Alaska - Barrow In The Winter Time?

Hi Everyone,

I just got a free bonus ticket on Alaska Airlines today, and I'm already dying to use it. I've always wanted to visit Barrow, Alaska and in the process check out the Northern Lights. Has anyone been there in the winter? Is there things to do in November/December? Is it worth going? How many padded days should I have in case its clouded over? Is it possible to see Polar Bears? Any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

With Thanks,

Bryan

I'm kinda curious to know what responses you get. One thing's for sure--it's going to be cold. And dark the entire day, too. (In Barrow, the sun sets sometime in November, I think, and doesn't rise until like February. I may be off on my months, but it does disappear below the horizon for an extended amount of time.)

Not sure on the cloudy-to-clear ratio. The chance of northern lights is likely to be as high as one in two (versus one in 10 or less in Anchorage). Believe it or not, Fairbanks lies closer to the middle of the aurora arc than does Barrow (Fort Yukon is even better, but it's hard to get to). See the aurora prediction site (http://www.gedds.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast/) at the Geophysical Institute at UAF for some maps and information.

Have fun up there! Know you're saving a lot of money by booking it as an award--it's almost $600 to to book a round-trip from Anchorage to Barrow in December (hardly peak season). I can only imagine what it would be from SNA... (I just checked--$1260. Ugh...)

Just my own $0.02 here...

That time of year, especially if you want to see the northern lights, I would recommend going to Fairbanks instead. As jackal mentioned, viewing is typically better, plus you won't have to worry about the weather getting you stuck (lived in Fairbanks 2000-2005, and never once was the airport closed due to weather). In addition, Fairbanks offers a lot more in the way of additional activities, and is an interesting place as well. In fact, I can safely assure you that for better or worse, there is no other place on earth quite like Fairbanks, Alaska.

Having been to Barrow twice, I can tell you that it's an interesting place, but there's not a whole lot there. The attraction of Barrow is the novelty of the place as much as anything else, and as a visitor there's enough stuff to keep you interested for about one night.

Or, if it's possible for you, perhaps plan most of your time for Fairbanks, and then do an overnighter to Barrow in the middle of it.

I don't mean to discourage you on the Barrow idea...just trying to give some additional options! :)

Also, if you do decide on Barrow, stay at the King Eider Inn. Far and away the best accommodations in town...avoid the Top of the World Hotel.

Thank you both for your tips and suggestions. I appreciate it. If I were to visit Fairbanks/Barrow sometime between next week and the end of the month, would it still be possible to see the Northern Lights? What are my chances of seeing polar bears this time of year? Also, have any of you been to Adak? If so, is it worth seeing? I really appreciate your advice and I hope I can return the favor some day. Thanks again!

It's possible to see the Aurora, barring (1) clouds, or (2) no Aurora activity. October can be cloudy and nasty on the Arctic coast - temperatures around freezing or below. It's much dryer and frankly more conducive to seeing the Aurora later in the year (albeit colder too.) But Barrow is indeed interesting from a cultural viewpoint. I would not expect there to be bears about, BTW.

Adak is somewhat historically interesting - former major US Navy base trying to figure out a role for itself now that the cold war has moved elsewhere. Terrible weather most of the year, but the Chain is a fascinating and beautiful area. You might want to look at the trip report (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=741004) on an FTer's recent tour of Juneau and flight out to DUT. You might find Unalaska more interesting in October than Adak, as things really start heating up for the crabbers in October. Pretty much zero chance of seeing the Aurora on the Chain, though.

Here's another vote for Fairbanks. I was just up there last week, and we had visible aurora on both clear nights during the week we were there. I don't know that you can really "pad days" because it's totally dependent on cloud cover.

While I was there, it was very obvious that everything was in the process of shutting down for the season. The resort our Denali tour left from was shutting down for the season the next day. Same thing with the Riverboat Discovery in Fairbanks. I'm sure there's still stuff to do (definitely more than in Barrow), just not as much as during the summer.

I too debated a day or overnight trip to Barrow just to say I've done it, but it really didn't look like there was much to do besides a museum or two. Instead, I took AS143 home which went from FAI-SCC-BRW-ANC. In Prudhoe Bay and Barrow, I was able to get off and walk into the "terminal" which was more than enough for me.

