Visiting in Winter

Although many people think visiting Alaska in winter is insane, there are plenty of good reasons for doing so. It takes a bit of an adventurous spirit and proper clothing.

The northern lights (aurora borealis) are active all year long, but it has to get dark before you can enjoy them. On a clear night these shimmering curtains of color in the sky are absolutely breathtaking: rippling reds and greens and blues that seem to make the entire sky come alive. Weather and solar activity have to cooperate in order to make the aurora performances happen, but when they do, the results are astounding. To check out aurora borealis activity, look up the forecast at www.gedds.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast.

There are fewer bugs in the winter months; if you've visited in summer and been subjected to the mosquitoes, no-see-ums, and white socks, this alone might entice you.

For a real Alaska winter experience, dog mushing is the ultimate. Spectators can watch sprint and long-distance races all over the state, capped off by the Yukon Quest and Iditarod races in February and March. There are numerous outfits in the Interior and South Central that will train you to mush your own team. Fodor's discusses dog mushing and surrounding competitions with the expectation and hope that all the animals are treated with care and respect. And if you hang out with serious mushers, you'll see that their animals are more pampered than the average Park Avenue poodle.

For both downhill and cross-country skiing adventures, you can charter a helicopter to go backcountry skiing in the Valdez area or visit one of the downhill areas near Anchorage, Fairbanks, or Juneau. You can also ski year-round by chartering a plane to a glacier in Denali National Park.

Eaglecrest is across from Juneau on the slopes of Douglas Island, and there's also skiing on the glaciers of the Juneau Icefield, reached by helicopter. Thirty minutes outside of Anchorage, in Girdwood, is Alyeska Ski Resort. Backcountry skiers and snowmachiners travel Turnagain Pass, 59 mi from Anchorage on the Seward Highway. Hilltop Ski Area and Alpenglow are small alpine ski areas within 10 mi of downtown Anchorage.

The World Extreme Skiing Championships are held at Valdez every April. Cross-country skiers will find many miles of groomed trails in Anchorage. Additional cross-country ski trails can be found around Fairbanks, Homer, and Palmer. Snowboarding has more than caught on in South Central Alaska, and boarders are welcome at all three Anchorage ski areas. Rentals are available at the various ski areas and outdoor equipment shops.