The winter in Alaska make people think twice for vacation choice. I have been in the United States for 20 years and have never dared to plan a trip to Alaska which in my mind is quite dangerous. This year, feeling the call of the aurora, I decided to embark on a trip to northern tip: Alaska – America’s last Frontier.
Many people go to Alaska in the summer, the low temperature in winter often reaches minus 40 degrees Celsius. Although I have lived in Inner Mongolia for many years, the ice and snow more than 20 years ago has become a faded memory of childhood. I wonder if I would be okay in this cold weather.
Arrived in Alaska on the evening of 12/30/2018. As soon as we arrived at the arrival hall of the airport, a chill came and the hotel driver who came to pick us up flew across the airport and did not even stop. We had to take a taxi to the hotel. The driver said that this is the second warmest year in Alaska history, otherwise it should be snowing every week, and the snow time was delayed from September to November.
On New Year’s eve, we drove around a bit in the snow watched the firework around University of Alaska.
We went back to hotel at 8:30pm, and went to bed. Weather: Cloudy, Aurora prediction: 2 low.
At New Year’s Day breakfast, I met several Chinese students from San Diego. What they told me made me regret big time: they saw the strongest aurora in the past three months last night, on New Year’s Eve! I vowed not to sleep for the next few days: the weather is unpredictable. I am determined to see the aurora.
We booked a Husky Dog Sled tour, and it was a blast! Sledding through the snow covered forest in a whisper quiet trail was just like a fairy tale. I highly recommend Sirius Sled Dogs .
We then drove to Chena Hot Spring Resort, the 80-kilometre highway seems to be built just for them, and the hot spring is right at the very end of highway. I was timid and afraid of going into the hot springs like a boiled dumplings to make the body warm and cold at the same time. Fortunately, the hotel features salmon and Alaska King crabs – these are delicious! The activity center told us that the probability of aurora that night was very low and many people did not come out. I waited for three hours outside at the small airport strip to photograph the Milky Way, and captured a small piece of shy aurora. It can’t be seen by the naked eye, and the camera captured it.
On the third night, We took an army off-road vehicle for 30 minutes to the top of the mountain and got off at 9:50pm. From the experience of the previous night, I immediately recognized the aurora in the sky. I skipped the hot stove heated tents, and plunged right into the snow at minus 30 to 35 degrees Celsius cold air. The sky turned from dark black and blue to milky white, pale green, pale pink, and the aurora became stronger and stronger. Before you realized, the aurora danced slowly, watching her flew in the sky like a musician playing the piano, sometimes cheerful, and sometimes spectacular, and occasionally splashes a few colored inks, all along with the Milky Way. It was really a visual feast of God. The people around us came from all over the world and were all left speechless.
In ancient times, most people thought that Aurora was an angle visting the Earth. However, she mostly appeared at an altitude of 50-160 km from the ground. In history, only two people witnessed the Aurora to reach as low as the top of the mountain. After returning to the hotel three and a half hours later, I noticed that my boots were covered with snow and ice, and my feet turned red and they itched badly when I went into a hot shower – bad idea! Weather forecast: snowy cloudy, aurora prediction: 4 strong
After sleeping for two hours, next morning, we drove to meet Jenna and David (Boreal Journeys Alaska) a Jewish couple in Alaska who have moved from out of state to settle down in Alaska. Jenna graduated from Law School, David’s family is mostly doctors. They came to Alaska and chose to live here.
They bought 600 acres of land next to a large river in the deep forest (later bought 2,400 acres of land and spent a total of 76,000 US dollars). The life is mostly fishing and hunting. The surrounding 30 kilometers are federal land, so they have their own paradise completely to their own. After three years of hard work, they built their own home here: a cabin for 4 people, a fish cabin for storing thousands of salmon, a tent kitchen, a tent to watch starry sky and aurora, and an upcoming tent. They also built a two-story wooden house facing south. The big wood house needs a total of 70 main logs (each nearly 160 kg each – two years after air drying), without a nail, without a mechanical lifting machine, the couple used two pieces of wood to make the crane used in the army (Gin Pole Crane) . It is expected that this house will be completed next summer, which will be their warm home.
In the summer they fish and prepare for winter food. On a good day, they can catch more than 100 salmon or white fish a day. In winter, they can save 1,000 salmon for 10 dogs. You can hunt all year round here.
