The Colors of Fall

Hi folks! Yes, Fall is definitely falling here in Alaska. I finally got tired of the rain in Valdez, and decided to head back North to Fairbanks. My main goals are to see the fall colors on the tundra, and to try and get a glimpse of the northern lights. It’s actually getting dark at night again, what a concept! As I roll out of Valdez, signs of the lateness of the season are all around. Is that a dusting of fresh snow on those peaks?

I stop at a large gravel area along the Gulkana river, north of Glennallen. It’s a sunny and breezy, afternoon, and it feels so good! I open everything up on the RV and start the drying out process. As the sun starts to sink, it’s very clear, hardly a cloud in the sky… could this be “the night”? I have internet, so I jump on the aurora forecast page at http://www.gi.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast/Alaska . Glory be, it looks like there is very good activity forecast for tonight. I start to get excited. The best time to view the aurora is when the sky is as dark as possible. Looks like that’s going to be about 1am to 3am. OK, I’m staying up for the chance of seeing the northern lights for the first time. Damn straight!

It’s getting pretty chilly out, and there’s still a breeze, so starting about 11pm, I pop outside, look around, and go back in where its warm. At first, I don’t see anything, but then I start to notice something that looks like very high thin clouds overhead. It’s just a haze, but it’s moving! The sky is still clear, man, I’m getting excited. From that point on, the glow in the sky starts to get more obvious. I start seeing what looks like searchlight beams on the horizon, and they are moving from side to side. By 1 am, it’s definitely active out there, but not the big show I was hoping for.

At 2am, things start to get interesting! A big band of light stretches from horizon to horizon overhead, and I’m seeing very bright swirls and bands of color. This is what I was hoping for. For the next 20 minutes, I stand outside and giggle like a child. It is so amazing! Parts of the display are pretty static, but other parts are moving, and moving fast. A huge green swirl forms directly above me and spins. It reminds me of time lapse video of cloud movements. Almost the entire visible sky is aurora!

I wish I had some stunning pictures to show you…. . I did the best I could with the cameras and skills I had, but the pictures don’t begin to do it justice. It was so bright!

     

By 2:30 it was over. What a cool experience! Unforgettable! Now, I want to see it AGAIN!

I should have a few more chances, the forecast looks fairly active for September 7th, and very active for September 13-17. The big problem is, the sky needs to be clear. That’s something that doesn’t happen a lot during the fall up here, but I remain hopeful. I did some manual reading and experimenting with my cameras, so if I get another chance, I should be able to get better pictures. My plan is to be up on the Top of the World highway Sep. 13-15. If I get a clear night, it should be spectacular! 

The next “morning”, I head north. Yeah, getting a slow start today, late night last night! By late afternoon, I turn onto the old Denali highway. This road used to be the main access to the national park, today, it’s a lightly travelled tourist route. The road is mostly all above the tree line, and that means tundra. They say it’s beautiful in the fall…. and you know what? They’re right!

              

I spend a night parked on a hilltop, surrounded by splendor. In the morning, a heavy frost lays on everything, it’s the first night so far that’s dropped below freezing. I come down off the heights and get back on the Richardson highway north to Fairbanks.

  

I plan to spend a few days in Fairbanks, mostly to get supplies and fuel, and maybe cruise the tourist shops. Then, I’m going to head back up to Cheena Hot Springs, with several stops at Silver Gulch brewery in between. I should be in Tok on the 12th, and will head up towards Chicken and the Top of the World on the 13th. Wish me luck!

Once I start up towards Chicken, I’ll be off the air for about 2 weeks unless I can find some WiFi along the way. I will be travelling from Dawson Creek down to Whitehorse, then I’ll pick up the Cassiar highway south. I expect to cross into the lower 48 in late September somewhere near Spokane, WA