I had a dilemma. Chena Hot Springs was a good hour outside of Fairbanks. I knew the scenery would be beautiful, with views I would hate to miss by driving it at night. Yet, I was in Alaska to see the Northern Lights, and the thought of catching a glimpse while relaxing in a hot spring was pretty enticing.
I decided on a compromise and left Fairbanks when the sun was just above the horizon, taking full advantage of the extended dusk in this northern latitude.
The 60-mile (97 km) drive was absolutely breathtaking. The sun was slowly descending over the Alaska Range, lighting up the bright snow covering the ground and the dark trees lining the highway with a golden hue that made everything radiate. The sky was perfectly clear and possessed deep shades of blue and purple. I found myself laughing in amazement at the beauty I was witnessing. As if frozen in time, the serene light was paused in this state for nearly 30 minutes. It was astonishing.
The slippery, snow-packed road and high snowbanks lining the highway prevented me from stopping to capture this moment with my camera. As well as something else, a realization that was brewing as the temperature reached -27°F (-33°C).
I was completely alone on a highway in Alaska with the daylight waning and temperatures so cold that surviving without heat (or the proper supplies) would not be possible. What if my car broke down? What if I slid off the road and no one saw me? And I realized that for the first time in my life, I was somewhere where the outside temperatures were the biggest threat. I was not scared, I was humbled. I kept my eyes on the road, kept my foot off the brake, and just took it easy.
Chena Hot Springs Road unsurprisingly ends at the hot springs. I found parking in the large lot, wandered around until I located the entrance to the pool, paid the $20 for the soak, and changed in the locker room. The Arctic-like wind tunnel connecting the locker room with the pool made the warm water all the more enjoyable to enter!
The heads visible through the steam resembled ice-goodnesses from Game of Thrones and I quickly realized why as my head took on the same form. Turns out that in these temps the steam immediately freezes to your hair. It did not take long for a literal ice cap to form! As funny as it was I also felt silly for not wearing a beenie to prevent it. It actually took quite a bit of focus to avoid touching my head knowing that doing so would break my hair off. And not just my hair, my eyelashes were frozen!
Still, it was the perfect antidote to all the cold I had experienced in the previous days.
Lessons from Chena- An Interior Alaskan Hot Springs
- Chena Hot Springs is a huge operation that includes a lodge, cabins, camping, yurts, a restaurant, a cafe, a spa, an ice museum, and limitless summer and winter activities!
- To visit the hot springs and pool the price for adults is $20 which includes a locker and use of the showers. Bring your own towel to save an additional $5.
- There is cell coverage (at least with Verizon) for the entire stretch from Fairbanks to Chena. During the winter, as an added precaution, it would be wise to notify someone that you are making the drive.
Something interesting: More about Chena Hot Springs
There is a lot happening at Chena Hot Springs which is actually designated as an unincorporated community.
It was founded more than 100 years ago by two gold-mining brothers-Thomas and Robert Swan. They had actually set out in search of a hot spring because Robert was suffering from rheumatism and needed a place to ease his pain. Surprisingly, it only took them one month to discover it!
In 1911 they built 12 cabins to accommodate visitors and it was established as a resort. Hard to imagine coming across a hot spring, claiming it as yours, and starting a business. Very different times.
The resort makes use of the first low-temperature binary geothermal power plant built in Alaska. In 2006, the diesel generators used in the past moved to a back-up role. This greatly reduced the cost of power and reduced emissions.
The resort is also working on several alternative energy projects including producing hydrogen and vegetable oil to use as fuel.
It also partners with the University of Alaska in Fairbanks to experiment with the greenhouse production of vegetables.
-Info pulled from Wikipedia
A look behind the curtain.
In my experience, most people shake their heads in confusion at the thought of visiting Alaska in the middle of winter. It seems as though the cold weather and short days are a major deterrent. I really cannot relate to that sentiment but then again, I do seem to have a clear bias for polar regions!
Indeed, you won’t experience warm temperatures or much daylight in Alaska in winter. This is what you WILL experience.
You will experience extraordinary light in the form of a combined dusk and dawn that lasts for hours and a sun that never rises far above the horizon, creating deep shadows that contrast with vibrant light.
You will experience nights so dark that you can witness the neon color show of particles from the sun interacting with particles in our atmosphere, dancing around the sky to their own tune and becoming visible to the human eye seemingly as they please.
You will experience tough, rugged, and hard Americans who are unphased living in conditions and with temperatures that most in the lower 48 would wither under.
And what I love most, you will have no choice but to humbly acknowledge that the natural world is in control. That your life is in its hands. Its power, its force, and its energy are impossible to ignore in Alaska.
She Simply Wanders 
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