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hikingFF77 
Group: Members
Posts: 5235
Joined: Aug. 2005
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Posted on: Dec. 27 2012, 6:57 pm |
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My wife and I are talking about planning a trip to see them, or try to see them sometime as a vacation.
I know that they have seen them on Mt. Washington here in the NE but since we're not allowed to stay on the mountain, unless we volunteered and were accepted and were lucky enough, but that's a lot of variables.
Then I know people say you can see them on Lake Superior, which is awesome but if it were up to there or AK then I think my wife is def. up for AK omre than Lake Superior in the winter.
Thoughts are appreciated.
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“I’m just hanging on while this world keeps spinning and it’s good to know it’s out of my control. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from all this living is that it wouldn’t change a thing if I let go…”
Jimmy Buffett & Martina McGraw
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CajunHiker
Carnival Time!
Group: Members
Posts: 22557
Joined: Jun. 2006
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Posted on: Dec. 27 2012, 8:57 pm |
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Just read this the other day ...
http://www.nbcnews.com/travel....7660242
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"Mardi Gras is the love of life. It is the harmonic convergence of our food, our music, our creativity, our eccentricity, our neighborhoods, and our joy of living. All at once." - Chris Rose
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Walkinman
A rainbow
Group: Members
Posts: 6612
Joined: Nov. 2002
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Posted on: Dec. 28 2012, 2:14 am |
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Hikingff77
Fairbanks.
I wouldn't (and don't) recommend Chena Hot Springs. You want to have wheels, and be more mobile; rather that at the dead end of a long road, Fairbanks provides a multitude of options for directions of travel; watch the weather, look for wherever the skies will be clear, and drive that direction.
A 3 part article;
all you need to know about photographing the Northern Lights.
(A downloadable pdf of the entire thing at the end of the section 3)
What to wear.
I've heard different things on whether the aurora will be great after this year or not - it seems everyone agrees this winter is the "peak" of the cycle; but some researchers predict it'll decline sharply, and for quite a long "low" spell. Others say, like the article CajunHiker linked to, that the next few years should still be good.
Cheers
Carl
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Guided Alaska backpacking and hiking trips
"What good is a used up world and how can it be worth having?" -- Sting, All This Time.
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| Post Number: 4
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Roger
Group: Members
Posts: 1891
Joined: Feb. 2002
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Posted on: Dec. 28 2012, 11:05 am |
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Another option for seeing northern lights is Sweden. One can take a train to say Abisko National Park from Stockholm and enjoy the park. I have been there in summer and it was a great place to visit. The cost to get to Fairbanks from Atlanta was more than the cost to fly to Stockholm. Sweden Northern Lights
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“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” -Mark Twain
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Ecocentric
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Joined: Jun. 2009
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Posted on: Dec. 28 2012, 12:26 pm |
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Churchill, Manitoba. It is near the magnetic pole so even small aurora are right overhead, it's a nice train ride, and around the end of October you are almost sure to see polar bears.
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"Travel suggestions from strangers are like dancing lessons from God." -Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
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BCPete1
Group: Members
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Joined: Jul. 2006
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Posted on: Dec. 28 2012, 1:24 pm |
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(Ecocentric @ Dec. 28 2012, 12:26 pm)
QUOTE Churchill, Manitoba. It is near the magnetic pole so even small aurora are right overhead, it's a nice train ride, and around the end of October you are almost sure to see polar bears.
Unless you are part of some tour group, getting a hotel room (or any room) in Churchill is very, very difficult that time of year (Oct-Nov). I would hazzard a guess that a rental car would be equally tough. That place is an absolute zoo during polar bear season.
As far as the train ... DON'T! The itinerary that VIA Rail will post is way off because it often gets delayed by a lot of weird issues. We boarded the train at Thompson, and figured we'd be in Churchill about 12 to 13 hours after it should have left Thompson (if my memory serves me). We didn't roll into Churchill until about 26 hours after the train was supposed to leave Thompson. People who were on the train from Winnipeg were on that thing for 48 hours at least. Not a lot of fun when you have nothing but a cramped seat. We bagged the train idea back to Thompson and sprung for plane tickets instead. Made an expensive trip even more so (our most expensive vacation ever - and that's saying something!).
Also, there were only northern lights for just one night while we were there (8 day trip). Hit & miss for sure. Unless your primary trip goal is polar bears, I'd opt for AK over Churchill.
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hikingFF77
Group: Members
Posts: 5235
Joined: Aug. 2005
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Posted on: Dec. 28 2012, 2:38 pm |
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Thanks for all the information.
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“I’m just hanging on while this world keeps spinning and it’s good to know it’s out of my control. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from all this living is that it wouldn’t change a thing if I let go…”
Jimmy Buffett & Martina McGraw
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| Post Number: 8
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Survival Skills 101 • Eat Better
