanks 10 AM – 9 PM 10 AM – 6 PM 10 AM – 5 PM 1 PM – 5 PM
Monday-Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday (Sept - May)
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North Pole Branch Library 488-6101 601 Snowman Lane – North Pole 11 AM – 9 PM Tuesday & Wednesday 11 AM – 6 PM Thursday & Friday 11 AM – 5 PM Saturday
Bright, cheerful air conditioned areas to sit, read, listen, converse, and compute - while sipping your favorite covered beverage
Children’s Story Garden, glorious flower beds, and neighboring park with wildflower garden at Noel Wien
Free Internet! • Computers with high-speed access • USB support for most cameras and thumb drives • Wireless and hardwired access for personal laptops
Plus: • Temporary Library Cards – $20 non-refundable fee • Local newspapers from the early 1900’s +, old phone books • Local history & travel information • Newspapers – local, regional & international • Photocopiers & printers • Free paperback exchange & used books for sale • Special summer children’s activities and events • Artwork by well-known Alaskan artists throughout Noel Wien • Phone books for all of Alaska & northwest Canada and pay phone
Visit us on the web: www.fnsblibrary.org
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Voted Alaska’s Best by Golf Digest in 1999, 2007, 2008 and 2009, Chena Bend Golf course can be found nestled between the east end of Fort Wainwright and the Chena River. The par-72, 18-hole golf course also received a fourstar rating in Golf Digest’s 2008 and 2009 editions of “Best Places to Play.” Dubbed “Farthest North Military Golf Course,” this course requires a gate pass that can be obtained by stopping by the post visitor’s center at the front gate where Airport Way intersects with the Steese Highway. Proper identification, proof of insurance and your vehicle’s registration are required to get a day pass to drive onto base. Active duty, retired military and DOD authorized civilians should call five days in advance, and civilians may call three days in advance of play. Chena Bend’s hours are 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday. The course also offer a self-serve, 275 yard driving range, open 24 hours a day. Civilian prices are $34 for 9 holes and $42 for the full 18 holes. There are military discounts that vary with rank for golfers with a valid military ID. The clubhouse can be reached at 353-6223 or you
can visit them online at http://ftwainwrightfmwr.com/ chenabendgolf.html
48
2011 Summer Visitors Guide
‘Meet you at the Market!’ Staff Report Colorful displays of fresh farm produce, flowers, trees and bedding plants, jams, berries, herbs and fresh baked goods interspersed with artisan booths featuring pottery, jewelry, clothing, crafts, artwork and food vendors make up the everexpanding Tanana Valley Farmers Market. Starting in the spring, the market features Alaska Grown agricultural products such as greenhouse produce and bedding plants. As the season progresses, booth spaces fill to overflowing with garden vegetables and flowers. Shoppers will find locally grown strawberries, raspberries, plums and even apples, and wild blueberries and cranberries. And as the days cool, winter storage crops appear in abundance. A truism one former vendor was fond of saying to customers was, “The produce is thousands of miles fresher than anything you can buy at grocery stores.” Homesteaders followed gold rush stampeders north more than a century ago and farming in the Tanana Val-
Eric Engman/News-Miner
The Tanana Valley Farmer’s Market was bustling with business last summer.
IF YOU GO • The market opens Saturday, May 7 and will continue through September. • Hours are: Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. • Beginning May 22, the market will open on Sundays as well from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
ley during the intense summer season has continued ever since. The Tanana Valley Farmers Market is the oldest established farmers market in the state and is the only
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one located in its own permanent building on its own property. A wide selection of produce is available all summer long, some from greenhouse growers, large family gardens and farms including some that are certified organic. Market vendors and patrons develop friendships over the season as the former provide quality goods, be it food, artwork, crafts, plants or just exchange goodnatured conversation with the latter as they browse. Thai, Greek, Asian and American food booths tempt market-goers with fresh, hot specialties. Conveniently nearby is a picnic table eating area to sit, relax and visit with friends or family, or simply relish the food and the day. The social, informal atmosphere both in the market building booths or the evergrowing cluster of whitetopped tents surrounding it, makes each shopping trip an interesting and fun experience.
49
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner hour pick from a plethora of international courses, drive that golf ball into the display screen and stand there as the virtual reality game charts the path of your ball and simulates your every play. Indoor Golf and Batting Cages is located at 160 Old Steese Highway.
GOLF Continued from Page 47
ing to cool down in between rounds. The golf course sports a driving range that typically opens earlier in the season than the rest of course for golfers with a little rust on their clubs. The price for playing nine holes is $20 and $30 for the full 18. Cart fees start at $10 per person for 9 holes and $15 per person for 18. To contact the Fairbanks Golf and Country Club, call the pro shop at 479-6555.
For info, call 455-4368.
North Star Golf Club
Indoor Golf and Batting Cages For golfers exhausted after a long day of sightseeing or disappointed by unexpected weather, you can still get that round of golf in without traversing the greens and lugging around the irons. Use your clubs at Indoor Golf and Batting Cages’ virtual golf facility. For $25 an
Located at 330 Golf Club Drive, the North Star Golf Club is the United States Golf Association’s northernmost rated course. As the daylight lengthens, so do the hours with a peak playing time of 20 hours during the summer solstice. Early birdies can start at 6 a.m. and end as night-owls at 2 a.m. Green fees are $20 to play a nine-hole round and $30 for an 18-hole round. Golf cart rentals are available for $25 per 18 holes. Club rentals are also available for $20, though a visitors’
special that includes 18 holes, a towel, logo ball, cart and club rentals is also offered. For more information or to make reservations, call the clubhouse at 457-4653 or visit their website at www.northstargolf.com
Mini Golf Fairbanks at Pioneer Park For the die-hard mini golfer and families with little ones, try Mini Golf Fairbanks at Pioneer Park located at 2300 Airport Way. Fun for all ages, the miniature golf course boasts two 18-hole putting greens filled with quirky obstacles. Mini Golf Alaska is open every day, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. during the season. General admission is $4.50 for 18 holes and $6.50 for 36. Children cost $3; $5, and tykes are $1; $2. A pro rate is offered for those who wish to play 6 games and sliding-scale discounts are available for groups of 10 players or more.
Oil pipeline fuels state’s economy The trans-Alaska oil pipeline snakes across 800 miles of Alaska wilderness, crossing forests, tundra, three mountains ranges and hundreds of rivers and streams. Since it was built in the 1970s at a cost of $8 billion — reportedly the largest privately funded construction project of its time — more than 16 billion barrels of oil has gushed through the 48inch pipe to the Port of Valdez, where it is loaded into tankers bound for refineries
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on the West Coast. Oil is the lifeblood of Alaska’s economy and some have compared the building of the trans-Alaska oil pipeline to the Klondike gold rush. Every state resident benefits from oil. Royalties paid by oil producers provide money to operate state government and contributions to
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Staff Report
50
2011 Summer Visitors Guide trans-Alaska oil pipeline, in part, to thank. About half the pipeline is buried underground but the rest is elevated above ground because of permafrost, which is permanently frozen soil. The pipeline can be seen from various areas in Fair-
PIPELINE Continued from Page 49
In 2010, every qualifying man, woman and child in Alaska received $1,281 from Permanent Fund investment earnings, and they have the
banks and along the Dalton and Richardson highways. An official pipeline viewing area is located along the Steese Highway near Fox. Visitors can touch the pipeline there and read about it on visual displays. A gift store is also located at the viewing area.
For information on Fairbanks and Interior Alaska call (907) 456-5774, visit www.explorefairbanks.com or stop by the Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitors Center located at 101 Dunkel Street in Fairbanks, open 8 a.m.–9 p.m. daily during the summer.
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51
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Let’s go panning
Staff Report Though the thought of striking it rich is not what brings flocks of people to Fairbanks anymore, visitors still can share in the fun of panning for gold. Fairbanks remains one of the few places
in Alaska where visitors can try their luck with a gold pan. Visitors who want to scour backcountry areas for gold should get the right equipment and a good map before heading out. Please see GOLD, Page 52
For information on Fairbanks and Interior Alaska call (907) 456-5774, visit www.explorefairbanks.com or stop by the Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitors Center located at 101 Dunkel Street in Fairbanks, open 8 a.m.–9 p.m. daily during the summer.
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Fairbanks Convention & Visitors Bureau
Come watch us weave! Gift Shop Features Alaskan Made:
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Handwoven Rag Rugs created from recycled clothing pottery • jewelry • soap syrups/jams • art cards and more!
of the with
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Personal, home visit with this celebrated musher and author, Mary Shields, the first woman to complete the Iditarod. Share her stories of 42 years living in the North. Hands-on experience with big friendly huskies. Small groups. Call for reservations.
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Most tours will be at 10am or 7:30pm
52
2011 Summer Visitors Guide
CHICKENSTOCK
GOLD Continued from Page 51
Gary Black/News-Miner
This summer boasts the fifth annual Chickenstock, billed as the “Top of the World” music festival, where you can get your fill of bluegrass and mingle with the locals. For more on community of Chicken and Chickenstock, see Page 78.
