News & Stories
From the tour desk
Photographing the Northern Lights
13/08/14
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In late August, we’ll begin our highly anticipated Northern Lights—or Aurora Borealis—tours out of our Fairbanks, Alaska headquarters. Visitors are typically very excited to embark on one of these tours after hearing about the beauty of the Northern Lights for their entire life. They’re rarely let down either, especially when the timing is right. In fact, the allure of the Northern Lights and the effect that they have on people can be quite extreme. One man named Todd Salat, featured in an article in the Laramie, Boomerang, even gave up a promising career as a geologist to become a full-time…
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What Is the Arctic Circle?
22/07/14
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Here at 1st Alaska Outdoor School in Fairbanks, we believe that our knowledge and expertise shine through on each and every one of our exciting excursions. When considering one of our most popular tours that explores the Arctic Circle, many visitors are embarrassed to ask the questions: What is the Arctic Circle anyway, and what’s so great about it? While the question will undoubtedly be answered in grand fashion while experiencing the tour, here’s a brief rundown to get you up to speed. First, a quick geography refresher for those who’ve been out of the classroom for a while. Remember…
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Reasons to Take an Alaska Vacation
23/06/14
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Remember when you were a kid and you had the long summer months to look forward to as you slaved away behind that small wooden desk? Long before “staycations” became a trend for the cash-strapped, every child in the country was taking one on an annual, shedding responsibility and exploring the world immediately surrounding them. Now that you’re all grown up, you probably have much less time off. These days, you’re lucky to have a week or two away from the daily grind. On the other hand, you now have the freedom and independence to really get away from it…
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Pioneer Park in Alaska is a Perfect Family Activity
28/05/14
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Pioneer Park is considered Alaska's only historic theme park. It was founded in late 1960 / early 1961, at a time when pioneers requested public land from the state of Alaska. It was meant to be a tourist attraction that contained exhibits featuring historical Alaska. In 1965, it was requested to be used for the 100th year anniversary of the purchase of Alaska from Russia. It was eventually named "Alaska 67 Centennial Exposition." In 1968, Mayor Red Boucher signed a letter declaring that the park will officially be named "Alaskaland." In July of 2002, the name was changed back to…
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When is the best time to visit Fairbanks, Alaska?
22/05/14
By 1st@otcwebdesign.com
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Of course we think Alaska is amazing every day of the year. But the real answer to “when” you should visit depends on what adventures you are looking forward to. Summertime is probably the best time to visit Alaska if you are looking forward to doing activities such as touring the Arctic Circle, participating in water sports like rafting and canoeing, relaxing at the Chena Hot Springs, or fishing for fresh Alaskan seafood. Visitors are pleasantly surprised by how pleasant the Alaskan summer weather is. During the day, temperatures remain in the 60-80 Fahrenheit range. At night time, it can…
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Great Fishing in Alaska
28/04/14
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The beautiful country of Alaska is well-known for luring people to its shores. The majestic wildlife, the magnificent scenery and other local staples combine to make a visit to Alaska a trip you will always remember. But if you enjoy fishing, you are in for a special treat, and Alaska and our guided fishing excursions will not disappoint. We pick you up right at your accommodations in Fairbanks and plan everything for you so your day begins with ease. You don’t have to worry about hiring a taxi. Our pick-up service is completely free. Whether you are with your family,…
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What to do in Fairbanks, Alaska this Summer
24/04/14
