As the golden hues of the Alaskan summer painted the sky, we welcomed a special visit from our son Zac, his wife Katherine, and their two sons, Charles and Leonardo. Their journey spanned from a crisp Monday evening to a sunlit Saturday, encapsulating the essence of the land of the midnight sun. We packed in a lot of Alaska in just a few short days.
Gold Dredge 8: More than a Flash in a Pan Our adventure began Tuesday at the iconic Gold Dredge 8, a cornerstone of Fairbanks’ rich history. It was fun to see the dredge from the vantage point of a guest. We rode the narrow-gauge train, as our commentator shared the history of the past glory days of the gold rush. We panned for gold and our collective efforts yielded a flash in the pan worth $102, a modest echo of the riches of the gold rush. We ate cookies, walked inside the dredge, and took turns handling the 19-ounce gold nugget, a tangible piece of Alaska. Charles, writing in his journal that evening, said that the experience was one of the best he has had in his life!
Running Reindeer Ranch: Africa in the Arctic In the Goldstream Valley north of Fairbanks, on a warm Alaskan evening, we found harmonious music and resting reindeer at Running Reindeer Ranch. The ranch is owned by a family who opens it up for guests to roam with the reindeer. Every Wednesday, the ranch offers, “Music with Reindeer.” A limited number of guests are invited to sit in a corral and enjoy music as reindeer wander about. Terri was the most excited about the encounter with these beautiful creatures.
The air was alive with the rhythms of Zimbabwe, performed by Fairbanks’ own musical ensemble, Serevende Marimba Band. Amidst a dozen or so caribou, we were enveloped in a symphony of nature and culture, a testament to the unexpected wonders of the north. As we sat in chairs listening to the music, the caribou wandered about and eventually they settled in among us. It was a unique experience to hear the juxtaposition of African music and arctic animals.
Running Reindeer Ranch
Aurora Ice Museum: Time to Chill Out Journeying eastward from Fairbanks, we arrived at the Aurora Ice Museum, a crystalline wonderland sculpted from the frozen bounty of Alaska. Donning the provided parkas, we stepped into a world where the temperature is perpetually set at a brisk 25° Fahrenheit (-7° Celsius). Amidst the glacial artistry, we observed artisans crafting delicate ice martini glasses for use with the chilled libations of the ice bar. It was interesting to see the various sculptures. There is even a room which can be rented overnight within the museum. No thanks. We can’t imagine sleeping comfortably on an ice bed.
Incidentally, on the way there, we saw a moose near the river and on the way back from the museum we saw a red fox along the roadside.
Entering the ice museum.
Interesting Artistry
Pioneer Park Narrative Theater At Pioneer Park in Fairbanks we visited a one-of-a-kind, narrative theater. The theater presented, "The Big Stampede Show." It is a distinctive presentation that features fifteen oil on canvas paintings by C. M. “Rusty” Heurlin. (We were forbidden to take pictures.) In this darkened theater, the audience is seated on a turntable that spins to focus on each painting one at a time. As the spotlight shines on each mural, the narrator recounts the tales of the stampeders during the Klondike and Fairbanks gold rushes of 1898 and 1902. The theater is the last known of its kind and offers a unique way to engage with Alaska’s gold rush history.
Exploring Fairbanks The remaining part of our days were filled with taking in more highlights of Fairbanks, from the vibrant exhibits of the Morris Thompson Cultural Center to the verdant allure of the Georgeson Botanical Gardens. We traveled on the river aboard the paddlewheel boat, Riverboat Discovery, and took in the narrative displays housed within the Museum of the North. Each moment was a thread in the rich tapestry of our Alaskan journey.
As we bid farewell to Zac and his family, we were glad to have the shared experiences etched into our memories, and our time together under the midnight sun would forever illuminate the bond of family.
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