Before I came, I was prepared to endure hardships: the wooden house was cold, and there was nothing to eat. We would suffer. If your expectations are low, there will be pleasant surprises everywhere. It turned out that the wooden house and the fire stove were so warm. If you accidentally added too much wood at night, you have to open the door to cool off. Every day, they brought out their best food, white fish, salmon, moose meat, cranberry, chocolate, homemade ice cream. Everything tastes so delicious and precious in this freezing weather. It was out of this world! Under the candlelight, in the cabin with the tableware made of woods, tasting the delicious fish soup and deer steak, listening to them tell stories – it was such a dreamy feeling, this is really a modern paradise!
David does not like to use high-tech products. He uses flip cell phone, He is so smart, being fisherman, hunter, and architect. Jenna was educated at a private school. During her university years, she visited many countries and graduated from law school. She finally decided to quit her lawyer career and chose to buy this land and live in seclusion. Her grandmother joked that her parents invested a lot of money to get the best education for her, to let her advance, but she now choose to go straight back to ancient times! Her words and demeanor also directly revealed the manners of the nobility, but only more diligent, a super woman who can chop wood, feed dogs, cook, build houses, fish and hunt!
That night, I photographed the most beautiful aurora at the riverside tent. At that time, the temperature was estimated to be minus forty-two Celsius. The Sony A7 iii battery had no problem, but the carbon fiber tripod was frozen and hard to adjust. Looking up at the starry sky, the aurora and the tent’s bonfire heat dance together, this scene can rarely be had!
On the second day, at the request of David, I took a couple of pictures for his branding images with the husky dog sled. His request was that the picture was simple, and both of us were satisfied with the result.
At the farewell dinner, we shared each other’s whiskeys and then toasted each other according to Chinese customs. Jenna was a lawyer, eloquent, and the words were meticulous. David just smiled and toasted, till next time…
三番惬如玉，北疆万里寒。银河极光舞，林海雪原聚。火炉木屋暖，犹太情侣叙。夏捕三文鱼，冬遛哈士奇。山果鱼宴丰，家有鹿肉酒。遥远世事愚，笑对人生旅。