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Two superb summer adventures in Fairbanks, Alaska, include taking a cruise on the Riverboat Discovery and a visit to Gold Dredge 8. 1st Alaska Outdoor School offers discount tickets for both attractions. Now most people wouldn’t assume there was a river boat ride in Alaska, but there is, and the Binkley Family has been operating cruises for tourists here since 1950. Two sternwheelers known as Discovery II and Discovery III are in operation, taking tourists for three and a half hour narrated tours to see the sights around Fairbanks, including Iditarod sled dogs in action and a bush pilot demonstration.…
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Canoeing and Rafting in Fairbanks, Alaska
15/04/14
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One of the more unique ways to get up close and personal with nature in Alaska is to take a river raft excursion through the great Alaskan wilderness. There are many sights to see in Alaska, and it’s easier to float down a river than to do miles of hiking—that’s for sure. If you’re not from Alaska, and you don’t happen to have a large, reliable raft or canoe with you, but you still want the experience of getting on the water and being able to tell all your friends back home that you went rafting in Alaska, 1st Alaska…
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What to Do This Summer in Fairbanks, Alaska
03/04/14
By 1st@otcwebdesign.com
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1st Alaska Outdoor School offers fun tours each summer season in, around, and beyond Fairbanks, in Alaska’s interior region. Between May 15th and the end of September, there are half day, one day and three day guided tours available, to show you the best of what Alaska has to offer visitors. Did you know that the temperature gets into the 60s and 70s during an Alaskan summer? You can get away with wearing short sleeved shirts, shorts and walking shoes for many days, especially in June, July, and August. Of course, there are some cooler days, where the temperatures hover…
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Murphy Dome: Excellent Site for Northern Light Viewing
24/03/14
By 1st@otcwebdesign.com
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When traveling to Alaska, one of the must-see sights is the Northern Lights. The gorgeous mix of colors in the clear night sky is simply breath taking. Many times the lights show up in curtains, but can also be arcs or spirals. Generally, they are green in color, but you might also catch hints of pink, red, purple, or white colors. The Northern Lights are a unique site to the United States, so it’s something you don’t want to miss. This is an ideal spot for photographers who wish to capture nature’s beauty. What happens to cause this phenomenon? Well,…
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Why Prudhoe Bay Should Be on Your Destination List
13/03/14
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If you’re looking to go to one of the most northern spots in the United States, visiting Prudhoe Bay, Alaska should be your number one choice! Settled along the Arctic Ocean, Prudhoe Bay is most well known for it’s proximity to the largest oil field in the United States and North America: Prudhoe Bay Oil Field. This great oil field originally contained approximately 25 billion barrels of oil when it was discovered in 1968. However, according to BP, as of 2006, only about 4 billion barrels of recoverable oil remained underground. Located in what is known as the North Slope…
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Why You Should Use an Alaskan Tour Guide
26/02/14
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Ever since Sarah Palin put Alaska in the spotlight, and several TV shows like Ice Road Truckers showed people a glimpse into life in the Arctic, more and more people have added “a trip to Alaska” to their bucket list. The Alaskan wilderness is vast, with lots of things to see and do, such as rafting, ice fishing, and dog mushing. While you could explore Alaska on your own, it makes a lot of sense to have a professional tour guide from outfits like 1st Alaska Outdoor School. Tour guides know the land, the animals, and the dangers of Alaska.…
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What to Do in Alaska This February and March
17/02/14
By 1st@otcwebdesign.com
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In December, do you remember hearing the song “Winter Wonderland” around Christmas? Well, there’s a place in Fairbanks, Alaska, that will be transformed into a real winter wonderland of ice sculptures February 24th through March 30th, 10am to 10pm daily. “Ice Alaska” is the name of the event in Fairbanks, where ice art competitions and exhibitions take place at George Horner Ice Park. Over 70 teams of ice artists from around the globe come to Fairbanks to construct elaborate works of art, built by ice, and illuminated in the darkness. This year is Ice Alaska’s 25th anniversary, so it’s going…
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Fairbanks, Alaska: A Great Place to Visit!