10379997-5-7-11VG
Fairbanks Convention & Visitors Bureau For information on Fairbanks and Interior Alaska call (907) 456-5774, visit www.explorefairbanks.com or stop by the Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitors Center located at 101 Dunkel Street in Fairbanks, open 8 a.m.–9 p.m. daily during the summer.
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Jim Madonna of Alaskan Prospectors said the four main things every panner needs are a sizing screen, a pan, a vile and a sniffer bottle. “The sizing screen is used to separate out the big rocks so you are only panning the fine material. This will speed up the panning process by 50 percent,” Madonna said. After panning the fine material, gold flecks can be removed from the pan with the sniffer bottle, which is used like an oversized eye dropper. Some of the other suggested equipment for gold panning are a magnifying lens, a small magnet for separating out magnetic black sands, and rubber gloves and boots to keep your hands and feet dry and warm. There are several areas open to the general public for both gold panning and sluicing. Recreational gold panners should keep in mind that they can only pan in these areas and where they have permission from the property’s owner. Bachelor Creek, located 80 miles north of Fairbanks on the Steese Highway, is a remote mining area. A four-mile hike off the main road, the mining area offers no camping facilities. Nome Creek is located north of the Steese Highway in the White Mountains National Recreation Area. Gold was first discovered here in the 1990s and has since had a rich history of gold finds. There are three camping areas at Nome Creek including facilities such as outhouses and drinking water. Visitors are charged a small recreation fee. Pedro Dome, located 25 miles north of Fairbanks, is a relatively small, 1-acre mining area. Felix Pedro first discovered gold here in 1902. No restrooms are available, and you will need to bring your own food and drinking water. “Gold panning is truly an adventure to remember,” Madonna said. “It is one of the most rewarding adventures in Alaska, being able to pan for gold like our pioneers.”
53
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Take in some Shakespeare For almost 20 years, Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre has been serving as Alaska’s only true Shakespeare company. Each year, FST performs a series of classics, and of course, lots of Shakespeare. This summer, it will be performing Shakespeare’s “The Comedy of Errors” at the main stage at Jack Townsend Point on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus. The company’s summer drama camp, the Groundlings, will be performing “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” The troupe will be directed by guest artist Terry Lynn LeCompte, a stage actress from New York City. The Groundlings are part of two summer drama camps for children. The Groundlings are for ages 13-18 while the Fledglings are for ages 7-12. Education is a large part of the company’s repertoire and a reason they took a touring production of “Twelfth Night” on the road. In April, they visited about 20 schools, both on and off the road system, thanks to a National Endowment for the Arts “Shakespeare for a New Generation” $25,000 matching grant. FST was one of 40 Shakespeare companies in the U.S. awarded the grant. They performed a short
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version of “Twelfth Night” to students in places like Kotzebue, Nome, Kenai and Kodiak. The traveling company also led workshops on Shakespeare in each community. This summer’s production “The Comedy of Errors” will be directed by Tom Robenolt. Robenolt has had a heavy had in other FST productions, directing last fall’s “Of Mice and Men” and this winter’s “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged.)” Each year, the company stages its summer production at the outdoor stage at Jack Townsend Point. The plays go on, rain or shine, few bugs or bad bugs. Last year, the company staged the musical version of “The Two Gentlemen of Verona” and the classical Shakespearian comedy “Measure for Measure.” So don’t forget the bug spray and rain jackets. But be prepared for a big city “Shakespeare in the Park” experience in a little city. Contact features writer Suzanna Caldwell at 459-7504.
Pick up the Daily News-Miner for information on local community activities.
21380626-5-7-11VG
By SUZANNA CALDWELL scaldwell@newsminer.com
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM • 7:30 p.m. July 1-3, 2 p.m. July 3
THE COMEDY OF ERRORS • July 8-24 All performed on the main stage at Jack Townsend Point at UAF.
A laska Bird
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Advancing the appreciation, understanding and conservation of birds and their habitats through research and education.
Visit our gift shop You will love our sweet little nature store. We carry unique items for the nature lover in your life. Your purchase helps support the Alaska Bird Observatory fund education and research programs.
M-F 9:30-5 418 Wedgewood Dr • 451-7159 www.alaskabird.org
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2011 Summer Visitors Guide
Gold mining’s history lesson
Eric Engman/News-Miner
Visitors filter through the dredge during a tour of the Goldstream Dredge No. 8 off the Old Steese Highway. By JEFF RICHARDSON jrichardson@newsminer.com
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Plenty of visitors to Interior Alaska have been drawn to the area by gold fever. Those who are fascinated by the precious metal today can learn more about its history at a pair of local attractions. The Riverboat Discovery owns two businesses north of Fairbanks that offer views of different sides of Alaska gold mining — El Dorado Gold Mine and Gold Dredge No. 8. El Dorado, located at 1.3 Mile Elliott Highway, gives a glimpse of a mom-and-pop mining operation in the north. Visitors board a replica Tanana Valley Railroad car, which travels the perimeter of the mine and offers a glimpse inside a permafrost tunnel, which offers a peek at the challenges behind mining in the permanently frozen ground commonly found in Interior Alaska. The two-hour tour also includes talks with miners, who teach about modern-day placer mining methods. Please see DREDGE, Page 55
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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
EL DORADO GOLD MINE
YUKON QUEST
• 1.3 Mile Elliott Highway • 9:45 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday-Friday; 3 p.m. Saturdays; open May 17-Sept. 23 • $34.95 adults, $22.95 ages 3-12 • A $5 shuttle is available at Riverboat Discovery, Pike’s Landing, River’s Edge and the Yukon Quest office • Information: 907-4796673
GOLD DREDGE NO. 8 • 1755 Old Steese Highway • Daily lunch and selfguided tours • $15 adults, $9.95 ages 3-12 • Information: 907-4796673
John Wagner/News-Miner
Sled dogs show their excitement to run at the starting line of the 2011 Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race in Whitehorse, Yukon.
VISITORS GUIDE ADVERTISING
DREDGE
Act now for 2012
Continued from Page 54
If your business is interested in placing an ad in the 2012 Visitors Guide, fill out and return this coupon. Business Name______________________________________________________________________________ Address____________________________________________________________________________________ City __________________________State ____________ Zip ___________Phone ______________________
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With that experience behind them, visitors can take a trip to the 110-foot sluice box at the site and try their hand at panning for gold. “They’re guaranteed to find some, and they get to keep whatever they find,” said Suzy Fischer, a company spokeswoman. Those who want a view of industrial-sized mining can take a trip to Gold Dredge No. 8, a former mining area at 1755 Old Steese Highway that operated from 1928-59. The actual dredge and old-time mining camp buildings remain at the site, which has been named a National Historic District. Lunch is held there daily, consisting of hearty miner’s stew, a biscuit and crumb cake. Visitors can take a self-guided tour of the grounds as well, with people stationed at various locations to explain how old-time equipment was used. Both attractions are open seasonally, from May 17 to Sept. 23. For more information, call 907-479-6673.
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2011 Summer Visitors Guide
Take a ride on the Tanana Chief Staff Report Want to get a feel for what it would be like traveling the Chena and Tanana rivers in the late 1800s and early 1900s in Fairbanks? Then hop aboard the Tanana Chief sternwheeler. Of course, early Fairbanks settlers probably weren’t treated to a prime rib dinner buffet with all the trimmings, served in a cushy dining area, complete with a no-host bar. But that’s what you get on the Tanana Chief, assuming that you’re willing to pay for it. The cost is $49.95 for adults and $37.50 for children ages 4-12. Children under 4 are free. A trip on the Tanana Chief is worth it, though, said Doug Kenney, sales and marketing manager for Greatland River Tours, which operates the sternwheeler. He called it “a very uniquely Alaskan experience.”