Hi again,

Thanks everyone for your input. Because of your input, I've decided to visit Fairbanks for sure in the next month and do a day trip to Barrow. I have only one concern though. I've only been able to find one company on the internet that will take me on a night excursion to see the Northern Lights. I'm planning on staying at a hotel in town, but I won't have a rental car. Do any of you know if there are multiple tour operators that could take me to see the lights? Also, how difficult would it be to get to the northern most point of the United States in October on a day trip to Barrow?

Thank-you again for your time! You're help is invaluable as I plan this excursion.

With Gratitude,

Bryan

I don't know offhand, but when I get a chance, I'll check the brochure stand at the ANC airport to see if they list anything for tour operators in Fairbanks (I work at the ANC airport).

This is most assuredly the off season, so car rental rates *should* be pretty dang cheap (well under $30 including taxes). Fairbanks is pretty spread out, so I would definitely look into renting a car--unless you're under 21 (which I take it might be possible, since your username is, after all, premierstudent). Still, there are small mom-and-pop rental agencies that might rent to people under 21, though (search the acsyellowpages.com online phone book for Fairbanks).

Although the majority of the tourist industry is shut down for the winter, if you're going to be in Fairbanks for more than just overnight, take a look at the tours offered at UAF (here (http://www.uaf.edu/campusmap/visituaf/), here (http://www.uaf.edu/campusmap/visituaf/more.html) and here (http://www.iarc.uaf.edu/visitors/tours.php)). Some special tours can be arranged during the school year with advanced notice. I strongly recommend checking out the Geophysical Institute (including the Alaska Volcano Observatory and the Alaska Earthquake Information Center) if you are at all interested in science. The University of Alaska Museum of the North is fascinating if you're in to anthropology or the arctic in general--it's the best museum in the state.

As far as your day trip to Barrow--I don't know too much about the area, but Barrow's taxi drivers are legendary (there was a big Anchorage Daily News special on them last year). Getting around town via taxi shouldn't be too much of a problem. I'm not sure how far Point Barrow is from the town (the town itself is pretty small), but word has it the taxis are pretty economical.

Also, for aurora viewing opportunities, look at the link I posted earlier to the UAF Geophysical Institute's aurora predictions. On the right hand side of the page is a long-term forecast. This might help you pick some dates on which you're likely to see some good aurora. (The prediction isn't meant to be super-accurate, but it is based on known hot-spot activity on the sun and is calculated using the sun's 28-day rotational period and serves as a general guide for trip-planning purposes.)

Hi Jackal,

Thanks for the tips. I'm actually close to thirty years old now (my log in name was created many years ago) so I should be able to rent a car with ease. My only concern is the potential of getting in an accident because of the snow that Fairbanks could receive while I'm there. None the less, I'll look into rental cars as well. All of the sites you mentioned were helpful as well. If you're ever planning a trip to Southern California, drop me an email and I'll return the favor by giving you information and tips.

Take Care,

Bryan

Hi Jackal,

My only concern is the potential of getting in an accident because of the snow that Fairbanks could receive while I'm there.
Take Care,

Bryan

Rent from National and use 5004461 as your contract ID. Full LDW coverage will be included on your rental.

Good advice on the surface, but as someone who works in the industry, I have to warn you that pretending to be with a corporate account you really have no affiliation with is a dangerous proposition. I'd strongly recommend against that course of action. You may find the LDW voided and your rate jacked up if you are unable to prove you work with that company. It may not happen, but I would suggest it's not worth the risk.

If you're worried about driving in winter conditions, the $20 per day for LDW (and perhaps purchasing liability, too) is most assuredly worth the extra cost.

Honestly, though, driving in winter conditions isn't terribly hard. Just remember the three rules: slow down, brake early, and leave yourself a margin of error. It's not worth not renting a car over. You'll be too limited in what you can do in Fairbanks without one, anyway. With a car, too, you won't need to depend on a tour company to take you to where you can see the lights--all you need to do is drive 15 miles outside of town in any direction (though north, like on the Elliott or Steese highways past Fox, would probably get you away from civilization and into the darkness to where the lights would be most spectacular). In fact, you'll likely see them in the city itself (if they're bright enough), but to make the experience even more awesome, getting away from city lights is key. This page (http://fairbanks-alaska.com/northern-lights-alaska.htm) recommends either atop Ester Dome or in the Chatanika area (mmm...eat at the Old FE Gold Camp, although I think Chef Alexander is no longer there), this one (http://gocalifornia.about.com/od/ak/a/nlights.htm) suggests the same and links to a couple of tour operators, and this UAF professor (http://climate.gi.alaska.edu/Curtis/aurora/aurora.html) suggests a few additional spots (here (http://climate.gi.alaska.edu/Curtis/aurora/mar02/mar02.html), too).

