![]() ![]() Well preserved ancient critters like dinosaurs and mammoths have been found throughout AlaskaĪfter driving hundreds of miles on the frost-heaved ALCAN, we found these exhibits very interesting. The Museum of the North is small but packed full of informative displays We thought the $14 admission was a bit high but it is free for UA students and Alaska-based military families with ID. The collections are organized into 10 disciplines (archaeology, birds, documentary film, earth sciences, ethnology/history, fine arts, fishes/marine invertebrates, insects, mammals, and plants) and serve as a valuable resource for research on climate change, genetics, contaminants and other issues facing Alaska and the circumpolar North.” ![]() “The museum’s research collections – 1.5 + million artifacts and specimens – represent millions of years of biological diversity and thousands of years of cultural traditions in the North. So we walked up to their Museum of the North. Fortunately, River’s Edge is in a convenient location and the University of Alaska Fairbanks was within walking distance. ![]() The truck was in the shop again stranding us on foot. Our first view of the pipeline crossing the Tanana River near Big Delta The eastern edge of the Alaska Range near Tok There is not any darkness this time of the year. On June 12 th, sunset was at 00:35 and sunrise was at 03:05. Plus, each time we got up in the middle of the night, it was still daylight. We could really tell the difference in the length of the day when we laid down for bed that night. It was strange driving into the city of Fairbanks since we had not been near a population center in three weeks. She was stationed at Eielson for four years back in the mid-‘90s. We had our first glimpse of the Trans-Alaska pipeline when we were crossing over the Tanana River near Delta.Īrleen shared memories with me as we drove past Eielson AFB and the town of North Pole. Plus, there was an increase in the number of homes tucked in the woods. There was a noticeable increase in traffic once we hit Delta Junction. They were all sizable rivers and still had sections that were still frozen. We could see their extensive drainages that start from glaciers up in the Alaska Range. We crossed old bridges over the Robertson, the Johnson, and the Gerstle Rivers. The river drains approximately 44,000 square miles of interior Alaska.” “The river drains the north slopes of the high Alaska Range and is fed by a number of glaciers. The braided Tanana River is second largest tributary that flows into the mighty Yukon River. It is a good year for the bunnies so it must be a good year for lynx. It was an intuitive observation that was confirmed the next day at the University of Fairbanks Museum. It was necessary to drive less than the posted speed limit.Īrleen noted that areas of the road that were lined with white fir and Birch had less frost heaves than areas lined with black spruce. But those of us towing were getting bucked around pretty good. Most vehicles did not seem to have issues. It was smooth for the first 10 miles from Tok and the last few miles past Eielson AFB. The majority of the highway from Tok to Fairbanks suffers from frost heaves. Note the record high of 99 in July and record low in –66 in January, a difference of 165 degrees! Note also the “mean monthly sunshine hours”. Though we respect folks for living in Fairbanks, we think they’re crazy!įairbanks climate data. It has most of the supplies and services of the cities of comparable size. The location was good and we’d probably return.Ĭamped at Rivers Edge RV Park near the Chena River in Fairbanks, Alaskaįairbanks, Alaska, population in town ~32,000 and ~100,000 in the borough, at an elevation of 446 feet, is an interesting city, with an interesting history, in an interesting location. We were comfortable but would have liked more room, especially if we got noisy neighbors. Some sites had rows of trees and bushes between them and some were open. ![]() The sites were packed gravel that were fairly level. We barely fit in ours both lengthwise and widthwise. At $3 each, it’s the most expensive yet! The sites varied quite a bit but most of them were narrow. There were roughly 10 washers and 10 dryers. We had full hook-ups, about 10 channels of cable tv, spotty wi-fi, and a reliable Verizon data signal. Vehicle, boat, and aircraft noise were noticeable much of the time, but quieted around midnight each night. We were able to walk to the University, Pioneer Park, and two large grocery stores. It felt a little run down, but we liked the location. Great friend and Fairbanks resident, Heidi, added the Alaska sticker to our map To explore Arleen’s old stomping grounds, and mostly to visit friends. ![]()
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