I
N
“A person gets a true experience of how it would feel to be paddle-driven down the Chena River in the late 1800s and early 1900s,” Kenney said. The 33-ton stern-wheeler is a replica of the one built in Unalaska in 1898, which was the first sternwheeler to navigate the Tanana and Chena rivers. While not steam powered, the Tanana Chief is propelled by paddle wheels on the front and back of the boat that are powered by diesel engines. “The boat can literally spin around in a circle,” Kenney said. Now in its 11th year of operation, the Tanana Chief operates from mid May to mid September, offering dinner, brunch, specialty and sightseeing cruises. Dinner cruises run on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings starting at 6:30 p.m. A champagne brunch cruise
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Marketplace FIND Fairbanks online business directory It’s Easy! Just click on the marketplace tab. visit:
Contact the newsroom at 4597572. 21380620-5-7-11VB
• Business Location • Directions with Google Maps • Phone Numbers • Business Hours
runs every other Sunday beginning at noon. The price for the brunch cruise is $36.95 and features The dinner and brunch cruises last about two hours and cover a 10-mile stretch of the Chena River. The boat travels down to the mouth of the Chena River where it flows into the Tanana River and turns around for a return trip back up river. “It’s a very relaxing ride,” Kenney said. The dinner buffet consists of prime rib and king salmon, scalloped potatoes, mixed vegetables, shrimp and macaroni salads, tossed salad and rolls. The brunch buffet features ham, sausage, bacon, potatoes, eggs, biscuits and gravy, fruit and pastries. Reservations are not required but are recommended. The food is prepared in a kitchen prior to the cruise and is still steaming when served. “It comes right out of the oven and is loaded into the boat,” Kenney said. The Tanana Chief also caters private parties for weddings, reunions, anniversaries and other special occasions. “Our clientele is as much locals as it is out-of-towners,” Kenney said. “You get a a nice blend of local flavor.” A covered atrium on top of the boat allows passengers to get a true outdoor experience. The passenger capacity on the boat is 150 people but the dinner and brunch cruises usually average 40 to 80 people, Kenney said. For reservations or information, call 452-8687 or email info@sternwheeler. com. You can also go to http://tananachiefak.com The Tanana Chief is docked at 1020 Hoselton Road, just upstream from the Princess Hotel.
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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Travel the Denali Highway By JEFF RICHARDSON jrichardson@newsminer.com There’s not much civilization to be found on the Denali Highway. For many travelers who make the remote 135-mile trek across Interior Alaska, that’s probably a big part of its attraction.
What the highway lacks in amenities it makes up for in rugged appeal. Snow-capped peaks and glaciers from the nearby Alaska Range are part of the view, along with countless lakes in a setting of alpine tundra and taiga. In the fall the foliage turns into a collection of reds, yellows Please see HIGHWAY, Page 60
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We represent over 25 Alaskan Artisans in our boutique featuring Hand Crafted Jewelry, Gifts, Wearable Art and Much More! Located near the University of Alaska – Stop in for Fairbank’s finest Consignment boutique shopping! Hours: Mon-Fri 10 am-7 pm • Sat 10 am-5 pm • Sun Closed 12383102-5-7-11VG
Campus Corner Mall • 3677 College Road www.fireweedboutique.com • 374-7910
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2011 Summer Visitors Guide
University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Todd Paris
Visitors check out at exhibits in the Rose Berry Alaska Art Gallery at the University of Alaska Museum of the North in Fairbanks.
Museum of the North By DANNY MARTIN dmartin@newsminer.com Don’t expect a quick trip to see everything in the University of Alaska Museum of the North. “It would take a lifetime to look at everything,’’ said Theresa Bakker, communication manager of the six-year-old Interior Alaska landmark that occupies an innovatively shaped, 83,000square-foot building on a hill at the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus. “Just using the informa-
tion that’s available, you would spend days here,’’ Bakker continued, “but of course, like any museum, it’s designed for individuality and flexibility.” A few minutes or a few hours can be enjoyable in the museum, 907 YukonDrive. The state’s only research, learning and collecting museum contains an extensive collection of more than 1.4 million artifacts, specimens, plants, mammals, insects and works of fine art — to name a few of its pos-
Large Animal Research Station Caribou Muskoxen Reindeer Gift Shop Tours 2220 Yankovich Rd.
Summer Season Schedule Online
lars.iab.uaf.edu
sessions. Through May 14, the museum will be operating on its winter schedule, which is 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and closed on Sundays. Summer hours run from May 15 to Sept. 21. They are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. General admission is $10, and it’s $9 for seniors (ages 60 and older) and $5 for youth (7-17). There is free admission for museum members, students in the University of Alaska system with ID and children younger than 7. For more information, call 474-7505. The museum is playing host May 13 to a major exhibit, “Power Play: Energizing, Fueling Alaska’s Future.” The exhibit deals with the role the 49th state has played in producing energy for the world and the types of energy resources that are produced locally. Contact staff writer Danny Martin at 459-7586.
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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Georgeson Botanical Garden Eric Engman/ News-Miner
By MARY BETH SMETZER msmetzer@newsminer.com Curious about what plants flourish under the 24-hour midnight sun other than Alaska’s world-renown giant cabbages? Then a visit to the Georgeson Botanical Garden on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus is a must-see. The three-acre, northernmost public garden in North America is mantled in snow for six months of the year. But each spring as daylight lengthens, eventually spiraling around the clock, the garden comes alive with a bountiful array of flowers, vegetables and herbs, and more than 1,000 perennials. The UAF botanical garden is dedicated to plant science and education in high latitude horticulture which means learning anything about growing plants in the Far North. The garden is used for both research and demonstration and is part of the Alaska Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, which was established in the Tanana Valley in the first decade of the 20th century. The garden is named after Charles Georgeson, director of Alaska Agriculture Experiment Stations at the time, who explored the Tanana Valley for farming sites. Wandering paths throughout the gardens provides visitors the opportunity for interesting, self-guided tours by following brochures and signs. The south-facing gardens also offer a beautiful, panoramic overview of the valley and the Alaska Range and include herb and cutting gardens and a children’s garden that features a maze, miniature log cabin and a water garden. Benches and bird baths and original art sculptures are generously sprinkled throughout the gardens, enhancing its beauty. Annual plantings are limited this summer because a new garden greenhouse is being built.
Garden visitors enjoy the vibrant colors of flowers, including a patch of Rudbeckia Prairie Sun, at the Georgeson Botanical Garden at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
HOURS AND TOURS • The Georgeson Botanical Garden is open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily from May 1 to Sept. 30. • Admission: $3 per person; free for children under 6. • Location: 117 West Tanana Drive on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus. • Information: (907) 474-7222 or visit georgesonbg.org
The Georgeson Botanical Garden Society, formed in 2007 and made up of volunteers and friends of the garden, actively supports the garden’s various educational
and horticultural programs. Members host fundraisers each year, including a plant sale in May and a Victorian Tea Party in June in the gardens.
Order online, or by phone @ 474-6344 Museum-quality reproductions of historical maps and photographs from the collections of the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Watch for our annual Golden Days sale event at Sadlers Home Furnishings, 610 Cushman St., Thursday, July 21 – Saturday, July 23. The Alaska History Store is a nonprofit service of the Elmer E. Rasmuson Library of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. All proceeds are used to continue the preservation and access work of the Rasmuson Library.
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HIGHWAY Continued from Page 57
and greens. The Denali, which is only open from mid-May to October, cuts a lonesome path between the small communities of Paxson and Cantwell. The road isn’t a rental-car zone — the term “highway” is probably a generous one, by most travelers’ standards. More than 100 miles of the road is gravel, and
2011 Summer Visitors Guide potholes and areas with washboard should be expected. The Bureau of Land Management recommends a top speed of 30 mph over unpaved portions of the road when no other vehicles are in sight. Since the Parks Highway opened in 1971, the Denali has been bypassed by most travelers. Vehicles should gas up at either end of the Denali, because there are no chances to buy fuel along the way. The payoff of the Denali is its gorgeous scenery and unspoiled atmosphere. The
peaks of Mount Hayes, Mount Hess and Mount Deborah are visible, along with crossings at the Delta and Gulkana rivers. Anglers can find more than 20 lakes along the drive, with grayling, Dolly Varden and lake trout plentiful. The Tangle River Inn, located 20 miles from Paxson, offers dining, rooms and canoe rentals alongside a chain of scenic lakes. A BLM Campground is located about a mile farther down the Denali, with about 25 picnic tables and fire rings.