Anyone know what the deal with the ice hotel at Chena Hot Springs is this year? Is it going to go up? That might be a cool place to view the Northern Lights from...

As far as your day trip to Barrow--I don't know too much about the area, but Barrow's taxi drivers are legendary (there was a big Anchorage Daily News special on them last year). No, the widely distributed newspaper article about the Alaska town called the "taxicab capital of the US" was about *Bethel*, not Barrow.


Getting around town via taxi shouldn't be too much of a problem. I'm not sure how far Point Barrow is from the town (the town itself is pretty small), but word has it the taxis are pretty economical. Nothing is really "pretty economical" in Barrow.

Someone who wants to go to the point and/or try to see polar bears should email some of the tour operators and ask about availability, prices, wildlife conditions, etc for their proposed time of visit. Some guides combine a trip to and stop at the point barrow sign to take pictures before looking for bears or other wildlife. Some have vehicles that can continue past the sign a ways and drive to the actual point. There's not much too see at the point and it basically takes a GPS to figure out where exactly the northern most spot is. The last time I was up there, there happened to be a dead bird where the GPS told us to stop. :)

No, the widely distributed newspaper article about the Alaska town called the "taxicab capital of the US" was about *Bethel*, not Barrow.
Oops, my bad. And to make it even worse, a former coworker's parents were taxi drivers in Bethel. I should have remembered.

I should stick to what I know (Anchorage and Fairbanks). If AS ever publishes non-price-gouging fares to some of these cities, perhaps I'll get a chance to visit some of them...

(To be fair to my memory, there *was* an article in the ADN about a taxi driver in Barrow a few years ago. It's a little less happy of a story, though. IIRC--and it's likely I'm not RC--he was shot by some of the troubled (and perhaps drunk) youth there...)

Good advice on the surface, but as someone who works in the industry, I have to warn you that pretending to be with a corporate account you really have no affiliation with is a dangerous proposition. I'd strongly recommend against that course of action. You may find the LDW voided and your rate jacked up if you are unable to prove you work with that company. It may not happen, but I would suggest it's not worth the risk.

jackal's warning makes a lot of sense to me. There are various threads around about taking advantage of corporate discounts on rental cars, hotels, etc., and it appears that oft-times the vendors are not going to bother to try to validate that you're entitled to make use of the discount codes. However, if you get into an accident, I strongly suspect that the company's investigators will look into everything that they can use to legitimately deny coverage.

premierstudent, I enjoyed my first visit to Alaska in 2000 very much on a Alaska Airlines VDB compensation ticket (assuming that might be what you're talking about). I used it mid-summer to go to Anchorage and visited the Alaska Sealife Center in Seward and the Alaska Native Heritage Center in Anchorage itself. (I recently enjoyed my second trip to Alaska, also to Anchorage, for a conference....) Hope you enjoy your trip to Fairbanks!

P.S. I had also been tempted to go to a destination north of the Arctic Circle, but ultimately decided against the novelty value. What was really tempting was to use my specially-endorsed VDB compensation ticket to go to Russia! :)

premierstudent, I enjoyed my first visit to Alaska in 2000 very much on a Alaska Airlines VDB compensation ticket (assuming that might be what you're talking about). I used it mid-summer to go to Anchorage and visited the Alaska Sealife Center in Seward and the Alaska Native Heritage Center in Anchorage itself. (I recently enjoyed my second trip to Alaska, also to Anchorage, for a conference....) Hope you enjoy your trip to Fairbanks!

P.S. I had also been tempted to go to a destination north of the Arctic Circle, but ultimately decided against the novelty value. What was really tempting was to use my specially-endorsed VDB compensation ticket to go to Russia! :)

Sadly no more Russia on AS.
I got to go back when they had regular service,Magadan is a trip.

I am also planning for a trip in Feb end though. I just started a seperate thread which i will delete after writing this :p.

I want to experience Northern lights and Arctic. I understand the uncertainty of the same. Reading lots of forum I conclude maximum chances are in Feb / March. Else please correct me.

