About 40 years ago, I spent a week in a cabin in Interior Alaska, waiting out a temperature of minus 68. While I was there, I entertained myself by tossing a cup of water into the air and seeing it freeze before it hit the ground.
As attractive as this may be for some, over the next few decades I began favoring March as the best time of year to enjoy Alaska’s many wintertime attractions and outdoor opportunities.
The reason is obvious: “March offers warmer daytime temperatures, plus the days are getting longer, which allows for more daytime activities,” said Jerry Evans, public relations manager for Explore Fairbanks.
Below are March activities guaranteed to put smiles on your clients’ faces — without causing them to freeze.
World Ice Art Championships
The foundation of any winter visit is the World Ice Art Championships, which start in mid-February and run through late March. Colored lights illuminate the towering sculptures and impart a festive, carnival feel to the ice park. Clients will delight in numerous ice festival events, locally sculpted ice slides, mazes, ice houses and attractions for all ages.
Mushing and Sleighing
Paws for Adventure offers a mushing school where a passing grade is given for handling a dog team by day’s end. Clients can also opt to recline in a dog sled and ride through snowy forests, leaving the “gee!” and “haw!” commands to the dog mushers.
Meanwhile, Chena Outdoor Collective’s new tour for 2023 is not going to the dogs. Friendly, domestic reindeer pull clients through forests in a handcrafted sleigh of birch and black spruce. There is a hot beverage stop, with snacks for riders and reindeer alike, and the option to spot check the reindeer for any possible red noses.
Aurora Viewing
New at Borealis Basecamp are “Aurora Cubes” made of panoramic windows that measure 10 feet high from the floor to the ceiling. The remote spacing of each cube offers privacy, while a king-size bed and rainfall shower offer delight in experiencing the aurora.
Chena Hot Springs is a longtime favorite that offers transportation to a heated yurt to view the aurora far from the city lights. Return to soak in the large outdoor hot springs, and enjoy dog-mushing and ice-fishing during the day.
Meanwhile, Bettles Lodge enjoys the best aurora-viewing weather in Alaska, and is located directly under the Auroral Band. A fully equipped cabin, located on a remote lake 2 miles from town, offers spectacular photo opportunities.