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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Chena Hot Springs Resort By GLENN BURNSILVER gburnsilver@newsminer.com
• Natural mineral hot springs open daily 7 a.m. to midnight • Adult swim pass (ages 18 and up ) $10 • Seniors (ages 62 and up) $8 • Children (ages 6-17) $7 • Children 5 and under are free with paying adult • Towel rental $5 (free for over night guests) • Information: (907) 451-8104, Ext. 4
and hot tubs. Both are open daily from 7 a.m. to midnight. The resort also boasts the Aurora Ice Museum, featuring a full-size ice bar, ice bedrooms, a two-story fort, an igloo, even an ice outhouse — all lit by ice chandeliers. “Chena Hot Springs is nature at its best,” said Bernie Karl, who owns the resort with his wife, Connie Parks-Karl. The resort also offers several packages from which visitors
Please see SPRINGS, Page 70
All trails lead to…
Pleasant Valley Store (907) 488-9501
23.5 Mile Chena Hot Springs Road Gas • Groceries Sporting Goods • Ice Alaskan Gifts Information Alaska Hunting/ Fishing License Post Office
18380212-5-7-11-VG
Chena Hot Springs became a famous stopover for ailing prospectors in the 1890s. Today, more than 110 years later, the springs are a popular resort featuring indoor and outdoor hot pools (with a small locker area and shower facilities), lodging and camping, restaurants and much more. The 440-acre full-service resort, just 56 miles from Fairbanks at the end of Chena Hot Springs Road, offers overnight stays in the Moose Lodge, signature rooms, family suites or a cabin by the creek. Do it yourself and stay in one of the many yurts, or pitch a tent. RV facilities also are available. The Aurora Café and the Trails End Lounge offer creative fare from hearty breakfasts, to lunches and dinners of salmon to salads, and includes a children’s menu. The resort includes the natural mineral hot spring adult rock lake and hot tub, open for those 18 and older, and an indoor family pool
IF YOU GO
may choose. The Evening at Chena is a six-hour tour that includes a Holland America Tours motor coach to and from Fairbanks, buffet dinner, Aurora Ice Museum tour and the
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2011 Summer Visitors Guide
It’s a good time in Fox By MARY BETH SMETZER msmetzer@newsminer.com Unless you’re a local, you might miss the tiny crossroads community of Fox, located 10 miles north of Fairbanks on the Steese Highway. Originally a mining camp established in 1905, Fox’s mining history is still apparent in the mounds of tailing piles left over from decades of gold dredging, now studded with small homes and abandoned heavy mining equipment. Although the tiny hamlet is off the beaten path, its big draw to Fairbanksans and tourists alike is a popular selection of dining and drinking establishments. Fox boasts the only local brew pub, Silver Gulch Brewing and Bottling Co., the northernmost brewery in North America, and crafts a dozen different beers in a converted roadhouse. The brewery is located with a pub and restaurant, which features three banquet rooms and a gift shop that sells logo-related merchandise from clothing to pint glasses. The well-regarded restaurant features upscale pub fare, opening daily at 4 p.m. On weekends, both Saturday and Sunday, brunch begins at 11 a.m. Another Fairbanks favorite, The Turtle Club, is just
John Wagner/News-Miner
Halie Fazio, center, and Ann-Marie Mazzillo, bring orders to customers at Boomers Tri-Five Drive-In in Fox. down the way and consistently rates among the best restaurants in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner Readers Choice Awards. The house specialty is prime rib, featuring a Miner’s Cut of 20 ounces or more. A selection of seafood and an ultra fresh salad bar keep patrons coming back. From May through October, the nearby Howling Dog Saloon reopens its vintage roadhouse bar and dance floor for those seeking to party hearty and dance. The “Dog” attracts a wide spectrum of devotees including college students, bikers and business men. Live bands play everything from reggae to rock ’n’ roll on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Thursdays are blues nights and there are bonus perfor-
www.silvergulch.com
12379860-5-7-11VG
99712
mances on other nights. Inside, the building is festooned with clothing hanging from the ceiling and a “backyard” has areas for horseshoes and beach volleyball. Other offerings are a bar menu of hamburgers, pizza and espresso and 10 rental cabins for overnight stays. Another summer only establishment, mid-May to mid-August, is the TriFive Drive In at the corner of the Old Steese Highway and Goldstream Road. Tony Miller opened the nostalgic 50s-style drive last summer decorated with vintage ads, pin-up girls and old photos. Car hops take orders and deliver cheeseburgers, fish baskets and root beer floats right to your car door. The Fox General Store provides gas pumps outdoors and groceries and a liquor store indoors. Just up the road on the Elliott Highway is the renowned Fox Spring, where Fairbanksans have been collecting clear, sweet water for decades. Pull into the turnout, and fill up your thermos before heading back to Fairbanks. On the way back to Fairbanks, at Mile 8 Steese Highway, another pullout offers a close up look at the transAlaska pipeline with a display detailing its history.
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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
The Yukon Quest By SUZANNA CALDWELL scaldwell@newsminer.com This year, 25 mushers left the starting chute in Whitehorse, Yukon, to compete in the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog. A tough trail forced almost half of the starters to end their journey before the finish line in Fairbanks and only 13 finished. However, extreme cold and rough conditions didn’t stop 23-year-old Dallas Seavey from winning the 1,000-mile sled dog race in 10 days, 11 hours and 53 minutes. He is the youngest to win and the first rookie to place first since Lance Mackey did in 2005. There might not be much mushing happening during the summer, but visitors can still experience the Yukon Quest without dealing with the cold. “People will come in sweating, but then watch a race video where it’s 50 below out
and they get cold” said Marti Steury, Yukon Quest executive director. The Yukon Quest was established in 1984. The trail starts in Fairbanks during even-numbered years and Whitehorse in odd-numbered years. The route follows historic gold rush and mail trails through Canada and Alaska. The log cabin just off First Avenue next to the Chena River serves as race headquarters in Alaska. During the race, which starts in February, HAM radio operators set up inside as fans and officials come in hoping to learn a little bit about the event that is considered one of the mushing world’s most difficult endurance races. For the summer season the cabin serves primarily as a retail store with souvenirs and race memorabilia available for sale. Steury said there are also storytellers on hand to retell
race tales to anyone interested in learning more about the Quest. Videos of the race are shown and are also available for purchase. Even though it’s the offseason for mushing, a local musher brings in sled dogs — the Yukon Quest’s true “athletes”— for people to visit with. Visitors can pet, give them biscuits or pose with the dogs in their mini-dog lot behind the cabin. Steury said last year they had adoptable dogs in the pen for a while. A mother dog and her eight pups were all adopted. The Quest hopes the headquarters give people a better idea of what the race is all about. Yukon Quest International Headquarters: • 550 First Avenue • Monday-Friday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. • Saturday/ Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Fairbanks’ Golden Days By SAM FRIEDMAN sfriedman@newsminer.com Every July, Fairbanks celebrates the discovery of gold with a host of events including the competition for ugliest Frontier Feet and what is possibly the largest parade in Alaska. The celebration marks the discovery of gold by Felix Pedro in 1902. Attendees are encouraged to don turn-of-thecentury garb for Golden Days. At the least, plan on wearing a Golden Days pin or garter during the four-day festival. Be warned: if you spotted without festive attire you can be sent to the famous Golden Days Jail. This year the fun begins July 20 and runs through July 24. Most of the action takes
Bridge and race to the Cushman Street Bridge downtown. Most of the Golden Days events are kid friendly, but others were designed with adults in mind.
MOTEL & CAFE
Dance to Live Music 3 + Nights a Week!
in Beautiful Downtown Fox Junction of Hwys 2 & 6 Groceries • Propane • ATM Liquor • Beer • Wine Hunting/Fishing Licenses
Open M-Fr 4 P.M. Sat & Sun Noon
Open 5:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. 7 days a week Last 24 hr. gas going North
2226 Old Steese Hwy. No.
907-457-8903
2160 (11 mi.) Old Steese Hwy Fox, Alaska, 99712
456-HOWL (4695) www.howlingdogsaloon.com
12379879-5-7-11VG
378-4769
Fox General Store
12379907VG11
1944 Old Steese June – Mid Sept
12379934-5-7-11VG
Fox Motel
place along the Chena River in downtown Fairbanks and in Pioneer Park, a historic theme park to the west of the city center. The culminating event of the festival is a parade on Saturday, which features more than 100 entries. Another highlight is the Rubber Duckie race down the Chena River on Saturday afternoon. This year there will be more than $25,000 in prizes. The ducks are dumped into the river at the Wendell Street
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2011 Summer Visitors Guide
The Steese Highway Twelve-Mile and Eagle Summits, 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 Dawson City. More than 1,000 people lived in the town, which was named in the mistaken belief that it was located on the Arctic Circle, which is really 40 miles north.
Staff Report The 160-mile Steese Highway retraces a century of historic gold mining. The first 53 miles are paved — the rest is an adventure. It offers road access to the vast White Mountains Recreation Area, where you can pan for gold at Nome Creek at 57 Mile and hike, fish and camp. Much of the area was burned by a massive wildfire in 2004 and hillsides are still strewn with charred trees. The Steese Highway winds through the scenic Chatanika River Valley. The town of Chatanika, created by mining activity, was once 10,000 people strong. Chatanika Gold Camp is the site of the old Fairbanks Exploration Co. Camp, built in the 1920s. The camp is on the National Register of Historic Places. For more information, visit www.fegoldcamp.com. Just down the road at 28.5 Mile is a large rustic lodge,
Ron & Shirley Franklin
CHATANIKA LODGE Across highway from Alaska’s 2nd Largest Gold Dredge!