I am planning to fly to Barrow and stay for a night. I will then stay in Fairbanks for few nights to increase my chances for northern lights. I am open to change in plans so please suggest better itinerary. I am looking for recommentations for tours / lodging / activity (at this time of the year).
How can I reach Point Barrow? Will I be able to walk on Arctic Ocean?
Places to see near FAI?


Thanks in advance,
-Deepak

Resurrecting this thread for a question....

We're considering a trip to Fairbanks to watch the aurora during either Thanksgiving or Christmas, with a preference for Christmas.

The plan involves flying to ANC (better award availability than Fairbanks), driving up to Fairbanks, staying for about 2-3 days to maximize our chances, then return to ANC for the flight back to Seattle.

The lunar cycle is mostly dark for both periods...being Plats, we can book reward seats then cancel or postpone the trip without cost if the 28-day cycle shows little-to-no aurora activity during our stay period, so there is some flexibility.

So - question to our Fairbanks experts - which holiday period offers the best combination of clear skies, reasonable prices, and small crowds?

In my own experience I have had the best views of the Northern Lights late Sept to Oct 15 and that from the Chugach Mountains outside of Anchorage. Always when I least expected to see them and then they were OUT.

I have never tried to view them from Fairbanks.

You need to be away from town, have clear weather and good luck.

The plan involves flying to ANC (better award availability than Fairbanks), driving up to Fairbanks, staying for about 2-3 days to maximize our chances, then return to ANC for the flight back to Seattle.This is the part of the idea I don't like so much. Not an enjoyable drive in the winter; can frankly be dangerous if you have a mishap. If you're using CO miles on AS, I'm sure they can route you all the way.

As for TG or Christmas, Christmas probably will offer better chances of clear weather, but it's really a crapshoot. December in FAI can be cold.

If you were thinking of Chena Hot Springs, (http://www.chenahotsprings.com/) get a move on.

This is the part of the idea I don't like so much. Not an enjoyable drive in the winter; can frankly be dangerous if you have a mishap. If you're using CO miles on AS, I'm sure they can route you all the way.

As for TG or Christmas, Christmas probably will offer better chances of clear weather, but it's really a crapshoot. December in FAI can be cold.

If you were thinking of Chena Hot Springs, (http://www.chenahotsprings.com/) get a move on.

Chena is on the expensive side, but we will consider it - although the package is not available until December and I'm not sure gives us enough time to view the aurora unless we hit a particularly vibrant time of the cycle.

The flights to FAI are not available as standard awards - only ANC is open. If we don't drive, and the train only runs twice a week, what other transportation options are there between the two cities?

Chances of seeing the aurora at Thanksgiving or Christmas are really about equal. The key factor is the weather and solar activity. The best viewing that time of year is when it's bone-chilling cold and clear. Wear lots of layers and good insulated boots. The key to staying warm is toasty feet.

Here's a link to the UAF Aurora Observatory aurora forecast website. You can check out a 28 day solar activity forecast. High activity means lots of multi-colored Northern Lights.
http://www.gedds.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast/

As to the issue of driving from Anchorage to Fairbanks during the winter, I hate it. Even if you get up to Fairbanks, you may not be able to get back to Anchorage when you want to because of road conditions. But, if you decide to do it, you can check out weather and road conditions on the Alaska Department of Transportation website.

When I visited Anchorage & Fairbanks I booked a package for travel between Anchorage & Fairbanks. It included travel on the Alaskan Winter Train from Anchorage to Fairbanks and a flight on AS back to ANC. The cost was about $200. The scenery was beautiful on the way up and it was very convenient to only spend 1 hour or so getting back to ANC.

If we don't drive, and the train only runs twice a week, what other transportation options are there between the two cities?

It's a 40 minute flight on AS or an hour flight on an Era Aviation Dash 8.

I've done that drive in December/January more times than I care to remember (including on winter solstice), and let's just say I wasn't doing it because I wanted to.

It's not worth your time, effort, or danger to drive it in the winter in some rental car with no snow tires. I've had a few winter Parks Highway trips that took 8 to 9 hours one way due to borderline blizzard conditions, including a couple where it snowed hard for every single of the 360 miles. Between the maniac drivers in Anchorage and Wasilla, the howling winds in Broad Pass and Healy, and the slippery 50 miles of hills between Nenana and Fairbanks, well, you get the idea. Winter in Interior Alaska is not something to toy around with.

