Fairbanks in December

I arrived in Fairbanks on Christmas Day, unsure of what to expect. I had joked that no one flies to Fairbanks in late December, but that was not true. The plane was full as we landed on a snow-packed runway, the reverse thrusters creating a blizzard that enveloped the entire plane. It was thrilling!

Wanting to ensure that I secured an all-wheel-drive vehicle, I used Turo, the Airbnb for cars, for the first time. The owner of my rented Subaru Crosstrek arrived at the airport wearing only a T-shirt. He explained that “it was not cold yet, Alaska cold anyway”. The temperature was -2° F (-19°C). In the coming days, I would understand as the temps reached -30°F (-34°C)!

Fairbanks felt like a ghost town as I made my way to the 100+-year-old cabin I had rented on Airbnb. Surprisingly, it was located very near the downtown area. All the shops were closed and the streets were empty as Christmas Day was coming to an end. Snow was piled high along the roadway and lined all the tree branches. It was incredibly beautiful.

The walkway along the Chena River in Fairbanks. 1:00pm light with a temperature of -15°F (-26°C).

I had chosen Fairbanks as the site to spend my 40th birthday, which was to come on December 28th. The reason was simple: it is rated as one of the top sites in the world to view the northern lights both because it is located directly under the “Auroral Oval” where northern light activity is concentrated and because the climate is relatively dry so cloudy nights are few.

The outskirts of Fairbanks, looking in. Taken at 10:30pm (a long exposure) while searching for the northern lights.

Even though the nights were long with the sun setting by 2:50pm and not rising until almost 11:00am, the best time to view the northern lights was a very late 10:00pm to 3:00am. This would be quite a feat for me as a night owl I am not!

Sunset over the Alaska Range- taken just after 3pm from the University of Alaska Campus in Fairbanks.

Lessons from: Fairbanks in December

Even though the sun was only above the horizon for less than 4 hours, the dusk and dawn seemed to last forever as the angle of the sun was extremely shallow. This meant that there was some light in the sky from around 9:30am to 4:00pm.
I had a great experience with Turo. The pick-up and drop-off were much easier than with a traditional rental car company, and it was cheaper.
Food prices in Fairbanks are very expensive! This, of course, makes sense with its isolated location.

Something interesting: How do cars start when it is-30°F (-34°C)?!

I was fascinated by the fact that my rental vehicle had no problem starting even as it sat overnight in temperatures reaching -30°F (-34°C).

I did some digging and figured out how this could be.

All vehicles have to be prepped to handle such cold conditions. Most are plugged in overnight using an extension cord. Businesses even provide these in employee parking lots! Being from Colorado, I am accustomed to seeing diesel engines plugged in, but had never seen the same for gas engines, until arriving in Fairbanks.

As plugging in is not always an option heaters can be installed that are powered by the battery to keep the engine components from freezing up.

The fluids in the engine also need to be primed for the cold weather.

Of course, to Alaskans, this is just business as usual!

A look behind the curtain.

I was very impressed with Fairbanks and the tough, rugged, and very friendly people who call it home. I was pretty certain that it was not a place I would want to pass the winter but I admired those who did.

Being unaccustomed to the extreme cold, I seemed to stick out like a sore thumb to the natives. When I first arrived I went to the grocery store bundled up in a hat and gloves. I noticed people eyeing me and also that no one else was wearing a hat and gloves. Apparently, -2°F (-19°C) was far too warm for such attire! I could also only spend about 20 minutes outside before my thighs, hands, toes, and face were cold to the point of hurting. Such a rookie!

Those who lived there thought nothing of leaving their vehicles running in the parking lot while shopping or even while eating at restaurants. They navigated snow-packed and icy roads with ease and always left a respectable distance to allow for the inevitable slide from time to time. They were quick to smile and offer help. They seemed relaxed, confident, and at ease despite living in an extreme environment that could literally take their life without much effort. I admired their toughness. It was a toughness that you just don’t experience in the lower 48.