Rustic Alaskan Atmosphere Saloon•Country Cooking•Lodging Fishing & Hiking Nearby
DON’T FORGET ... to drive the winding road to Circle, on the banks of the Yukon River. Before gold was discovered in Dawson City, Circle, founded in 1893, was the largest gold mining town on the river.
across the street from Gold Dredge No. 3. The Chatanika Lodge was established in the 1930s as a trading post. The lodge’s Alaska decor showcases its hearty fare, with a full kitchen serving breakfast, lunch and dinner from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Stop at Long Creek Trading Post at 45 Mile for an espresso or ice cream. The trading post offers canoe rentals, groceries, camping, liquor and local advice on good fishing and gold panning spots. RV parking and a dump station are available. A 2.5-mile loop offers access to the Davidson Ditch. The ditch is an 83-mile series of 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
Live music by Theresa Bauer Sunday afternoons 5-9pm
5760 (281⁄2 Mi.) Steese Hwy. Fairbanks, AK 99712
chatanika.ak@att.net
12379877-5-7-11VG
Fax: 907-389-2166
907-520-5800
12383134 2011VG
Cafe • Saloon • Store Gas/Diesel • Motel • Cabins WiFi • Showers • Laundry CentralCorner@hotmail.com In the heart of the Circle Mining District 128 Mile Steese Highway
907-389-2164
C HATANIKA G OLD C AMP R E S TA U R A N T • RV Parking • Camping • Old Chatanika Schoolhouse/Museum
L O D G I N G
S A L O O N
Preserving Interior Alaska’s Mining History • National Register of Historic Places
Open Daily 11 a.m.– 9 p.m. (Closed Mondays) • 5550 (Mile 28) Steese Hwy • (907) 389-2414
12348543-5-7-11VG
• Sunday Brunch • Fine or Casual Dining • Outdoor Deck with view of Mining Valley • Beautiful Trails
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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Delta Junction Delta Junction
Rapids St
Deborah St
R I V E R
Kimball St
Nistler Rd
2
4
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Delta Junction, located at the end of the 1,422-mile Alaska Highway, is a little more quaint than Alaska’s larger cities. The town is home to about 800 people, is agriculturally minded and offers stunning views of the Alaska Range and, on clear days, the Granite Mountains. The town is rich in crops of straw, oats, grass seed and potatoes, as well as livestock and dairy and exotic animals — especially unique to find in Alaska’s chilly Interior. A drive out of town in any direction will give testament to the beauty of more than 130,000 acres of agricultural land surrounded by Alaska’s mountains. Perhaps the largest tourist attraction in Delta is Sullivan’s Roadhouse, rescued from Alaska’s old trail system nearly 20 miles from Delta. It provides a peek into life as it was back in the days when traveling through Alaska demanded steely nerves and firm resolve. Sullivan’s Roadhouse is situated next to the Visitor’s Center, another must-hit spot for information, picture opportunities and displays in Delta and is the oldest original roadhouse in Interior Alaska. It’s home to an impressive roadhouse museum, a beautiful garden and ancient machinery that was used to build the Alaska Highway. Nine miles northwest of town, Rika’s Roadhouse in Big Delta offers another spot that shouldn’t be missed. The roadhouse was once an important stop for travelers and is now a beautifully restored site with many original buildings filled with artifacts of the era. A restaurant and gift shop are on site, along with another beautiful garden, geese, ducks and goats and a fantastic view of the Tanana River.
D E L T A
By RENEE THONY rthony@newsminer.com
4 DeeDee Hammond/News-Miner
Blue-ribbon arctic grayling fishing in the Delta Clearwater River, hiking Donnelly Dome and hunting big game animals are all recreational activities to be found in Delta. Camping is available at Quartz Lake, Lost Lake, Fielding Lake, the Clearwater River and Rika’s Roadhouse. The Buffalo Drive-In is a local favorite, open only in the summer, and makes a mean buffalo burger. It’s a good place to catch up with friends and enjoy an ice cream cone.
Alaska’s Friendly Frontier
DELTA JUNCTION Services & Attractions • Visitor Information Center Mile 1422 Alaska Highway Delta Junction 99737
2011 Events Friendly Frontier Days May 28
Deltana Fair July 29–31
Halloween Bash to be announced For further information:
Delta Chamber of Commerce P.O. Box 987 FDNM Delta Junction, Alaska 99737 (907) 895-5068 TOLL FREE1-877-895-5068 e-mail: deltacc@deltachamber.org http://www.deltachamber.org
End of the Alaska Highway
18379770 5-7-11VG
• Historical Sullivan Roadhouse Museum • Highway’s End Farmers Market • Big Delta State Historical Park • State camping grounds, Private RV parks with full hookups • Great fishing, hunting in season, and hiking throughout the season • Gifts, Groceries, Motels, Bed & Breakfasts, Restaurants. • Largest free-roaming bison herd in Alaska • Quartz Lake: fishing, hiking, camping, picnics, cabins
Stop at the Visitor Center to see our displays and find out more about what to see and do in Delta! “End of Alaska Highway” Certificates available for $1.00
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2011 Summer Visitors Guide
Alaska H
wy
TOK For more visitor information about Tok, go to www. tokalaskainfo.com. The Tok Mainsteet Visitors Center can be reached by calling 907-883-5775.
With about 1,400 residents, Tok — the name rhymes with poke — is known for its crossroads location and extremely cold winter weather. The Tok Chamber of Commerce even embraces the reputation on its website, touting the town as “The coldest inhabited community in North America … with warm, friendly people.” The record-low temperature of minus 71 degrees Fahren-
W Willow Av e
Borealis Ave
DeeDee Hammond/News-Miner
heit was recorded in January 1965. Tok got its start as an Alaska Road Commission camp for the construction of the Alaska and Glenn highways in the 1940s. According to local lore, the town is named after a husky pup that lived in one of the road construction camps. Today, Tok offers plenty of amenities — 290 hotel rooms, six bed and breakfasts, and seven RV parks among them. The town has five restaurants, four gas
stations and a grocery store. It also has a vibrant dog mushing scene, and Alaska Native crafts are available at several gift shops. For travelers, the Tok Mainstreet Visitors Center (907-883-5775) is a good place to start. The log building, located at the highway junction, includes travel brochures, highway information and help finding local lodging and attractions. Contact staff writer Jeff Richardson at 459-7518.
From College Rd go north on Margaret Ave., right on Wedgewood Dr., left just past Visitor Center. Watch for signs.
Our gift shop carries unique items for the nature lover in your life.
Your purchase helps support ABO in its mission to advance the appreciation, understanding and conservation of birds and their habitats through research and education.
418 Wedgewood Dr. • www.alaskabird.org • 451-7159
IKA’S OADHOUSE
& LANDING
11233215 02VG
Milepost 275 Richardson Hwy Delta Junction AK, 99737 One-quarter mile from the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Tanana River Crossing Tel. 907-895-4201 Fax 907-895-4787 www.rikas.com
Roadhouse Five Other Buildings 10 Acre Park Pavilion Restaurant & Gift Shop “Best food on the Alaska Highway!” –Seattle Intelligencer
M-F 9:30-5
RV PARKING Ample turn-around space Open 7 days a week Roadhouse & Building Restaurant Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 11378285-5-7-11VG
1909–2011
3rd Ave
Post Office Park Visitors Center State Troopers
Tok
A laska Bird Observatory
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Center St.
Sanford Dr
Red Fox Dr E Chena Way
Tok Cut Glen off Hwy n Hw y
gh St.
Scoby Way
Gillam W ay
Sourdou
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Sundog
Motorists entering Alaska through the Yukon Territory, either via the Alaska Highway or the Taylor Highway, will encounter the first significant settlement in the community of Tok.
Trail
McKenzie Tra il
By JEFF RICHARDSON jrichardson@newsminer.com
Moose Horn Rd
Stop and see what’s up in Tok
10 Acre Grounds Park & Dump Station Open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
The lure of North Pole By RENEE THONY rthony@newsminer.com So, you’re planning a trip to Alaska. Let me guess what’s near the top of your “must see” list. North Pole. And why shouldn’t it be? The Christmas-themed town, only 13 miles south of Fairbanks, is home to the Santa Claus House, 60-below temperatures (in the wintertime, of course) and beautiful displays of the northern lights (also in winter.) The theme of the city is “Where the Spirit
of Christmas Lives Year Around,” and the businesses and residents of North Pole work hard at living up to that theme and the unique name of their town. The streets have holiday names like Santa Claus Lane, St. Nicholas Drive, Kris Kringle, Snowman Lane, Holiday Road, North Star Drive, Blitzen and Donnor. Businessmen adorn Christmas-themed ties all year long, the light poles are dressed like candy canes, and, well, Santa Claus lives there. Please see NORTH POLE, Page 68
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2011 Summer Visitors Guide
Baseball under the Midnight Sun Staff Report You’ve never seen baseball like this. Fairbanks celebrates the national pastime in a way as unique as the city itself — playing at midnight without any artificial lights. The Midnight Sun Game begins at 10:30 p.m. June 21, the longest day of the year, at Growden Memorial Park. Playing baseball into the morning hours without artificial light has been a Fairbanks tradition since 1904. The summer-solstice spectacle began 105 years ago from — what else? — a bar
bet. The game was played with local teams until the Alaska Goldpanners were formed in 1960 and took the hosting duties. The Goldpanners are a summer-league team of college players that has seen more than 200 young men go on to play professionally. Barry Bonds, Tom Seaver and Dave Winfield are some of the most famous former Goldpanners. Visiting teams come from across the country and occasionally from across the globe. Growden has field lights, but they’ve never been used for the Midnight Sun Game.