Just fly. PFD airfare specials are out now, so it's a good time to buy.

Just another thought... When I was in AK, the only time I saw Denali was from an AS flight from ANC to FAI -- off to the West, it was the only thing piercing the clouds. Huge. 3 days in the park, plus the train ride, and I never saw the mountain again.

I have never tried to view them from Fairbanks.

You need to be away from town, have clear weather and good luck.
On any given clear night, from what I hear, the chance of seeing the lights is about 50% in Fairbanks as opposed to 20% in Anchorage. Plus, the weather tends to be clearer in FAI than ANC. I've heard unanimous agreement that lights-viewing is FAR better in FAI than ANC.

Chena is on the expensive side, but we will consider it - although the package is not available until December and I'm not sure gives us enough time to view the aurora unless we hit a particularly vibrant time of the cycle.
Given the chilly temperatures in FAI in the winter, nothing beats staying warm while looking at them by soaking in a steaming-hot pool. I've never done it, but it's something I've always wanted to do, and it's highly ranked by friends who have done it.

The flights to FAI are not available as standard awards - only ANC is open. If we don't drive, and the train only runs twice a week, what other transportation options are there between the two cities?
In the winter? None. But see this next quote and response:

When I visited Anchorage & Fairbanks I booked a package for travel between Anchorage & Fairbanks. It included travel on the Alaskan Winter Train from Anchorage to Fairbanks and a flight on AS back to ANC. The cost was about $200. The scenery was beautiful on the way up and it was very convenient to only spend 1 hour or so getting back to ANC.
I did this a few years ago. Very convenient. Plus, it allows more time in FAI, since otherwise, the train goes north Saturday and south Sunday (and that's it). Taking the train both ways, you'd either have 12 hours in Fairbanks or 7.5 days. It's only a $49 (IIRC) upgrade to the round trip rail fare to fly back.

It's a 40 minute flight on AS or an hour flight on an Era Aviation Dash 8...
Just fly. PFD airfare specials are out now, so it's a good time to buy.
And if you don't want to do the train (though I highly recommend it--the Aurora Winter Train is one of the best ways to really see and experience Alaska, as it is used by the locals to get to their rural cabins with boxes and boxes of supplies from Costco in Anchorage), round-trip airfares aren't that bad between the cities right now. I've been flying and traveling for four days and this is the first I've had good, solid Internet access, but before I left, AS was running a $79-each-way fare. Era (http://www.era-aviation.com) and Frontier Flying Service (http://www.frontierflying.com) both tend to have similarly low (or lower) fares, but book when you find good ones.

Just another thought... When I was in AK, the only time I saw Denali was from an AS flight from ANC to FAI -- off to the West, it was the only thing piercing the clouds. Huge. 3 days in the park, plus the train ride, and I never saw the mountain again.
This is usually the case in the rainy summer season, but winter days tend to be clearer. Plus, depending on the time of the flight, it could be dark--remember, in the dead of December, the sun rises at 10 and sets at 2.

Thanks all!

Through some miracle, standard awards (coach up, F down) opened up between SEA and FAI including the nonstop to FAI. I booked two sets of tickets over both Thanksgiving and Christmas since I can cancel one or the other without penalty.

Unfortunately, AS is 24hrs to confirm an award, so I need to wait and make sure both tickets actually get issued.

We'll reserve hotels and cars for both periods, then read the 28day cycle when it's released to check for moderate to high activity during Thanksgiving - if it looks like the 3 nights we'll be there are a bust, we will cancel Thanksgiving and hope for better viewing over Christmas.

Any particular reason why you're picking a holiday time to travel?

Personally I'd go in mid-January to FAI ... yeah, it's cold, but so what? That's part of the experience!! Given the length of sunlight at that time of the year, you could just drive up to Chena Hot Springs and spend some time soaking in the pool (or hot tub), watching the aurora.

It was -40 when I was there in a late January ... warmed up to -25 while I was there but that didn't stop us from going out on my son's traplines, going up to the hot springs, and exploring other things in the area.

Any particular reason why you're picking a holiday time to travel? ....

Free time off :)

Hi.... And congratulations for making this lovely decision... I must say it was one of my best trip in US...