29/01/14
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Fairbanks boasts many fine attractions and amenities, and is Alaska’s second largest city. With its thriving downtown area, many art galleries, varied activities to suit every taste and need, fine places to eat, and, of course, the Aurora Borealis (Alaska’s Northern Lights) in the winter, it is a wonderful destination year round. The winters are generally long here and temperatures often go to 40 below zero, but this year has seen record highs and many native Alaskans are wondering what happened to the winter. But cold or warm, Fairbanks has so much to recommend it to both the visitor and…
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Stay Warm While Ice Fishing in Alaska
20/01/14
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You have probably seen pictures of people ice fishing, and it looks…cold outside. And it usually is. But if you bundle up properly, it’s “not too bad,” even in Alaska. Ice fishing involves drilling a large hole through the ice, using a chisel to widen that hole, and then setting the line to see if you’ll catch anything in that spot. That said, it’s important to dress in layers. Interestingly, your own sweat can make you cold, so you should start with a moisture-wicking material on your bare skin. You can use shirts, pants and socks containing the material polypropylene.…
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4 Reasons To Choose 1st Alaska Outdoor School
16/01/14
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Thanks to its scenic landscapes, unique climate and access to exotic wildlife, Alaska is quickly becoming one of the most popular vacation destinations in America. Vacationers can experience a variety of exciting outdoor activities when visiting Alaska, activities that they likely are unable to enjoy anywhere else. That said, Alaska has a distinct culture, and it can be difficult to know where to find ideal the right places to enjoy different outdoor activities. Moreover, it may be difficult to find the best spots to take in picturesque views of different Alaskan staples, such as the Northern Lights and the Arctic…
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Chena Hot Springs Resort: The Perfect Destination
13/01/14
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Alaska has been a very popular tourist spot in recent years and no wonder. With its breathtaking scenery, and fantastic wildlife, there is much to see, do and marvel at. During all seasons of the year, there is something amazing to experience, and Chena Hot Springs Resort will not disappoint you. Chena’s healing hot springs mineral waters at Rock Lake have been bathed in by guests the world over and they are said to relieve body aches and pains, skin conditions, and issues with circulation, lung disorders and even arthritis. At the least you feel renewed and rejuvenated when you…
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Things To Pack On An Alaskan Winter Vacation
06/01/14
By 1st@otcwebdesign.com
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Alaska is one of the most beautiful states in the U.S. with its picturesque scenery, beautiful land, and amazing people. It is a great destination for many cruise companies and a popular state for nature lovers. However, along with the state’s awesome beauty comes snow, ice, and very cold temperatures that tourists need to be prepared to face. There are tons of exciting ways to enjoy the breathtaking wonders of nature, while visiting and touring Alaska, but keeping warm and comfortable is highly important to a traveler’s enjoyment. There are essential items that a traveler needs to pack and take…
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What Creates the Northern Lights?
10/12/13
By 1st@otcwebdesign.com
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Have you ever seen the Northern Lights?” They’re inspiring and amazing curtains of colored light visible on occasion in the night sky. How did these lights come to be? Clouds of gas get ejected from the surface of the sun. Scientists call them coronal mass ejections. When the clouds reach our planet, they collide with the Earth’s magnetic field. The field causes complex changes to happen to the gas clouds’ magnetic tail regions. Particles colliding with oxygen and nitrogen atoms produce dazzling lights. In late 2013, the Earth moved into a high speed stream of solar wind, receiving lots of…
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Things to Do In Fairbanks, Alaska This Winter
19/11/13
By 1st@otcwebdesign.com
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When you think of Alaska, you think “cold.” Yes, it does get cold in the winter, but have you ever been to an outdoor natural hot springs? In the Fairbanks area, you can warm up at the Chena Hot Springs Resort, with its outdoor hot springs, as well as indoor pool and hot tubs. Nice! Winter in Alaska can be exhilarating. In Fairbanks, you have got to see “North Pole’s Christmas In Ice,” a winter wonderland celebration that runs from November 30 all the way through January 7. Ice sculptures lit up next to the Santa Claus House, ice carving…
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The Excitement of Dog-Sledding
04/11/13
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When planning your winter wilderness outing, you are sure to want to include plenty of action-packed activities to even out your moments of relaxation. Different outdoor excursions are available to fit your vacation desires. Dog-sledding while vacationing at your snowy destination is a thrilling way to spend the day before heading back to your cozy lodge. It is easy to turn your sledding fantasy into a reality during your next Alaskan retreat. Dog mushing or sledding is something that everyone on your vacation can enjoy. Whether you are an extreme outdoor adventurist or merely a mild adventure seeker, the sledding…
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Experiencing The Northern Lights From Around The Globe
14/10/13