Rumor has it they’re not even plugged in. Sometimes the game can last as late as 2 a.m. It has been called off for rain, but never for darkness. Tickets can be purchased at www.goldpanners.com. Early entry passes are available, and seats are firstcome, first-serve. Not in town for the summer solstice? The Goldpanners’ home schedule began June 10 and ends in July. Most games are at 7 p.m. For more information, visit www.alaskabaseballlegue. com.
NORTH POLE: Christmas is year-round Continued from Page 67
In 1944, before it was ever a town, North Pole was the Bon Davis homestead. The town started when Davis subdivided and settlers bought lots and set up housing. While people argued over the name of the fledging town — names like “Moose Crossing” were thrown around — the buyers of most of the homestead, the Dahl and Gaske Develop-
ment Co., thought the name North Pole would attract a toy manufacturer. While that didn’t happen, the name stuck and became the official name of the city, which was incorporated in 1953. James Ford was appointed as the first mayor. A small school was built the same year in a donated house, and the city had to scrape up $100 a month to pay a teacher to educate the 30 students. It wasn’t long before
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North Pole Trading Post opened, KJNP radio went on the air, churches were built and businesses began popping up, seemingly out of nowhere. The new businesses helped North Pole grow, yes, but it was the Santa Claus House, started in 1952, that sealed the identity that would take the city from brand new to recognized worldwide. Life seems a little slower and simpler in North Pole, without the hustle and bustle of a booming city, and the people are not only friendly, but proud of where they live, eager to assist camera-toting tourists find their way to the reindeer pen, Mistletoe Lane or the home of the jolly man himself.
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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Chena Lake Recreation Area Staff Report When you want to get away from town and bask in some of Alaska’s wondrous beauty, you don’t have to hop a charter flight or drive for endless miles. You can travel just a few miles south of North Pole and visit Chena Lake Recreation Area. A popular recreation spot for residents and visitors alike, Chena Lake Recreation Area covers more than 2,000 acres and is comprised of two segments. The Lake Park, with a 260-acre lake and broad sandy beaches, is where sunbathers and swimmers gather to relax and play under the midnight sun. This park has three volleyball courts, a horseshoe pit, playground, multiple day-use picnic sites, two covered pavilions, two changing room/warm up buildings, two designated swimming areas, a boat rental, two fishing docks (one handicap accessible), a lake boat launch, potable water stations and restrooms. The River Park covers four miles of the Chena River and boasts a volleyball court and horseshoe pit. There is a covered pavilion, a changing room/warm up building and a variety of picnic sites, restrooms and fire rings. The highlight of the area is the 4.5 kilometer self-guided nature trail and the river boat launch. Both sites have campgrounds. There are also five tent camping sites on the island located in the Lake
Eric Engman/News-Miner
Evelynn Combs stays still as she is buried in sand by her sister Lorinda Combs, left, and Timbre Koch, right, as they play in the sand at the Chena Lake Recreation Area swimming area. Park. Access is only by boat. Chena Lake is stocked annually by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game with rainbow trout, silver salmon and arctic char. The Chena River, located in the River Park, has a fishing menu of grayling, northern pike, whitefish, burbot and an annual run of king salmon.
River view RV Par k & Q Quicks u i c k s top
Day-use fees are collected the Wednesday before Memorial Day through Labor Day, and fees entitle users to all parts of Chena Lake Recreation Area. Free hospitality passes for senior citizens and the handicapped are available upon request. Fees range from $1 for bikers and walkers to $5 per vehicle. Tent camping is $10/night and the fee for vehicle campers is $12. Firewood is available and pedal boats, rowboats, canoes and kayaks can be rented. Chena Lake Recreation Area isn’t just for summertime pleasure. Residents use it year around, especially the groomed cross-country ski trails and trails for running and walking. It also is a popular site year around for horseback riding, dog mushing, skijoring, snowmachining, crosscountry skiing, running and walking. Interior Alaska Gun Dog Association hunt tests, Fairbanks Retriever Club field trials, and the annual trebuchet and catapult competition are summertime events. In addition, part of the Yukon Quest Sled Dog Race traverses the area. For more information, call 488-1655.
Office Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
1-888-488-6392 (907) 488-6392 1316 Badger Rd, North Pole, AK 99705 10 minutes to Fairbanks or North Pole
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2011 Summer Visitors Guide
Midnight Sun Festival Eric Engman /News-Miner
By JOSHUA STRAUB News-Miner intern As the summer days in Fairbanks approach the solstice, the increase in daylight provides tourists and locals with more time to revel under the sun. This year, the 30th Midnight Sun Festival will be held on June 19, falling just two days short of the longest day of the year but still providing plenty of time to bask in the festival’s sunny atmosphere. From noon until midnight, revelers can browse the wares of more than 100 vendors, dance until they drop in front of three stages, shoot some hoops in the 3-on-3 basketball tournament, participate in gold panning or break a leg in the annual “Break Fest” break dancing competition. Live music on the three stages will include a cacophony
Break dancers stay loose between rounds by entertaining the crowd at the annual Midnight Sun Festival in Fairbanks. of genres such as a DJ, rockand-roll, folk music and performances by local dance troupes. Children have plenty of options to keep them occupied. They can fawn over animals in the petting zoo and create masterpieces in the arts and crafts booths or see how many sweet treats they can wheedle their parents into buying them. This year the festival is celebrating its 30th anniversary with plenty of foods, entertainment and fun.
IF YOU GO • Time: noon to midnight • When: Sunday, June 19 • Where: Downtown Fairbanks on First, Second and Third avenues
For more information visit: www.downtownfairbanks.com
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VETERANS OF SPRINGS FOREIGN WARS Continued from Page 61
North Pole July 4th Celebration Join us for an Ice Cream Cone!
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Join us for the Jingle Bell Race July 9
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101 East 5th Avenue • North Pole, AK 99705 www.santaseniors.com • 907-488-2031 Breakfast Place Hours • M-F 8:30 - 10:30 am Gift/Craft Shop • M-F 11am - 3 pm
Welcome Veterans & Their Families! RV Parking, Outdoor Family Rec. Area 3159 VFW St. North Pole, AK 99705 488-9184
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natural hot springs swim and soak pass. The Day at Chena is a seven-hour tour including the natural hot springs swim and soak pass, Aurora Ice Museum tour, lunch at the resort restaurant, a Geothermal Renewable Energy tour and a Chena shuttle to and from the resort. The Romantic Getaway includes an overnight for two in the Moose Lodge with unlimited swim and soak passes, an Aurora Ice Museum tour, the geothermal renewable energy tour, dinner and breakfast for two in the resort restaurant and a welcome champagne basket.