MUST DO:
Pack warm... I mean really warm... 2-3 layers of thermal... Warm sweater (cashmere type - light and warm)... Avoid multiple jackets as it will make manuavering difficult... Carry some heat pads (disposable's are better) / ear warmers (life savers for us) / monkey caps / good snow boots...

Chena Hot springs is a must... I know it is expensive... Don't take any of their expensive tours... Take your swimming costume... Don't miss this...

Avoid driving ANC to FAI... too risky but if you have been living in cold areas then you will be fine... don't expect a lot from this drive...

Barrow is not worth more than a day... For me the experience of -39 degree was the kicker... :-)...

Thanks,
-Deepak

Howdy,

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but it had so much good info on such a remote area that I had to do it! :D

Are there any new recommendations on Barrow or even Prudhoe Bay in the winter? With the great fares from the continental US to ANC on AS and DL, not to mention UA right now, I might just go up to Alaska in December to see the land of the midnight sun sometime soon.

Any updated advice would be appreciated! Thanks! ^

Are there any new recommendations on Barrow or even Prudhoe Bay in the winter? With the great fares from the continental US to ANC on AS and DL, not to mention UA right now, I might just go up to Alaska in December to see the land of the midnight sun sometime soon.


It sounds like you don't realize that the "land of the midnight sun" in June is the "land of the daytime darkness" in December. Very little daylight in Barrow in December. In fact, the sun never rises in Barrow in December. You have about 3 hours of "twilight" each day in December.

http://www.sunrisesunset.com/calendar.asp

Howdy,

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but it had so much good info on such a remote area that I had to do it! :D

Are there any new recommendations on Barrow or even Prudhoe Bay in the winter? With the great fares from the continental US to ANC on AS and DL, not to mention UA right now, I might just go up to Alaska in December to see the land of the midnight sun sometime soon.

Any updated advice would be appreciated! Thanks! ^

The further north you go, the better the chance of seeing the aurora - which is the best reason to go to Alaska during the winter. If you're there at the right time, the aurora around Barrow or better, Prudhoe Bay, will be stunning - if it's at a lull, at least you're still see something around Barrow or Prudhoe Bay, while Fairbanks won't have anything.

The further north you go, the better the chance of seeing the aurora - which is the best reason to go to Alaska during the winter. If you're there at the right time, the aurora around Barrow or better, Prudhoe Bay, will be stunning - if it's at a lull, at least you're still see something around Barrow or Prudhoe Bay, while Fairbanks won't have anything.

Actually, I'm not sure about that. Check out this post I made recently in another thread (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/alaska/1103894-weekend-sep-should-i-go-alaska.html#post14290553):

I would think you could easily "see" everything there is to see in BRW without hiring a guide. If you can find one cheap, it might be worth it, but there's not much to the tourism aside from the monument at the point. I'm not sure about the bear-watching, though--you may want someone who knows where they hang out to show you, but you should probably make sure they'll even be in the area when you're there (for a portion of the year, they spend their time out on the pack ice).

As for the Northern Lights, take a look at the auroral oval at http://www.gedds.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast/. The aurora is not a solid cap (yarmukle?) on the top of the world--it's a ring (i.e. you won't see anything over the North Pole). You can see that both BRW and FAI are about equidistant from the centerline of the ring. What that means is that northern lights viewing is not going to be any better from BRW than it is from FAI, and indeed, the weather in FAI is generally a lot clearer than on the gloomy, overcast North Slope. Unless you have a desperate need to see polar bears in BRW and say you've been to the northernmost point in the U.S., save yourself the money and stick to FAI instead. A nice weekend at Chena Hot Springs is the perfect cure for whatever ails you--watch the lights dance above your head as you soak in hot mineral waters. (Well, you might have to get away from the pool to see anything, depending on the artificial lights in the pool area and the amount of steam generated by the water...)

About the best place to see the lights is right on the centerline of the ring in Fort Yukon, but talk about expensive to get to! :eek:

Also, you may find information in this thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/alaska/741552-barrow-winter-time.html

Now, the auroral oval does wander a bit, and both Barrow and Prudhoe can have a slightly higher chance of seeing the aurora than Fairbanks (Barrow more than Prudhoe, actually--Barrow is slightly closer to the auroral ring centerline), but weigh that against the much higher chance of cloudy weather on the North Slope. I'd pick Fairbanks any day.

