Honeymoon

Before you get too excited.... No, I am not going to give details of our honeymoon!  I do want to share the photographs and tell you about the special place we went, in case you want to work it into your next trip to Alaska.

 




Friday morning Tim and I drove to Chena Hot Springs - about a 5.5 to 6 hour drive from home in Copper Center. The drive was spectacular and the weather was nice enough to be able to see the sites!

There were bushes and trees that were covered in the yellows of Fall and in places, the tundra looked like it was smoldering red coals.

 All the color was against the backdrop of the multicolored mountains and the dark gray-green spruce trees. 













We stopped along a couple of streams along the way and saw the last of the red salmon spawning before winter hits. 

Chena Hot Springs was discovered by miners and the springs exit the ground around 140 degrees Farenheit year round. They cool the water that they pump into their outdoor pool surrounded by rocks large boulders, to a temperature around 107 degrees. The water is very hot but the sulfur and minerals in the water make it very soothing. The Japanese especially like to visit Chena Hot Springs in the Fall and Winter since the northern lights are often seen on clear nights. 

While we were there, several caribou were delivered to the resort.  They are in a huge fenced area that extends up into the hills behind the resort.  They were raised in captivity, so the resort area will be more like natural habitat to them than they have known so far.

We spent a few days enjoying the area; walking in the woods and around the grounds, eating in their restaurant and taking tours of their ice museum and their geothermal power plant and greenhouses where they produce all the power necessary for the resort and grow much of the fresh vegetables used in the restaurant. They also offer dog sled rides and tours of the kennels, horseback trail rides, hiking trails and helicopter rides, as well as full spa services.

Inside the ice museum were intricate ice carvings and 4 rooms where guests can stay overnight if they wish. The beds are carved ice covered with plywood. The tour guide said no one had actually ever stayed the complete night. We didn't try it.

We ended our trip with a stop in Fairbanks to have lunch with my nephew Nick and go shopping before heading home.