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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
It’s just a drive up the Dalton Cruise up the Haul Road to see the Arctic Circle By JAMES BROOKS jbrooks@newsminer.com
Al Grillo/The Associated Press
A group of motorcyclists continue on a journey to Dead Horse as they drive up the Dalton Highway near the Arctic Circle. The trans-Alaska oil pipeline is seen at right. The highway stretches more than 400 miles to Deadhorse, a Prudhoe Bay industrial camp just south of the Arctic Ocean. breaks. The road can be driven in 12 hours or less, but there’s not much time to take in the sights if you do. From Fairbanks to the Yukon River should take about three hours. To the Arctic Cir-
cle is another two, and from the Arctic Circle to Atigun Pass is about three. Coldfoot Camp, 175 Mile Dalton Highway, or about Please see DALTON, Page 75
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“Ice Road Truckers” remains the second-most popular TV show set in Alaska, behind only “Deadliest Catch.” And while you might enjoy watching Jack Jessee, Lisa Kelly and Alex Debogorski on the small screen, actually driving the Dalton Highway — the Haul Road — requires a bit more preparation than picking up a remote. As always, it’s best to get the lay of the land before heading out. The annual “Milepost,” published this year for the 62nd time, remains the best guide to the highway and the challenges the remote, mostly unpaved route presents. The Bureau of Land Management also publishes a good guide to the highway, and it’s available for free at the BLM office in Fairbanks, the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center and the Coldfoot Visitors Center. As most regular drivers of the Dalton will tell you, though, highway conditions change all the time, and you have to be prepared for the unexpected. Check the Alaska Department of Transportation website (http://511.alaska.gov) for road conditions, and be sure to bring two full-size mounted spare tires, extra gasoline, and food and water. A good rule of thumb is to pack as if you know you’re going to spend the night camping — even if camping isn’t in your plans. Driving the Dalton is a tiring experience even under good conditions. You should expect to deal with ruts, slick gravel and sharp rock for most of its 414 miles. If you’re driving from Fairbanks to Deadhorse, the end of the road, plan for about 15 hours. That amount of time includes stops for photographs, gasoline, food and stretch
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2011 Summer Visitors Guide
All aboard the Alaska Railroad By TIM MOWRY tmowry@newsminer.com If you really want to sit back and enjoy Alaska, consider hopping on the Alaska Railroad for a day or even a week. With more than 500 miles of track running from Seward at the south end to Fairbanks on the north end, the railroad cuts through three mountain ranges — the Kenai Mountains, the Chugach Mountains and the Alaska Range — and offers unforgettable views that can’t be seen from an RV or tour bus but can from one of the railroad’s luxury domed cars. “Most people enjoy the relaxed nature of railway travel, to be able to sit and view the scenery,” Alaska Railroad Corp. sales market-
ing manager Ruth Rosewarne said. “It’s a whole authentic experience.” The railroad features tours and stops in several locations along the line, including Seward, Whittier, Girdwood, Anchorage, Wasilla, Talkeetna and Fairbanks. From catching halibut and salmon in Seward to landing on glaciers in the shadow of Mount McKinley to seeing grizzly bears in Denali National Park and Preserve to panning for gold in Fairbanks, the Alaska Railroad cannot only take you there but also book whatever tours you want. It’s estimated that 80,000 to 100,000 people travel on the Alaska Railroad each year, though it’s hard to pinpoint a specific number because some travelers take
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multiple trips on the train, Rosewarne said. The railroad can put together an entire rail vacation ranging from five to 12 nights with prices ranging from $1,799 to $5,489, or you can pick and choose between a full lineup of shorter trips and day tours. “The independent traveler is one of our strongest markets,” Rosewarne said. “Most of the services and most of what people want to see and do is on the Railbelt. “We try to sell a little bit of everything,” she said. “A lot of people will fly into Anchorage, do a rail tour north and then come back to Anchorage and spend the night and then do a rail tour to the south.” Traveling by train isn’t low budget or low class when it comes to the Alaska Railroad. The addition of several 89-foot, double-decker luxury dome cars during the past two years has greatly enhanced the railroad experience for travelers who are willing to pay the extra cost for what the railroad terms its GoldStar Service. The new, state-of-the-art cars have upper-level outdoor platforms, an open air viewing deck and full bar to enjoy as you wind your way through the Alaska Range or around Turnagain Arm. The domed cars have proved so popular that the railroad added two more domed cars for the route from Anchorage to Seward last year. “That’s really enhanced that route,” Rosewarne said. “It’s so lush when you go through the Kenai Mountains and get off the road system.” The Anchorage to Seward route is considered the most scenic section of track. The route travels along Turnagain Arm before heading into the Kenai Mountains, climbing up Turnagain Pass and descending into the Resurrection Bay town of Seward. The Anchorage to Denali route is probably the mosttraveled section of track because of the popularity of Please see RAILROAD, Page 75
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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
John Hagen/News-Miner
Fourth of July Weekend crowds enjoy Olnes Pond off the Elliott Highway.
The Elliott Highway Staff Report The 152-mile journey up the Elliott Highway offers both an up-close view of Interior Alaska and a trip through the region’s gold mining history. The road, which includes both paved and gravel stretches, connects the community of Fox and Manley Hot Springs. Just five miles up the Elliott Highway is the Hilltop Truckstop, which offers the last chance to gas up for more than 100 miles. Big
appetites will be rewarded with heaping breakfasts and generous slices of homemade pie. The area north of Fox includes a handful of areas for fishing and outdoor recreation. Olnes Pond, which includes an unmaintained campground and a stocked lake, is at 10.7 Mile Elliott Highway. The Lower Chatanika River is just down the road from the Olnes Pond turnoff. At 27.9 Mile is the Wickersham Dome Trailhead,
which provides access to White Mountains National Recreation Area. About 200 miles of trails are available, including access to Bureau of Land Management cabins that are available to rent. Most are accessible only in winter, but a recording with information about trail conditions is available at (907) 474-2372. The trailhead entrance includes picnic tables and basic restroom facilities. At Arctic Circle Trading Please see ELLIOTT, Page 74
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2011 Summer Visitors Guide
ELLIOTT: Driving into mining country Continued from Page 74
Post at 49 Mile, gifts and basic groceries are available. The tiny community of Livengood is a mile off the Elliott at 71 Mile. A gold claim nearly a century ago brought the community to life, and it still includes about 30 residents.
A few miles farther, where the Elliott forms a junction with the start of the Dalton Highway, the road turns to gravel. At 75 Mile, the Tolovana River offers fishing for grayling and an informal campsite. The road ends at Manley Hot Springs, with the hot springs located on the right.
Springs and baths are open for weary travelers looking for a dip at the end of the Elliott. Call (907) 672-3231 for information. Manley Roadhouse is one of Alaska’s original roadhouses, featuring rooms, cabins, food and a bar. For more information, call (907) 672-3161.
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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
DALTON: Experience life at the Arctic Circle the Dalton and the shoreline, and only guided tours are permitted. Call the Arctic Caribou Inn at (866) 659-2368 or Deadhorse Camp at (877) 474-3565 to sign up; you’ll need to provide a government-issued ID and give at least 48 hours’ notice. Both locations also offer some of the only organized lodging on the highway. While campsites abound up and down the Dalton, if you want
Continued from Page 71
six hours from Fairbanks, is the refueling point for drivers headed farther north. Between Coldfoot and Deadhorse, there’s little but miles and miles of miles and miles of road — oh, and spectacular scenery. If you have your heart set on wading into the Arctic Ocean, you must plan ahead. Security gates bar the roads between the northern end of
four walls, only Coldfoot Camp in Coldfoot or a handful of places in Deadhorse will meet your needs. Driving the Dalton Highway isn’t like taking a spin around the block, but if you share the experience with friends or family, it’s a memory you’ll keep forever. Finishing a drive to Deadhorse and back is a badge of pride, and even if you stop only at the Arctic Circle, you’ll have a story you can share for years.
RAILROAD: Riding the Alaska rails Continued from Page 72
Denali National Park and Preserve, Rosewarne said. The train makes a roundtrip to Seward from Anchorage every day during the tourist season and also makes daily trips to Fairbanks from Anchorage with stops in Talkeetna and Denali. A train also travels south to Anchorage from Fairbanks on a daily basis during the summer. Built between 1914 and 1923, the Alaska Railroad was operated by the federal government until it was purchased by the state of Alaska in 1985. The company receives no funding from the state, and all operating expenses and improvements are paid out of revenues generated by passengers, freight services, and real estate.
The Alaska Railroad has the distinction of being the last full-service railroad in the United States, meaning it handles freight, passenger and commercial trains. In 2008, the Alaska Railroad moved more than 6.1 million tons of freight over 641 miles of track, much of which is oil, gas and coal being transported between Fairbanks and Anchorage. The railroad’s peak season is June 1 through Aug. 31, with lower fares offered from May 12-31 and Sept. 1-13. During the winter (Sept. 19 to May 9), the train trav-
els north from Anchorage to Fairbanks each Saturday and south from Fairbanks to Anchorage each Sunday.
By the numbers • 614 — Miles of total track, including spurs, on the Alaska Railroad. • 2,363 — Elevation in feet of Broad Pass, the highest point on the railroad. • 916 — Length in feet of the longest bridge on the railroad across Hurricane Gulch. • 296 — Height in feet the Hurricane Gulch bridge sits above Hurricane Creek.
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2011 Summer Visitors Guide
Eric Engman/News-Miner
An 1898 Hay-Hotchkiss automobile is on display at Fountainhead Development’s Antique Auto Museum. The Hay-Hotchkiss is the newest and oldest addition to the collection. “This is as rare as a car can get,” museum manager Willy Vinton said of the automobile, the only one ever manufactured.
Antique car museum is a must By REBA LEAN rlean@newsminer.com “We’re not just a car museum,” is the best way Tim Cerny, owner of the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum, could have summed up his expansive showroom at the Wedgewood Resort. Sixty displayed automobiles, more than 80 historical outfits, Alaska photographs and early driving video footage from Alaska highlight the museum’s interior. People who may not regularly be into museums will still find something to excite them at the Fountainhead Museum. Cars dating back to 1898 are polished to a T and extravagantly detailed. Women’s fancy dresses are paired up with cars of the times, giving visitors a sense of the era. An Alaska section boasts the first car in the state and some earlier models with interesting backgrounds.