Actually, I'm not sure about that. Check out this post I made recently in another thread (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/alaska/1103894-weekend-sep-should-i-go-alaska.html#post14290553):

Now, the auroral oval does wander a bit, and both Barrow and Prudhoe can have a slightly higher chance of seeing the aurora than Fairbanks (Barrow more than Prudhoe, actually--Barrow is slightly closer to the auroral ring centerline), but weigh that against the much higher chance of cloudy weather on the North Slope. I'd pick Fairbanks any day.

I had been tracking the forecast for quite some time (actually two winters) to help plan a trip up there - even going as far as becoming a quasi-"expert" with Carrington Rotation Plots so I could forecast ahead of time (and at least get a 14 or 21 day advance purchase ticket) - I noticed from the aurora belt shape that Fairbanks often got little or no aurora activity (or was low on the horizon) unless the solar activity was at or near a high, while points north and west (or south and east) got a better view - but as you point out, the weather is an issue, and I am not familiar with winter weather in these towns.

It sounds like you don't realize that the "land of the midnight sun" in June is the "land of the daytime darkness" in December. Very little daylight in Barrow in December. In fact, the sun never rises in Barrow in December. You have about 3 hours of "twilight" each day in December.

http://www.sunrisesunset.com/calendar.asp

HAHA...thanks for the clarification. Was singing an old tune in my head when writing and forgot the seasons. :p

Just wanted to a report on my trip to BRW a few months ago. I thot BRW would be a good place to see a whale hunt, the northern lights and polar bears. Got disappointed on all three counts.

BRW is not actually at the northern most point. One can drive a regular car on a road that ends two miles before Barrow point. From the end of the road, you need a snowmobile to go further. There are some companies that take you, but its about $100+
One company is Aarigaa and their # is 907 367 3332


At the point, the chances of seeing polar bears increases. The whale hunting season is around Oct, but its unpredictable. Plus there is a quota of 12 whales per season I think. The catch the whales and bring them to an area called the "Narl" I think. The catch is announced on some radio station which the ppl at the Barrow Airport Inn knows. They were also willing to give me a call on my cell if they heard of a catch,.

The locals don't seem to take non-locals on their whaling expeditions. Bad luck I believe. I was also not able to find any restaurant serving their food, which according to the car rental lady was b/c it is not allowed in their tradition. The meat of the whales caught by locals is not served in restaurants b/c its not processed under the US specifications/standards.

There is a car rental (got the # from the hotel) and we got an old Taurus for $130. Its walking distance from the airport terminal. After you step outside the terminal walk to the right. The Barrow Airport Inn is walking distance as well, but make sure you are warm, the King Eider (??) Inn is almost opposite. There were plenty of taxis available.
The Barrow Airport Inn is decent, costed $130/night and had breakfast. They didn't seem to have queen beds, all were single.

Thanks for the update.

I have actually been ready to fly to Barrow at a moment's notice the past two autumns if I heard reports of polar bears. But unfortunately my contact there said that they were not to be seen (except once very early in September and never seen again).

How long did you go for? I have heard that the Northern Lights have been quite active in recent weeks. I was in Fairbanks in March 2009 for close to a week and never saw the Northern Lights. Going back to Alaska this coming March and hope to see them (will be there for almost a week but a bit further south). Too bad you didn't see them. I was camping at Wonder Lake Campground inside Denali NP last August and there was a great Northern Lights show one night for close to an hour. Pretty incredible actually, even though not stunningly bright.

Thanks for the update.

I have actually been ready to fly to Barrow at a moment's notice the past two autumns if I heard reports of polar bears. But unfortunately my contact there said that they were not to be seen (except once very early in September and never seen again).

How long did you go for? I have heard that the Northern Lights have been quite active in recent weeks. I was in Fairbanks in March 2009 for close to a week and never saw the Northern Lights. Going back to Alaska this coming March and hope to see them (will be there for almost a week but a bit further south). Too bad you didn't see them. I was camping at Wonder Lake Campground inside Denali NP last August and there was a great Northern Lights show one night for close to an hour. Pretty incredible actually, even though not stunningly bright.

I went one night and one entire day. I came to the end of the road to the point and saw something white move in the distance. My wife thinks it was an arctic fox as it was moving quickly, but I think it was a polar bear b/c we could see it from quite a distance.