Scott

I'm thinking about visiting Barrow Alaska in mid December, to see the nothern lights. I'm concerned with choosing clothing for the expected temperatures of 50 to 70 degrees below zero.

Any advice on parkas, pants, gloves, etc.?

Owen O'Neill

I live in the "temperate" region of the central NY state snow belt and can't speak to the specifics of Barrow, but we do have at least a few days each winter in which the temperature remains at or below -10 fahrenheit with a stiff wind. The general solution involves multiple layers. Long underwear for top and bottom should be of the multi layer variety (one brand is Duofold) - it's much warmer than the traditional white variety with the waffle pattern surface. Several layers of lighter cotton material close to the skin wicks off moisture from the body and allows one to stay warmer. The wind resistant layers should be on the surface. Consider using thin glove liners inside of Thinsulate gloves and then wear mittens over them. It's very tough to keep the fingers warm at those temps. Socks should also be layered and insulated boots worn. A ski mask that covers the head, face and neck allowing openings for eyes, nostrils and mouth may be advisable as well. It's been years since I've spenty extended periods outdoors in extreme cold but the principles haven't changed. A good specialty retailer should be able to fill you in on Gore-Tex and all the newer insulating materials but if you wish to do it without investing big bucks in specialized gear, stick to layering and you should be fine.

Donna

We spent a day in -20 deg F. Our son is a musher and wears polar fleece over longjohns and then wears goretex outerwear. Make sure your parka covers your butt and hips. Boots like Sorels are pretty good because you can wear heavy socks plus have felt liners. He liked those ugly white army surplus boots. Make sure the boots are big enough for heavy socks. It would be good if your parka has a hood with fur lining. This helps protect your face. He also used those chemical heat packs for feet and/or hands when necessary. It was 40 below last time he was in Canada. You might check on the internet that sell cold weather gear to mushers and other outdoor sports enthusiasts. The better parkas go almost to your knees. We got him a polar fleece hood/neck warmer which was fine but not for all day wear since mouth moisture got the front wet and he was not able to turn it around. At those temps any exposed hair will l build up with frost. We saw bearded guys who came in with snowballs on their chins.

Frank

Is there a way to find out when the northern lights are going to be 'active' or is it a go there and hope for the best? Is the winter the only time or just the best time to view the lights? Thanks

Owen O'Neill

Frank - I located a comprehensive northern lights info page on the web but the URL is waaaay too long to type in here. I have forwarded the link directly to you by e-mail. Anyone interested please got to excite.com and do a search for "northern lights introduction"

Owen O'Neill

Correction folks..... go to excite.com and search for aurora borealis. The sixth or seventh entry that appears is entitled "Northern Lights Introduction" and is quite informative. Even has an AVI movie clip of the lights in action!

Brian Kilgore

One of the best Northern Lights shows I ever saw was in the summer in Winnipeg. We'd just finished an outdoor evening barbecue steak dinner, and were sitting in the yard when the show started. We had some Alabamans as guests, and explkained to them that this happened evry night in Winnipeg. They did not fall for it.

Anyway, no need to freeze in Alaska to see the sky light up. But there is no fixed schedule.

BAK

Scott

Thanks for all of the info. Since I live in "sunny" California, the clothing I'm going to need will probably cost more than the plane tickets!