SUMMER HOURS • Sunday - Thursday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. • Friday - Saturday: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. • $8 entry fee • For guided tours, call ahead at 450-2100
“People are just blown away when they walk in the door,” said Willy Vinton, the museum’s manager. The displays aren’t just about the automobiles themselves but also focus on the exciting periods of time. The Veterans Era section showcases a period where car building was still an experiment. Steam, electric and gas engines were all on the plate, and many vehicles looked as if they should be led by horses. The Brass Era section boasts luxurious roadsters with elegant seating and
more knowledgeable construction. The cars’ productions lasted until World War I when brass was needed for the war effort. The cars are a telling way to show American history. Whether your fancy is a hot orange 1933 Auburn Boattail Speedster (“They don’t get any better,” said Vinton) or a one-of-fourand-a-half-ever-made 1921 Heine-Velox Victoria Touring (the most expensive car ever in 1921), the museum has it. In 30,000 square feet, the museum boasts matches to Jay Leno’s own collection and a 1904 StevensDuryea Runabout last driven by Charles Duryea himself, among other claims to fame. Find a couple hours to spare and take a stroll around the museum. Whether watching video footage, reading cars’ placards or daydreaming about sitting in the rumble seat, you won’t be sorry.
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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Visit Eagle on the Yukon By JAMES BROOKS jbrooks@newsminer.com
telephone service was available. Cruise companies operate regular bus tours up the Taylor Highway to Eagle, arriving in town shortly after noon, so if solitude is what you’re after, your best bet is to plan your schedule to avoid both the buses on the narrow highway and the crowds they bring to Eagle. Even if you can’t dodge the buses, there are more than enough trails, scenery and opportunities in Eagle to make a trip to the Yukon River well worth the time. Gilpatrick's
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If you want to visit the Yukon River by car, you have three easy options. You can take drive the Dalton Highway, the Steese Highway to Circle or the Taylor Highway to Eagle. All three get you to the river, but by far the best scenery can be found in Eagle and along the Taylor Highway. To get to Eagle, take the Alaska Highway south from Fairbanks until just past Tok. You’ll see a turn to the left for the Taylor Highway, which will take you through Chicken (see page 78) and all the way to Eagle. Count on about 8-10 hours, or more if the weather is bad and there are lots of RVs around. Past Chicken, the road can be narrow and rough, particularly after heavy rain. You’ll want to bring an extra spare tire on a rim, and take those blind curves carefully. The bumps only add a spice of Alaska adventure, though, and once in Eagle, you’ll have a great look at the river. Of course, the river isn’t
the only thing in Eagle. The Eagle Historical Society (www.eagleak.org/) offers a daily walking tour of town and operates the Gold Rushera courthouse as a museum. Several buildings at nearby Fort Egbert, a gold rush-era U.S. Army post, have been preserved and can be toured. The National Park Service maintains an office (www.nps. gov/yuch/) in Eagle for nearby Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve and has a listing of available outdoor activities. Lodging options are limited to the Falcon Inn Bed and Breakfast (http://falconinn. mystarband.net/) directly on the river and the Bureau of Land Management campground about three-quarters of a mile away. The BLM campground offers a series of spots for tent camping and RVs on a first-come, firstserved basis. The Eagle Trading Company offers convenience-store levels of food and drinks, and two mechanic shops in town can do tire repairs. The Eagle library has computers available for public use, and as of summer 2010, no cellular
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2011 Summer Visitors Guide
Chicken is a good time Sam Harrel photo
By GARY BLACK gblack@newsminer.com Located at about 66 Mile Taylor Highway, Chicken is perhaps the quirkiest — and most fun — of all the small communities in the state. It consists of several hubs: downtown Chicken; the Original Chicken Gold Camp/ Chicken Creek Outpost off Airport Road; and the Goldpanner. The community got its name in 1902 when the town was incorporated officially. Lore has it locals wanted to call it ptarmigan, because that was the wild bird of choice for prospectors in search of gold. But when it came time to officially name the town, no one could spell ptarmigan, so instead of being plagued with the humiliation of perhaps spelling their own town name inaccurately, they called it Chicken. About 20 to 30 people live in Chicken year-round, and the population has a summer spike as miners and tourists come to town. Because of its location near the border of Canada, expect visitors from across the Lower 48. There is little electricity for public use, few phones and little plumbing. Mail arrives twice per week by Bush plane. Chicken has several gift shops, cafes, a bar and liquor store, and many recreational activities. While there, take a tour
Colter Franz, left, of Chicken, entertains the crowd during Chickenstock 2009.
FOR MORE INFORMATION • www.chickengold.com • www.chickengoldcamp.blogspot.com • www.townofchicken. com • www.chickenalaska. com
of Tisha’s School House in the Old Town of Chicken and tour the Pedro Dredge at Chicken Gold Camp, the most complete dredge open to the public in Alaska. Many activities are linked to mining as that was the lifeblood of the community, and kayaking and river opportunities also abound. Chicken Gold Camp is the most developed area and offers the most amenities, such as an RV park/campground with 39 electric sites, 15 dry sites and several wooded tent sites; five cabin
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rentals and even a two-bedroom apartment; a gift store with Alaska and Yukon arts and gifts as well as cafe fare. This summer boasts the fifth annual Chickenstock, billed as the “Top of the World” music festival, where you can get your fill of bluegrass and mingle with the locals. Chickenstock is June 10-11, which includes an informal jam session on the night of the 10th starting at 5 p.m. and the bluegrass festival starting about 1 p.m. on the 11th. Tickets are $8 for Friday night, $25 for Saturday or $30 for a two-day pass. The two-day pass includes two nights of dry camping. Chickenstock is a very familyfriendly event, and as always, attendees can expect to see more than several dancing chickens. This year’s Chickenstock is dedicated to Carl Hoffman, the father of Alaska bluegrass, and the event is hosting a benefit to raise money for his recovery from an accident he had this winter. Once you’re in Chicken, you can’t miss the signs for Chickenstock. Bring ID to get into the event and plenty of cash as there are no ATMs at the festival. The Taylor Highway winds its way to Chicken from Tetlin Junction on the Alaska Highway, 12 miles east of Tok. There are commercial buses that routinely drive this area on their way to Eagle, Boundary and Dawson City, Yukon. From Fairbanks, it’s about a five-hour drive.
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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Welcome to Valdez By MICHAEL SCHRANTZ mschrantz@newsminer.com Situated on the shore of Prince William Sound, Valdez is a prime destination for summer travels. As the surrounding Chugach Mountains are the most heavily glaciated mountains in the Northwest, the coast of Prince William Sound provides unparalleled viewing of tidewater glaciers and plenty of opportunity for wildlife viewing. Getting on the water “is kind of the thing to do” in Valdez, said Tim Duffy, owner and guide with Pangaea Adventures. And there are plenty of ways to do that. Outfitters like Pangaea offer kayaking day trips and can taxi paddlers out to farflung parts of the sound. Glaciers like the Columbia Glacier or the Shoup Glacier are popular destinations for day trips. A trip to the rapidly retreating Columbia Glacier lets paddlers make their way through an ice field — one of the most unique
experiences in the sound. The smaller Shoup Glacier provides a more intimate experience, as kayakers can get up close and personal with the face of the glacier, according to Duffy. Water taxi rides, needed to see the Columbia and Shoup glaciers, can double as wildlife viewing cruises. Pre-planned multi-day trips are available for those with more time and a healthy sense of adventure. Outfitters offer rough itineraries but visitors can customize a trip to fit their needs. Beginning kayakers also can take lessons to shore up their skills before embarking, and safety-trained guides are always close at hand. Duffy recommends booking in advance, but walk-ups the day before can sometimes land a spot. “All you have to bring is lunch, water and layers,” said Duffy. Another great feature of Valdez is the fishing. Both commercial and sport fishing operate out of the port. Home to the Valdez Fish Derbies,
anglers chase halibut and silver salmon during the summer for a shot at prizes and bragging rights. Even without the competitive streak, charters take visitors into the sound looking for halibut, salmon and other species outside of derby fare. There are plenty of charter companies available to make finding the perfect trip easier. If neither paddling nor fishing is of interest, getting out on the water is still an option with sightseeing cruises. The port hosts a range of boats: ships with overnight cabins and smaller vessels for day cruising. Some companies offer a mix of all of the above — kayak, fish and cruise in one trip. Valdez is reachable by the Richardson Highway, daily flights or a ferry along the Alaska Marine Highway. For more information on Valdez, visit the convention and visitors bureau website at www.valdezalaska.org.
Explore Wrangell-St. Elias stone National Park, more than 25 percent larger than Switzerland and home to wonders like Malaspina glacier, which is the largest piedmont glacier in North America and best photographed from space. Barring a space flight with Sir Richard Branson, the best
By MICHAEL SCHRANTZ mschrantz@newsminer.com Impressive numbers come in droves for Wrangell-St. Elias Park and Preserve: encompassing more than 20,000 square miles, nine of the country’s 16 tallest peaks, twice the size of Denali National Park and Preserve, six times the size of Yellow-
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“Feel at home in Valdez”
Glen & Sharron Mills 12383140 VG11
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
way to capture the enormity of Wrangell-St. Elias Park is from a plane. “Get up in a plane, and stay for as long as you can afford,” Gaia Marrs, owner and guide with St. Elias Alpine Guides, said. “It’s the only way to begin to get a scale (of the park).”
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2011 Summer Visitors Guide