彭寿臣，2019元月6日，阿拉斯加
阿拉斯加的冬天是让人敬畏的。来美国20年，从未胆敢计划阿拉斯加之旅，一直印象中是个比较危险的地方。过去美国境内度假多为气候宜人的地方，今年冥冥之中受着极光的召唤，毅然决然的踏上了北疆之旅：阿拉斯加 – 美国的最后边疆 (America’s last Frontier)。
去阿拉斯加多选择夏天，冬天低温经常到零下四十摄氏度，虽然我在内蒙古生活多年，但是二十多年前的冰天雪地已经变成童年的记忆，不知在遥远的边疆阿拉斯加我是否可以？
12/30日晚飞抵阿拉斯加。一出机场到达厅，一股寒气逼来，来接我们的酒店司机竟然飞一样掠过机场，我们不得不打的士到酒店。听司机讲这是阿拉斯加历史上第二暖的一年，不然应该每周都下雪，雪期从9月延迟到了11月。
12/31日，简单的窥探了路边的白雪世界。晚上来到阿拉斯加大学观看新年烟火，8:30结束就回到酒店睡觉。天气：阴天，极光预测 2 低。
元旦早餐时遇到圣地亚哥来的几个中国学生，随便聊了几句就让我后悔不已：他们竟然在新年夜看到了三个月以来最强的极光，小伙子叫白绛憬，一流摄影水平， 很慷慨的分享了极光大片原片！我暗暗下决心接下来几天不睡觉了，天公不可测，唯有我坚决，才可以看到极光。
当天驱车到 Chena Hot Spring Resort 温泉♨️度假胜地，80公里高速好像就为他们修的，直接开到尽头就是温泉。我胆小懦弱不敢去和大家一起像煮饺子一样去泡温泉让身子下暖上冻，好在这里的饭店特色三文鱼和皇帝蟹非常可口。活动中心告知今晚极光概率很低，很多人没有出来。我在外面小机场守候了三个小时拍到了银河和一小条羞涩的极光。肉眼看不到，架上相机一照就显现出极光。
第二天去了哈士奇养狗的基地参观并学习了1600公里的哈士奇狗拉雪橇大赛的情况，可以想象这是多么艰苦卓绝的比赛，与其相比我们追逐极光之旅根本不算什么。天阴下雪，晚上没有出来。
第三天晚上坐着军队越野车行驶30分钟到了山顶，9:50一下车，根据前晚的经验我马上识别了天空的一条极光。掠过热热的火炉帐篷⛺️而不入，一头扎进了零下二十五到三十摄氏度的白雪。天空从深黑蓝色一点点的转到乳白色，淡绿色，淡粉色，极光越来越强，不知不觉极光徐徐起舞，看着她纵横天空的跳动就像音乐家在弹钢琴一样，时而欢快，时而壮观，偶尔泼上几笔彩墨，与银河并列，实在是上帝展现的视觉艳丽大餐，身边的人来自世界各地，唏嘘不已。古时候大多认为极光是精灵🧚♀️来探访地球人，然而她基本出现距离地面50-160公里的高空，历史上只有两次有人目击极光下达到山顶⛰️。三个半小时后回到酒店才注意到靴子里都是雪和冰，脚红了一半。天气预报：下雪阴天，极光预测：4 强
睡了两个小时后早上7:30（11点日出）驱车去与一对深山老林的夫妇🎎会合。Jenna 和 David 是阿拉斯加少有的犹太人，他们都是从外州搬来定居。太太Jenna法学院毕业，先生David医生世家，来到阿拉斯加后双双选择隐居生活，在深山老林一条大河旁买了600亩地（后来城边又买了2400亩地，共花7.6万美元），开始了捕鱼🐟打猎的生活。周围30公里的地方都是联邦土地，所以他们几乎彻底与世隔绝。经过三年的努力在这里建立了自己的家园：一个睡4人的小木屋，一个存储千条三文鱼的鱼仓，一个帐篷厨房，一个观赏星空✨和极光的帐篷⛺️，还有即将建成的面南的二层大木屋。大木屋需要共70条主木（每条近160公斤 – 风干两年后），不用一颗钉子，不用机械起吊机，夫妻俩用两颗木头做出了军队里用的起吊机（Gin Pole Crane), 愣是用一个夏季两个人盖起了这个木屋，预计明年夏天封顶启用，这将是他们温暖的家。
夏天他们捕鱼，准备好一冬天的食物，好的时候一天可以捕到100多条三文鱼。到冬天可以存1000条三文鱼给10条狗。全年可以打猎。
来之前就做好了吃苦的准备：木屋冰冷🥶，没有什么吃的，来受受罪吧。期待值低就处处有惊喜。原来木屋加火炉是如此温暖，晚上不小心加木头太多，烤的要开门散热气，每天主人都拿出他们最好的食物，白鱼，三文鱼，驼鹿肉，蔓越莓，巧克力，自制冰激淋，一日三餐感觉应有尽有，主人还道歉说你喜欢的黄瓜🥒没有，因为这里实在不能存储黄瓜。在烛光🕯️下，小木屋里，用树木自制的餐具，品尝着鲜美的鱼汤和鹿排，听他们讲述故事，有种梦幻的感觉，这真是世外桃源现代版！
男主人 David 不喜欢用高科技产品，手机是翻盖手机，人很聪明，既是渔夫，猎人，又是建筑师。女主人Jenna自幼上私校受高等教育，大学期间访问很多国家，法学毕业，最终决定放弃律师职业，选择买下这片土地，隐居生活。她的祖母开玩笑说，你的父母投资下大成本让你受最好的教育就是让你不过倒退的生活，你现在反而选择直退回远古时代！她言谈举止直接还透露着贵族的举止，只是更为勤劳，鉴木砍柴，喂狗做饭，建房捕鱼，无所不能。
第一晚在河边帐篷边拍下了这次最美的极光，当时温度估计有零下四十二三度，索尼A7 iii 电池没有什么问题，只是碳纤维三脚架竟然冻住了，很难调节。抬头仰望星空，平视极光与帐篷的篝火之暖气共舞，此景难常有！
第二天应David 的请求，为他们拍了两张有哈士奇狗拉雪橇的品牌照片，他的要求是画面简单，有两张我们都比较满意。（2024年11月照片被美国最大旅行杂志 TRAVEL + LEASURE 发表）。
然后我们在零下四十摄氏度的低温下去冰河钓鱼处查看了昨晚的战果。
临别晚宴，我们分享了彼此的威士忌，然后按照中国的习俗互相敬酒，Jenna 不愧为律师，口才好，致辞亲切细致，真情流露，David 则憨厚一笑，举杯畅饮。
