A couple more from Chena Hot Springs

[Blue_In_AK]

These warm little streams run all through the resort


This is the "rock pool" where we soaked. The air temperature wasn't too cold, maybe around 5, but the water was toasty, so hot at one end that they have a fountain-like thing in the middle that adds cold water. The frost build-up around here was amazing.

[tk2kewl]

1. beautiful

Where is this?

It reminds me a little of a spot in Yellowstone near Gardiner

[Blue_In_AK]

2. It's about 60 miles northeast of Fairbanks.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chena_Hot_Springs,_Alaska

[tk2kewl]

3. guess I won't be visiting any time soon

[Blue_In_AK]

4. You should Come for a visit.

Alaska is pretty fabulous.

[tk2kewl]

5. some day... I'd love to

[Adsos Letter]

6. Looks very cold.

Lovely, but cold.

[Blue_In_AK]

7. Not bad for Fairbanks, though.

Alaska has had a very mild winter. Ordinarily this time of year it would be well below zero up there, -30 or so, but I don't think it was any colder than 0 the whole time we were up there. So it felt pleasant.

And ever since my beautiful parka was finished three or four years ago, it hasn't been cold enough to wear it. I was hoping that Fairbanks, at least, would be cold enough, but no dice.

[MuseRider]

8. I loved that place when

we were there! We took ourselves out of the tour group whenever we had a chance and we went to Chena Hot Springs. It was not cold then, no snow and the place was filled with Moose and their babies. It was a lovely place and if we ever go back to Alaska, and I would in a second if the chance ever comes up again because it is simply a wonderful state to see, we want to go back the Chena.

Beautiful pictures. I love your state, was not crazy about the stupid tour we thought we should take since our kids were pretty young, but your state is beautiful.

[Blue_In_AK]

9. Yeah, tours are kind of a bust.

That's why I always suggest to people that they take the ferry up here instead of a cruise because you can bring your own car and drive around all over when you get here.

I guess I'm assuming that you cruised. The second best option, IMO, is to fly up and rent a car. You just miss out on so much when you're being herded around like sheep.

[MuseRider]

15. I don't know why we did it that way

except to deal with two kids it was easier. It was kinda, really awful. Like being at a bad party for 10 days. We did the tour that started in Seattle I think, and we did do that wonderful train trip. I enjoyed that except we went by things without stopping until we reached Denali then it was busses. I really enjoyed Talkeetna. We did have some fun. Whenever we could we rented a car and drove around. Instead of the canned tour where you go by Susan Butchers house and see her out with her dogs we went to the actual home of Mary Shields, had cookies and hot cocoa and listened to her stories. We met her dogs, looked at all her gear and had just a lovely personal time. She talked about going up into the wilderness and living through winters up there with her dogs. There were probably 4 other people there and we were there around 4 hours in her kitchen. What a cool lady she seemed to be.

I hated the tour. There were many reason but I HATED the tour. Loved your state though. I wanted to go up to Barrow, I had a friend from there and I thought it would be really neat to do that. We were told about the roads and the risk because of the roads, the kids were too young for all that risk and we really did not have that much extra time so we opted not to do it.

[Curmudgeoness]

10. "temperature wasn't too cold, maybe around 5"

LOL, that is hilarious!

I love the photos. The blue tint makes them look cold, as they should. The first one looks like that is such a tranquil spot. Wish I was there. Without the snow. And with air temp at about 70 instead of 5. (Well, I guess I don't wish I was there, do I?)

[Blue_In_AK]

11. You could always come in the summer.

Fairbanks area has really warm summers, if you can deal with the mosquitoes. If you just stayed in the hot spring, they could only eat your face.

[Curmudgeoness]

12. If I decide to visit AK one day,

you will know that I am coming. I would want to see some of the wonderful things that you show us here.

[Blue_In_AK]

13. And we would be more than happy to tour guide.

[NV Whino]

14. Beautiful

Apparently our El Niño has fizzled. We are experiencing a pleasant spring in the middle of winter.

[ManiacJoe]

16. Been there, done that. You got the better photos.

Daytime is good for photos. We were there for the soaking, went at night. It would be nice to get back there during the daylight.

The Fairbanks' winters are interesting. Usually very cold (-25 F), but no wind. Thus, no snow drifts and no wind chill. 4 hours of sunset for direct sunlight.

Fairbanks' summers are great. Warm 70s, 20 hours of real sunlight. Unfortunately, no wind during the summers either; thus, no breeze to blow the jumbo mosquitoes away. When panning for gold in the rivers with my brother-in-law, the running gag was take the rifle for the bears and the shotgun for the mosquitoes.

[Blue_In_AK]

17. LOL.

Yes, the mosquitoes up there are awful. We have some mosquito netting "jackets" that we wear whenever we're going to spend much time in the Interior in the summertime. Down here in Anchorage we usually have a couple weeks in early June when they're bad, but then they taper off considerably.