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The natural phenomenon of the Aurora Borealis, otherwise known as the Northern Lights, has been discussed in great detail in previous posts. While we can’t get enough of talking about our passion for this truly unique experience, we’d like to focus on just how common it is to see the fantastic light show from various parts of the world. You can’t underestimate how ideal Alaska’s weather conditions are in order to see the Northern Lights, which include crisp, cold, clear, and cloudless night skies. Subsequently, other locations within the Northern Lights zone have the right conditions necessary for viewing the…
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Experiencing Ice Fishing During Alaska’s Winter Season
08/10/13
By 1st@otcwebdesign.com
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Ice fishing may be considered an off-season sport for many places, but in Alaska ice fishing is favored. Although Alaska’s winter daylight hours are shorter than in the summer, the conditions are still ideal. Some might say that sitting in an ice box on a frozen body of water doesn’t seem like fun, but that is absolutely not true! Ice fishing is 100% thrilling, encompassing an exciting adventure with the art of fishing. Winters in Alaska are exceptionally beautiful and one can truly take in the glorious sights around them on any given ice fishing trip. Because ice fishing requires…
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Another Wonderful Reason to Plan a Trip to Alaska
03/10/13
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Long, long ago, if you were to visit Alaska, you wouldn’t find many people there, save for native peoples clustered in small settlements near a food source such as a lake or the ocean. Today, Alaska is a popular tourist destination, allowing people like you to see, for yourself, areas that were foreign to the rest of the world for centuries. Did you know that there is a giant national park called “Gates of the Arctic National Park” in Alaska? Its headquarters is in Fairbanks, though the actual park is in northern Alaska, and is only accessible by walking in…
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Reasons to Visit Fairbanks, Alaska
25/09/13
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Fairbanks is known as The Golden Heart of Alaska. While there are many reasons to visit Fairbanks, perhaps the number one reason people come to the city is to view the world-famous northern lights. You’re used to seeing blue, grey or clear skies during the day and black skies at night. How about seeing red, purple, green and white lights illuminating the skies? The northern lights are celestial pyrotechnic displays in the sky that visitors to Fairbanks regard as beautiful, mysterious and awesome. Typically visible from the end of August through early April, you’re likely to see northern lights in…
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Viewing the Northern Lights in Alaska with an Arctic Circle Tour
06/09/13
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Although we may be biased, a trip to Alaska to visit the Arctic Circle is an experience everyone should encounter. Even more amazing and breathtaking are the Northern Lights displays we are treated to regularly. While this phenomenon is visible throughout the northern and southern hemispheres, the lights, also known as “Aurora Borealis” in the north, are observable throughout Alaska. What are the Northern Lights? The Northern Lights are the “bright dancing lights of the aurora are actually collisions between electrically charged particles from the sun that enter the earth's atmosphere.” A true sight to see, they are the effect…
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Common Misconceptions About The Arctic
29/08/13
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The first two things that come to most people’s minds when thinking about the Arctic are cold and snow. But anyone who’s lived, worked, or visited there knows there is much more to the beautiful region. Here are a few examples of things you thought you knew about the land north of the Arctic Circle. Everything is dead? – Does grass grow in the Arctic? Of course it does. Forests stretch for miles while vegetables and flowers are grown regularly. Much of Alaska gets less snow than areas of the lower fifty states, leaving plenty of opportunity for some…
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Reasons to Make a Trip To Alaska
13/08/13
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Ask yourself this question: at some point in life, will I visit Alaska? If you’re like a lot of people, Alaska is one of those “bucket list” items to “do someday.” It’s a good time, now, to visit Alaska and hire a guide from the 1st Alaska Outdoor School. He or she can take you to places you’ve only dreamed about or saw in pictures. The beauty of Alaska is unparalleled. It’s like visiting another world. Indeed, one of the main reasons people visit Alaska is because of its breathtaking scenery. Twice the size of Texas, Alaska has less than…
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Testing an Icebreaker in the Arctic Circle
29/07/13
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One of the challenges that the state of Alaska faces is frozen waterways, which can lead to a variety of issues. In order for ships to get through the ice floating in the frigid waters of the Arctic Sea at the top of the world, the ice has to be broken up. Did you know there are two heavy-duty icebreaking ships that the U.S. Coast Guard has put to good use to make that happen? One of the nation’s two heavy-duty icebreakers is called The Polar Star. Painted bright red in color, the 35-year-old, 399-foot long ship recently underwent renovations…
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Surprising Facts about the Arctic Circle
17/07/13
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One of the most intriguing and scenic places in the world is the Arctic Circle. As one of the most fascinating areas on the planet, the Arctic Circle is often found on people’s “bucket lists,” as they strive to travel to the one of world’s most intriguing places. There are several surprising and interesting facts about the region, and we’ve compiled some noteworthy tidbits below: The Arctic Ocean is large than you may think. In fact, it spans 5.4 million miles across the Earth. That is bigger than several continents, including Europe. Eight different countries have parts of their territory…
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